End of Support(EOS)/ End of Life(EOL) dates for Cygwin DLL

[Brian Inglis]

On 2026-08-27 03:45, Marco Atzeri via Cygwin wrote:
> On 27/08/2026 11:25, Nethravathi, B via Cygwin wrote:
>> We are currently in the process of validating some data and would appreciate 
>> your assistance in providing the following details:
>> 1. Installed Version End of Life Date
>> 2. Installed Version End of Support Date
>> 3. End of life date for Current installed version
>> 4. End of Support date for current installed version
>> We would need the details for the application, Cygwin DLL.
>> Your support on this would be greatly appreciated. Please let us know if you 
>> need any additional information from our side.

> The Cygwin distribution is a rolling distribution so only the last version is in 
> general supported
> The concept of EOL is not really applicable, see :
> https://cygwin.com/faq.html#faq.what.version
> https://cygwin.com/cygwin-ug-net/ov-new.html

End of Support dates are whenever the next release of the DLL, Library, or 
application package is upgraded, tested, and released.

MS Windows release End of (possibly Extended) Support dates mean End of Life 
dates generally coincide with whatever release of any package is current when 
that occurs, so that will be the last supported Cygwin DLL, Library, or 
application package release on that MS Windows release.

The next or some subsequent release will normally start cleaning up changes 
required to support previous MS Windows releases, and as a result, will no 
longer support those previous MS Windows releases.

For example, often newer MS Windows releases provide extended information 
structures returned by extended function calls, so basic function calls or 
multiple function calls required by earlier releases, may be replaced by fewer 
extended function calls returning extended information structures.

For example, see the homepage:
							<https://cygwin.com>
"Cygwin version

The most recent version of the Cygwin DLL is 3.6.9.
<https://sourceware.org/pipermail/cygwin-announce/2026-April/012969.html>
[needs updated:
	<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cygwin>
has
	Stable release	3.6.10-1[1] / 13 July 2026; 59 days ago
1. ^ "cygwin 3.6.10-1". July 13, 2026. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
	<https://cygwin.com/pipermail/cygwin-announce/2026-July/013133.html>
submitted:	[PATCH] Cygwin 3.6.10 release
	<https://cygwin.com/pipermail/cygwin-patches/2026q3/015312.html>]

The Cygwin DLL currently works with all recent, commercially released x86_64 
versions of Windows, starting with Windows 8.1.
For more information see the FAQ.
			<https://cygwin.com/faq.html#faq.what.supported>"
"1.2.	What versions of Windows are supported?

Cygwin can be expected to run on all modern, released 64 bit versions of Windows.
This includes Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2 and all later versions of 
Windows on AMD/Intel compatible PCs, as well as under x64 emulation on ARM PCs 
running Windows 11.
Windows S mode is not supported due to its limitations.

Keep in mind that Cygwin can only do as much as the underlying OS supports. 
Because of this, Cygwin will behave differently, and exhibit different 
limitations, on the various versions of Windows."

"Note to users of older Windows versions

Cygwin 3.4.10 was the last Cygwin version supporting Windows 7, Windows 8, 
Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012. If you need Cygwin on these or 
even older systems, consider using the Cygwin Time Machine.
	<http://www.crouchingtigerhiddenfruitbat.org/Cygwin/timemachine.html>"

For more details, see "Installing and Updating Cygwin Packages":
				<https://cygwin.com/install.html#unsupported>

"Q: How can I install the last Cygwin version for an old, unsupported Windows 
version?
A: Run setup with the options --allow-unsupported-windows --site circa_URL:
..."

-- 
Take care. Thanks, Brian Inglis              Calgary, Alberta, Canada

La perfection est atteinte                   Perfection is achieved
non pas lorsqu'il n'y a plus rien à ajouter  not when there is no more to add
mais lorsqu'il n'y a plus rien à retrancher  but when there is no more to cut
                                 -- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry