Published in March, 2025 | Last Updated: July 17, 2025 - This article is relevant to anyone using Elastic Stack versions 7.17 or earlier (including Elasticsearch & Kibana) or Elastic Stack versions 8.x.

The information below is based on updates provided by the vendor (Elastic) and extended with relevant details from Liferay to cover the implications for customers with Liferay Enterprise Search (LES) subscriptions.

Summary

With the release of Liferay DXP 2025.Q2, we will deprecate compatibility with Elasticsearch 7 due to the upcoming end-of-maintenance and EOL of Elastic Stack 7.17. Liferay strongly recommends all customers with 7.17.x or earlier deployments to upgrade to the latest compatible version of Elasticsearch 8.x.

Elasticsearch 8 compatibility is available on DXP 7.3 Update 31+, DXP 7.4 Update 81+ and on all DXP Quarterly Releases. Docker images are also provided for Liferay PaaS projects in Liferay Cloud.

Details

This update is a direct continuation of previous notices added to the Search Engine Compatibility Matrix, the Liferay DXP 2024.Q3 Release Notes (Elasticsearch 7.17 EOL in 2025 & Updates), and the Liferay DXP 2025.Q1 Release Notes (Compatibility with Elasticsearch 8.17).

The following are the highlights:

• End-of-Maintenance: The Elasticsearch and Elastic Stack 7.17 versions will be maintained by Elastic until Elastic Stack 9.0 is released.
• In-Product Notices in Liferay DXP: With the release of Liferay DXP 2025.Q2, warning messages appear in the console and in the Search Admin when Liferay is connecting to Elasticsearch 7, recommending to upgrade to Elasticsearch 8.
• Elasticsearch 7 Connector Moving to Marketplace: Starting with Liferay DXP 2025.Q4, if you wish to continue operating Liferay DXP with Elasticsearch 7, to continue operating Liferay DXP with Elasticsearch 7 you must download and install the deprecated Elasticsearch 7 connector from the Liferay Marketplace.
• Upcoming Removal of Compatibility: After Elasticsearch 7 reaches EOL, it will be removed from the list of compatible versions.

Elastic Stack 7.17 and 8.x Maintenance and Support Timelines

All version and timeline information mentioned about Elasticsearch and Elastic Stack are tentative and subject to change by the vendor (Elastic).

While Elastic does not provide specific release dates for future releases, Liferay was informed that Elastic has tentatively scheduled the release of 9.0 at the end of March 2025 (earliest).

This diagram shows the maintenance and support timelines of 7.17 and 8.x releases, as provided by Elastic:

Liferay strongly recommends customers to begin the planning phase for an upgrade project to the latest compatible Elastic Stack 8.x version (currently, 8.17).

Liferay Elasticsearch Compatibility and Connectors Roadmap

All version and availability information in this table are tentative and subject to change by Liferay.

DXP Quarterly Release	Bundled Connector	Compatible Elasticsearch Major Versions	Bundled (Sidecar) Elasticsearch Version3
2025.Q1	Connector to Elasticsearch 7 (Compatibility+)	Elasticsearch 81 Elasticsearch 7 (Deprecated)	Elasticsearch 7.17.26
2025.Q2			Elasticsearch 7.17.28
2025.Q3		Elasticsearch 81 Elasticsearch 7 (Deprecated)2	Elasticsearch 8.x
2025.Q4
2026.Q1	Connector to Elasticsearch 9	Elasticsearch 82, 9	Elasticsearch 9.x

¹ The Elasticsearch 8.x compatibility is provided through the bundled Elasticsearch 7 connector (Compatibility+) and Elasticsearch 8’s REST API compatibility mode.

² It will require to install and configure the Elasticsearch 7 connector (Compatibility+), planned to be released separately on Marketplace.

³ The Elasticsearch server (aka. Sidecar Elasticsearch) included in Liferay DXP Tomcat Bundles and Docker Images is neither suitable nor supported for production operation.

Last Updated (July 17, 2025) - Updated the tentative timeline and plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Liferay is providing compatibility with certain Elasticsearch versions. You can integrate Liferay with compatible Elasticsearch versions using Liferay’s Elasticsearch connectors, bundled inside Liferay or released on Marketplace.

Elastic, as the vendor of Elasticsearch, Kibana and the Elastic Stack, defines the maintenance, support and EOL policies for their products.

Compatibility with a given search engine version is considered a Liferay DXP product capability. As such it can be transitioned from GA to Maintenance/Deprecated or Removed/Archived status over time, in order to reflect the EOL of the integrated product and to phase it out from our compatibility matrix. These statuses determine the available coverage provided by Liferay Support.

What happens when a release is no longer maintained by Elastic?

Once a release is no longer maintained, Elastic will not provide maintenance releases or address security vulnerabilities for the version.

I have LES; what happens when a release is no longer maintained by Liferay?

As the Elasticsearch server runtime (including its plugins and libraries) cannot be patched or updated through Liferay hotfixes without newer maintenance releases for the Elastic Stack 7.17, LES subscribers should be aware that Liferay Support’s assistance will be limited when issues affect Elasticsearch or Kibana 7.17.

How long will Elastic Stack 7.17 be maintained by Elastic?

According to the Elastic Product End of Life Dates for Prior Versions, Elastic Stack 7.17 versions are maintained until April 15, 2025.

I have LES; what happens when a release is no longer supported by Elastic?

Once a release is unsupported, Elastic will only provide support for upgrading to a supported release. Liferay Support's assistance will also be limited even for subscribers with the LES add-on subscription when using unsupported Elasticsearch versions (e.g., Elasticsearch 7).

I have LES, how long will Elastic Stack 7.17 be supported by Elastic?

Elastic has extended the Support of Elastic Stack 7.17 to 9 months after the next Major Release (9.0) to better support customers in their upgrade journey. During this period, Liferay subscribers with LES can also contact Liferay Support for assistance with upgrading their Elastic Stack to a supported release in accordance with Liferay's Support Coverage for LES.

Update (April 16, 2025)- Elasticsearch 8.18 and 9.0 were released on April 15, 2025. The EOL information for the Prior Versions has been updated accordingly: Elasticsearch, Kibana 7.17.x End of Support Term is on January 15, 2026.

How long will Elasticsearch 7.17 be supported by Liferay?

Once Elasticsearch 7.17 reaches EOL, it will be removed from Liferay's list of compatible versions for the very next DXP quarterly release.

It is anticipated that Liferay DXP 2026.Q1 will no longer support Elasticsearch 7. This is subject to change as it also depends on external factors like the finalized EOL date as decided by Elastic.

What will happen to the Elasticsearch 7 compatibility in earlier versions of Liferay DXP?

The technical ability to connect previously released Liferay DXP versions to Elasticsearch 7 will not change. 

What will happen to the Elasticsearch 7 bundled with Liferay DXP?

The Elasticsearch 7 server runtime included in Liferay DXP Tomcat Bundles and Docker Images (aka. Sidecar Elasticsearch, located under [Liferay-Home]/elasticsearch-sidecar) is neither suitable nor supported for production. It is provided as a convenience for local development and testing only. Instead, configure Liferay to connect to Elasticsearch as a self-managed, standalone server or cluster of server nodes.

Due to the Elasticsearch 7's upcoming EOL, Liferay will switch to Elasticsearch 8 as the version for the sidecar server in future DXP Quarterly Releases. 

Note: The Sidecar Elasticsearch (including all of its bundled plugins and libraries) cannot be patched or updated through Liferay hotfixes. 

What will happen to the Elasticsearch 7 Connector currently bundled with Liferay DXP?

Tentatively starting with Liferay DXP 2025.Q3, continuing to operate Liferay DXP with Elasticsearch 7 will require installing the deprecated Elasticsearch 7 Connector, released separately on Marketplace.

It will be replaced by a native Elasticsearch 8 Connector supporting both Elasticsearch 8 and 9 (via REST API compatibility mode). This will become the default, bundled connector in a future Liferay DXP Quarterly Release.

Which Elastic Stack 8.x version should I upgrade to?

Upgrade to the latest compatible minor release in the 8.x series as indicated in the Search Engine Compatibility Matrix (currently, 8.17). If you are on 7.x, first move to 7.17 (latest) where you can upgrade your Elasticsearch cluster/Elastic Stack to the latest compatible 8.x version. Consulting with Elastic's upgrade documentation is also recommended.

Note: The Elasticsearch 8.x compatibility is provided through the bundled Elasticsearch 7 connector and Elasticsearch’s 8 REST API compatibility on versions DXP 7.4 U81+ since 2023.

Will Liferay provide compatibility with Elasticsearch 8.18 and 8.19?

Liferay cannot guarantee immediate support for new minor versions until compatibility testing is completed. Testing of Liferay DXP with newer minor Elasticsearch releases is usually conducted quarterly.

The Release Notes for DXP Quarterly Releases and the Search Engine Compatibility Matrix will include the most up-to-date, detailed information about Elasticsearch compatibility, including the compatible connector versions and required quarterly release/update versions and patch levels.

Will Liferay provide compatibility with Elasticsearch 9?

Adding support for a new major release of Elasticsearch is usually a significant investment. However, we recognize the importance of allowing our customers to operate on an up-to-date deployment stack.

Therefore, our approach for supporting Elasticsearch 9 will be similar to our Elasticsearch 8 approach: provide compatibility with both Elasticsearch 8 and 9 through a single connector, leveraging the compatibility mode of Elasticsearch 9. To achieve this, we are planning to implement a native Elasticsearch 8 connector.

Once a native Elasticsearch 8 connector is provided later this year (providing compatibility with both Elasticsearch 8 and 9), the currently bundled Elasticsearch 7 connector will likely be moved to Marketplace as a deprecated app, allowing us to bundle the new native connector with newer DXP Quarterly Releases.

 

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