Hello. This is Aihara, Product Manager for the KUSANAGI Development Team.
The KUSANAGI development team constantly faces two seemingly contradictory challenges: to always keep pace with the latest modules, and to maintain backward compatibility while providing seamless updates.
We aim to quickly support the latest PHP and databases to maintain cutting-edge security and performance. On the other hand, we want to avoid sudden changes that could cause existing sites to stop functioning. To maintain this balance, we consider ‘preparation’ and ‘deprecation’ as a paired process.
Trends from January to February 2026 ~ Transition from Preparation to ‘Deprecation’
Last November to December was a ‘preparation period to add new options,’ such as supporting PHP 8.5. Following that, this January to February has entered a phase of practical ‘generational change’, where legacy environments that have completed their roles are being phased out.
Particularly significant is the End-of-Life (EOL) for PHP 8.1. After the PHP community reached EOL at the end of 2025, KUSANAGI officially completed its deprecation with version 9.8.5-1 on January 29, 2026.
Deprecated/Ended Items (January-February 2026)
PHP 8.1 End-of-Life (EOL)
With the EOL, the --php81 option has been deprecated. Please switch to PHP 8.2 or later using the kusanagi php --use command.
PostgreSQL 13 / Drupal 9 End of Support
Deprecation is now official, as preparation for migrating to PostgreSQL 17/18 has been completed.
Newly Added / Updated Items
- MariaDB 11.4 / 11.8 Support Initiated
- Application of the Latest PHP 8.5 (8.5.3-1)
- Rapid Application of nginx Security Patches (CVE compliance)
Major Updates List
| Date | Version / Package | Main Changes |
| 2026/1/29 | ・KUSANAGI 9 9.8.5-1 ・Security Edition 10.3.5-1.el9 | End of support for PHP 8.1 / PostgreSQL 13 / Drupal 9. Added PostgreSQL 17/18. |
| 2026/1/30 | ・wp-plugins 20260128-1 | KUSANAGI plugin update |
| 2026/2/20 | ・KUSANAGI 9 9.8.6-1 ・Security Edition 10.3.7-1.el9 | New support for MariaDB 11.4 / 11.8 |
※ For vulnerability countermeasures implemented for modules during this period, please refer to the Security Advisory. Vulnerability countermeasures have been implemented for kusanagi-nginx, kusanagi-mod_security_crs, kusanagi-openssl, kusanagi-nodejs, kusanagi-curl, and kusanagi-composer. If you have not yet applied these updates, we kindly request you to update promptly.
※ If automatic middleware updates are enabled in Security Edition, fixes will be applied automatically.
Future Outlook ~ Further Stability and Next-Generation Compatibility
- Enhanced PHP Support for SafeUpgrade
We are currently advancing PHP version upgrade support within ‘SafeUpgrade,’ which is provided in Security Edition. By combining this with browser display tests, we aim for a lower-risk automatic update experience. - Consideration for AlmaLinux 10 Support
We have also begun investigating support for AlmaLinux 10, the next-generation OS. This is foundational development to further strengthen the platform’s base.
Balancing ‘Latest’ and ‘Stable’ with the Option of Automation
As seen with the deprecation of PHP 8.1, the generational change of middleware is an unavoidable challenge. However, it is not easy to constantly track, manually test, and update these within daily operations.
The means to more easily obtain the ‘always up-to-date and secure environment’ that we aim for is KUSANAGI Security Edition.
By automating updates with the SafeUpgrade feature and responding swiftly to vulnerabilities, we significantly reduce the psychological and technical burden on operations personnel. Please experience the ‘non-stop, proactive operations’ that we idealize.
This article was translated by AI.
