Synology Packages: End-of-Life Announcement

Synology Packages End-of-Life Announcement

When I read the news released by Synology on Christmas day, I almost choked on my turkey. Synology announced the end of life of several packages (31) for its DSM operating system. On the one hand, it is good news (it almost seems like an upcoming announcement of DSM 7.0). But on the other hand, it’s also bad news because some dependencies stay (PHP 5.6 and PHP 7.0), even if they shouldn’t (the article has been updated with new info regarding dependencies – go to the end of the article to find out the big news). Therefore, it is bad news and the team that manages Synology packages seems to be stuck in time.

The first original message was released by @Cynthia on the Synology Community Forum. (Cynthia is a part of the Synology Staff and an extremely active member in the official Synology forum. She is always ready to help with whatever she can in the forum.) The message says:

Synology announces the End-of-Life dates for 31 packages. These packages will reach official End-of-Life Date in two stages.

  • STAGE 1: Packages in Category One will reach the End of Software Maintenance on December 25, 2019. The official open source versions of these packages have reached End-of-Life Date.
  • STAGE 2: Packages in Category Two, the End of Software Maintenance is on June 30, 2020. The last day for users to download all these packages from Synology Package Center is June 30, 2020.

Synology end of life package announcement

Note:

  1. End of Software Maintenance: The last date that Synology may release any final software maintenance releases or bug fixes. After this date, Synology will no longer develop, repair, maintain, or test the product software.
  2. End-of-Life Date: The date that Synology will remove the package from Package Center.

  • Category One

The following packages will reach the End of Software Maintenance on December 25, 2019. The last day for users to download these packages from Synology Package Center is June 30, 2020.

  • Java7
  • Node.js 0.10
  • Node.js 0.12
  • Node.js v4
  • Node.js v6
  • Odoo 8
  • OpenERP 6
  • OpenERP 7
  • PrestaShop1.6
  • SugarCRM
  • Tomcat 6
  • PHP 5.6 *
  • PHP 7.0 *

Note: * Due to package dependencies, PHP 5.6 and PHP 7.0 will still be available in Package Center after June 30, 2020.

  • Category Two

The packages listed below will be maintained and supported until the End of Software Maintenance, June 30, 2020. Critical bugs and security issues will be fixed until said date.

The last day for users to download these packages from Synology Package Center is June 30, 2020.

  • Docker-Discourse
  • Docker-Spree
  • Drupal
  • Drupal8
  • LimeSurvey
  • Logitech media server
  • Magento
  • Magento2
  • MantisBT
  • Mono
  • Orthanc
  • osCommerce
  • phpBB
  • Piwik
  • PodcastGenerator
  • PrestaShop1.7
  • Ruby
  • Webalizer

The critical point of this announcement is this:

Due to package dependencies, PHP 5.6 and PHP 7.0 will still be available in Package Center after June 30, 2020.

Is this an early April 1st joke? This means that the phpMyAdmin package will still have PHP 5.6 dependencies and the WordPress package will continue to have PHP 7.0 package dependencies. I also recommend reading: Synology: 3rd Party Packages Update Slowly

UPDATE 26.12.2019

Docker end of life

Many people contacted me concerned that “Docker” appears in the Category Two list. To be clear, Docker-Discourse and Docker-Spree are not the “DOCKER” package.

  • Docker-Discourse (Discourse is a forum application software with a focus on user experience by introducing infinite scrolling, live updates, drag and drop attachments and more. Can be run on Synology NAS via Docker.)
  • Docker-Spree (Spree aka SpreeCommerce is a full-featured storefront tool built on common standards so you do not have to compromise speed to market, efficiency, or innovation.
    You can also easily leverage the advantages of modular design to configure, supplement, or replace the functionalities you need. It has numerous features and can be run on Synology NAS via Docker.)

Even if these two packages are removed from the Synology Package Center, you will be able to download the images using your Docker! So don’t worry! You can sleep peacefully.

spreee

UPDATE 30.12.2019

There’s great news, Synology users, provided to us by Cynthia: the latest version of the WordPress Package has PHP 7.2 dependency (no PHP 7.0 dependency anymore). In addition to this, phpMyAdmin will no longer have dependency on PHP 5.6 (in the future release, whenever that may be, but hopefully soon).

synology news

UPDATE 2.7.2020

Package center finally looks clean! All outdated packages was removed two days ago. phpMyAdmin have no more dependency on PHP 5.6. I hope Synology can focus its efforts on new packages such as PHP 7.4

This post was updated on Thursday / July 2nd, 2020 at 8:40 AM