Introducing Bootstrap LTS From OpenLogic

The widely used open source Bootstrap framework has been instrumental in web development and the creation of thousands of websites. Bootstrap makes it a lot easier to kickstart the development of responsive and mobile-first websites. 

Like all software, there are major versions of Bootstrap that have reached end-of-life (EOL). In this blog, we break down the state of Bootstrap releases and share details of the latest OpenLogic Long-Term Support (LTS) offering to help organizations that are using EOL versions of Bootstrap. 

What Is Bootstrap?

Bootstrap is a front-end software development framework with available code templates for a variety of website features, including but not limited to buttons, forms, and navigation bars. These templates are crafted using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and are optimized for seamless viewing across different devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops. 

With its pre-designed components, Bootstrap allows developers to rapidly create contemporary and responsive websites or web applications. Because it’s easy to use, the Bootstrap framework has facilitated the creation of thousands, if not millions, of websites. 

Bootstrap Releases and EOL Versions

Bootstrap has its origins as a hackathon project at Twitter and was originally released on August 19, 2011 as an open source project under the MIT license. The original version, 1.0.0, included only CSS and HTML, but by v3.1, JavaScript was added.  

With many minor versions in between, the Bootstrap framework project has had a relatively small number of major releases — only five. Bootstrap 3 was released more than a decade ago, in August 2013, and Bootstrap 4 followed in January 2018. Bootstrap 5 became available in May 2021, but many websites created on Bootstrap 3 are 4 are still in operation, and are used for business-critical operations. 

Like all software, major versions of open source projects eventually reach EOL, which means no more updates or fixes are released as minor versions or patches. Bootstrap 3 reached EOL on July 24, 2019, after a lifecycle of almost 6 years, while Bootstrap 4 reached EOL on January 1, 2023 after a 5-year lifecycle. Consequently, versions 3 and 4 are no longer receiving new features, updates, or security fixes.  

EOL Software and Open Source Compliance 

In today’s business landscape where software plays an indispensable operational role, IT security is paramount. Internal and external compliance mandates exist to delineate processes and policies to safeguard an organization’s software and data infrastructure and ensure business continuity. 

For open source software such as Bootstrap, numerous compliance obligations must be met. These include being on the latest releases and not using EOL software in production environments.  

Upgrading to Bootstrap 5

It is recommended to maintain all software on the most current versions to benefit from the latest bug fixes, security patches, and new features. However, in the case of moving to Bootstrap 5, there are major changes that must be considered and analyzed in the planning phase before moving to v5. In terms of dependencies, v5 dropped jQuery, upgraded from Propper v1.x to Propper v2.x, and the LibSass library was replaced with Dart Sass. For documentation Jekyll was replaced with Hugo. In the case of web browsers, Bootstrap v5 dropped support for Internet Explorer 10 and 11 as well as older versions of Microsoft Edge (<16), Firefox (<60), Safari (<12), iOS Safari (<12), and Chrome (<60).  

All of the above means that upgrading to Bootstrap 5 could be challenging, with significant impact on the functionality of web applications built with Bootstrap. Organizations might not have the time, resources, or skills to upgrade from EOL Bootstrap to the latest Bootstrap 5 release. Due to the still-prevalent use of EOL versions of Bootstrap and the fact that teams may find it difficult to upgrade to Bootstrap 5, OpenLogic is pleased to announce a brand new offering: Bootstrap LTS. 

What's Included in Bootstrap LTS From OpenLogic