Umbraco 8 has been a robust and reliable CMS for many websites throughout its lifetime. But with the development of new and improved versions, the upkeep of older versions slows down. On the 24th of February 2025, Umbraco 8 will reach “End Of Life” meaning the end of active support from Umbraco. No new support, bug patches, security updates or features will be added which can lead to serious implications for your business.
Continuing to use an Umbraco version after its EOL date has 3 major implications. With no new patches being released, your website's security is compromised and has a heightened vulnerability to cyber attacks. Both yours and your customers' data is at risk if a cyber attack happens. This can lead to customers losing trust in the brand and even losing them completely. Not upgrading also results in restricted and outdated packages & features as they won’t be getting updates.
Upgrading to a version past Umbraco 8 is critical to do with enough time. The main change between the two versions is a switch from the .NET Framework to .NET Core. Because of the change in coding language, moving to Umbraco 9 requires a migration, not an update as before. Migrations tend to take longer as they often require manual adjustments. Moving forward, .NET Core will be Microsoft's main development language meaning any upgrades after Umbraco 9 will be faster and more efficient. The best practice is taking into consideration the extended timeline and adopt a proactive approach to ensure sufficient time.
While the CMS will still work, security cannot be guaranteed. Umbraco 8 will no longer be supported by the Umbraco development team. Umbraco 8 is currently in the security only phase, which means only major security patches are being added. In February 2025, this will change to no security updates. To avoid your data and security being compromised, upgrade your CMS version as soon as you can.
Working with an Umbraco Gold Partner like Cold Banana has many benefits. We are well versed in the CMS and its intricacies and we can guarantee a successful transition between versions. We believe in creating lasting partnerships that benefit both parties. That’s why one of our four company values is partnerships.
At Cold Banana we have experience with this specific upgrade path from Umbraco 8 to 9. We are confident in our ability to provide an excellent migration service to all of our clients.
The best course of action for each website will depend on various factors, such as the Umbraco version of the current site and the version it’s moving to, the complexity of the site, whether you want a design refresh and budget. Get in touch with us to find out the best way forward for your website.