MySQL 8 end of support.

MySQL 8.0 will reach its end of standard support date on July 31, 2026. However, it's important to understand the distinction between major and minor versions in this context.

MySQL 8.4 is considered a new major version, not just a minor version of MySQL 8.0. When you need to upgrade from MySQL 8.0, MySQL 8.4 would be a valid upgrade path as a new major version.

Currently, you're on MySQL 8.0.42, which is a minor version within the 8.0 major version. Minor versions can reach end of standard support before their major versions do. For example, minor version 8.0.28 reached its end of standard support on March 28, 2024, while the major version 8.0 continues to be supported until July 31, 2026.

When MySQL 8.0 reaches end of standard support, you'll have options:

1. Upgrade to MySQL 8.4 (a new major version)
2. Opt in to Amazon RDS Extended Support, which provides critical security and bug fixes for up to three years past the end of standard support
3. Upgrade to another supported major version that's available at that time

It's worth noting that major version upgrades can contain database changes that aren't backward-compatible with existing applications, so thorough testing in non-production environments is strongly recommended before upgrading production databases.
Sources
MySQL on Amazon RDS versions - Amazon Relational Database Service
Introducing Amazon RDS Extended Support for MySQL databases on Amazon Aurora and Amazon RDS | AWS Database Blog