The runtime and server versions supported in a buildpack

Products

• VMware Tanzu Application Service
• VMware Tanzu Application Platform

Issue/Introduction

Buildpacks maintains a rolling window of supported runtime and server versions. This article explains why builds fail when an application pins a specific, older dependency version and how to resolve these version mismatches.

Symptoms

Applications configured to use a fixed dependency version eventually fail during staging as the buildpack is upgraded. Common symptoms include:

• Staging fails after a platform or buildpack update.

• Error messages indicating a missing binary or manifest entry: "dependency <NAME> <VERSION> not found"

Common configuration files affected:

• Ruby: Specific versions set in the Gemfile.

• Node.js: Specific versions set in package.json.

• PHP: Specific versions in .bp-config/options.json or composer.json.

• Python: Specific versions in runtime.txt.

• Go: Specific versions set via Godeps or go.mod.

Environment

 

Cause

To ensure security and performance, buildpacks typically only support the two most recent minor versions of any given dependency. When a new version is added to the buildpack manifest, the oldest version is removed. If an application is pinned to that removed version, the buildpack can no longer fetch the required binary.

Resolution

Update your application configuration to use a version currently supported by the buildpack. This ensures you receive the latest security patches and performance improvements.

Refer to the specific buildpack documentation for versioning syntax and supported releases:

• Go Buildpack Documentation

• Node.js Buildpack Documentation

• PHP Buildpack Documentation

• Python Buildpack Documentation

• Ruby Buildpack Documentation