Rails 8 Guide: Features, Requirements and Upgrade Path (2026)

Rails 8.0, released November 7, 2024, requires Ruby 3.2.0+ and introduces headline features including a built-in authentication generator, database-backed infrastructure (Solid Queue/Cache/Cable without Redis), improved deployment tools (Kamal 2 + Thruster), and production-ready SQLite support. Rails 8.0 enters security-fixes-only mode through November 2026, while Rails 8.1 (October 2025) is the current release; meanwhile, Rails 7.1 and 7.2 are already off the supported list entirely. The authentication generator simplifies session-based authentication by scaffolding models, controllers, mailers, and views in your application code, allowing full customization without hidden engine logic.