About Oracle Database Release Numbers
Oracle Database releases are categorized by five numeric segments that indicate release information.
Note:
Starting with October 2022, Oracle provides quarterly updates in the form of Release Updates (Updates, or RU) and Monthly Recommended Patches (MRPs). Oracle no longer releases patch sets or bundle patch sets. MRPs replace Release Update Revisions (RURs). For more information, see My Oracle Support note 555.1.
Release Numbers and their Meaning
Oracle Database releases are released in version and
version_full releases.
The version release is designated in the form
major release
version.0.0.0.0. This base release number is not updated over
the course of the release. You can identify the base release by logging in to
SQL*Plus and entering SELECT BANNER FROM V$VERSION to see the
release displayed. For example:
SELECT BANNER FROM V$VERSION;
BANNER
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Oracle Database 26 AI Enterprise Edition Release 23.26.0.0.0 The version_full releases are categorized by five
numeric segments separated by periods as shown in the following example:
Figure 1-1 Example of an Oracle AI Database Version Full Release Number
Description of "Figure 1-1 Example of an Oracle AI Database Version Full Release Number"
- First numeral: This numeral indicates the major release version. It also denotes the last two digits of the year in which the Oracle AI Database version was released for the first time.
-
Second numeral: This numeral indicates the release update year. In this example the release update year is 2026.
-
Third numeral: This numeral indicates a refresh of an RU version. In this example, the numeral is 1, indicating that this is the first quarter release update.
-
Fourth numeral: The fourth numeral indicates the Monthly Recommended Release Update patch level (MRP). In this example, the numeral is 1, indicating the first MRP for this RU.
-
Fifth numeral: This numeral indicates the recut level of the version. In this example, the recut level is 0.
Note:
The first three numerals mainly identify an Oracle AI Database release.
You can see both the major release version and the compatibility and any RU or MRP
updates by entering SELECT BANNER_FULL FROM V$VERSION. For
example:
SQL> SELECT BANNER_FULL FROM V$VERSION;
BANNER_FULL
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Oracle AI Database 26ai Enterprise Edition Release 23.26.0.0.0 - for Oracle Cloud and
Engineered Systems
Version 23.26.0.0.0Monthly Recommended Patches and Release Updates
For each new release update (RU) after October 2022, Oracle provides to customers six MRPs for each RU, with the following characteristics:
- Each MRP for an RU contains all MRPs previously released for the RU, as well as the most current set of recommended one-off patches for the RU. These patches are documented My Oracle Support Note 555.1
- MRPs replace RURs.
- MRPs are available only for the Linux operating system.