On May 6, 2026, Strapi released version 5.45.0, featuring an expanded CTB API for plugins, sorting by publication status, and improved admin token support. For all Portalworks projects, this release marks a milestone that also sends an important signal: Strapi 4 will be considered EOL (End-Of-Life) as of the end of April 2026.
The significance of this development lies in a fundamental shift in requirements. For agencies and clients, there is no longer any strategic breathing room—those still running v4 are in a transition period with limited support. Starting in April 2026, only limited updates to Strapi 4 can be expected, and after the EOL date, security patches will likely no longer be provided.
Technical implications for projects:
The new features in v5.45.0 affect core functionalities. The extended CTB API for plugins simplifies plugin development, and the admin token extension with admin permissions and user owner functionality enables finer-grained access control for automated backend processes. Official support for Strapi v4 ended in October 2025; from that point on, only critical updates and security patches will be provided until April 2026.
The key question for every active v4 project: A migration plan is now mandatory, not optional. Migrating to Strapi 5 ensures ongoing support, access to new features, and improved performance. However, breaking changes are significant—the biggest breaking change: The Entity Service API has been replaced by the Document Service API, and flat API responses replace the nested data.attributes wrappers.
Expert Position and Action:
Strapi v5 is not just a performance update. It is a paradigm shift in how Strapi thinks about content and APIs; the release focuses on consistency, performance, and scalability. For existing v4 projects, this means: A migration audit is required now, not later.
Recommended Action:
1. Immediately (May/June): Take inventory of all active v4 projects – check plugin compatibility, evaluate
custom code 2. Phased Migration: Strapi offers a backward-compatibility header that allows you to migrate
the backend and frontend independently and at your own pace 3. Testing Buffer**: Migration should be completed before April 2026 – leaving only a few weeks for any pending security patches
The technical reality is clear: v5 is the future. Internally, v5 should already be established as the standard for new projects, and existing v4 client projects require a concrete migration roadmap by Q1 2026.
Portalworks supports your Strapi implementation—from v4-to-v5 migration to optimizing DXP scenarios with extended plugin APIs. Contact us for a free migration assessment.
