ColdFusion 2025 released, Feb 25 2025: resources and my initial thoughts
First, for more on the many features and changes, I share many Adobe resources--about which I also offer some additional comment. I also discuss changes regarding OS and DB support as well as the fact that CF2025 now runs on Java 21-- and that the traditional server deployment of CF comes installed atop Tomcat 10.1. I then share still more info on other matters and resources related to the new version.
I then focus on the major change in licensing, for CF2025 and forward, to being subscription only--which I'll note has no effect on those currently running CF2023 or earlier. I share pricing info and also help in assessing differences in the EULA, and more.
Finally I discuss some migration considerations--including important REMOVAL of some older features from CF2025, as CF continues to be made more secure and modernized. I also identify tools and resources to help aid you in that migration, when you're ready to begin attempting it.
For all that and more, read on.
"How Do I License ColdFusion for Containerized Deployments?
ColdFusion licensing for containerized environments follows the ColdFusion End User Licensing Agreement (EULA). Each containerized instance of ColdFusion must be individually licensed.
For example, if two ColdFusion containers are running on a single VM, both must be licensed separately based on that VM instance. Contact Adobe for detailed licensing terms."
As for what you found in the FAQ, I have always hoped that somehow that might not be as authoritative as we'd take it--though it's all we had before: and note how I mentioned elsewhere above that it is still not covered in the 2025 EULA, nor even in the new NUL or FRL licensing pages. I was hoping somehow that's where we'd find clarity.
Sadly, I don't know that we can expect anyone from Adobe to speak up here. They are notoriously tight-lipped when it comes to public statements about licensing matters (beyond what's offered on the site publicly).
But maybe there will be enough hue and cry about this to engender some response. Otherwise, yes, it seems folks wanting to run many *licensed* containers will seemingly need to consider Lucee or Boxlang's cf compat feature.
(I stress "licensed" because of course one can run CF containers for free as the Developer edition, and for some that may suffice while they are simply exploring the prospects of containerized deployment.)
And then that license would be tied to an individual Adobe ID?
And lastly the "Key Differences" matrix on the buying guide shows that the Adobe ID-based licensing requires periodic cloud connectivity - is that periodic "check in" via the Creative Cloud app or an endpoing that the server running CF has to hit periodically?
You should also ask them your first question, because I'd think the answer is "no, you could pick from any of the 3 license types". But yes, in effect, the subscription price is about 1/4 the previous perpetual price (which logic I elaborated on in a forum post I pointed to above: https://community.ad...).
As for your reaching out to ask Adobe your questions, you could do that on the Adobe forum thread I'd mentioned, "the post announcing CF2025", at https://community.ad... They have been responding to some questions there (though they have not responded to another I asked there regarding licensing: still, give it a shot.) I'm sure you're not the only one with the question. They could and should add it to the FAQ or licensing pages for clarification.
I'm just saying that I can't answer it, and I don't have different connections: I'd ask the same way (as indeed, I just said I did). :-)
And if they don't answer there (or you don't want to ask there), I'd offered also in my post their "install support" email address [email protected]. If they can't answer you, they will get the question to someone who can.
Finally, as I acknowledged in the post, this whole licensing change is a doozy, and it will take months if not years for us all to sort it out--perhaps even for some within Adobe.
But can you clarify that you mean the running cf instance is what does the checking, like it does now for activation? Just want to be clear, since things are confusing about the NUL license being tied to a single user id. Does that user have to somehow be involved in this check-in process? Its just so strange for a server product like cf.
And what if one licenses under the other FRL license type?