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?
It may not be your only option, though.
First I'll say it's not new that the EULA is written as it is: it's essentially the same as for the past few releases. (But yes, there are complaints over the years from various folks who said that Adobe asserted they needed to change to some sort of core licensing. It's not been the norm at all, at least that I've heard.) But again you have other options beside leaving ACF.
One is running on the AMIs on either AWS or Azure. Those have their own licensing and cost (per hour). Another is running cf via a host, which again have their own cf licensing agreements and costs. Or as you say you can plead to Adobe that you won't pay that amount, and ask what c
they can do to make it work for you.
I'll say this as well: many people have assigned far more cores to a cf machine than are needed. I've helped many people lower their resource requirements SUBSTANTIALLY, by modest tuning efforts (hours of work, saving tens of thousands in both hardware and OS costs as well as cf licensing costs).
I appreciate that last point may ring hollow, if one presumes they've "done all that can be done" regarding tuning. I'll say this: you won't pay me for time you don't find valuable, so you have nothing to lose but perhaps a couple of hours--with the chance of saving even potentially "2200%" of the cost of my time. :-)
Of course, some people are just looking for a reason to leave cf, if they've always held it in derision, or perhaps it's been a pain point for them (for any of many potential reasons, some which are themselves often more easily resolved than some would think).
I get that you may have just wanted to vent. Perhaps you're not even interested in any help or any apologetics on behalf of Adobe. But you did sound off on my blog, and naturally I'm inclined (indeed expected by most here) to share my opinion. :-) It's just one of many, of course.
But that help I can offer may be a more rare commodity. I hope you or anyone in your situation would consider it before pulling the plug.
Hi, thanks for your response and suggestions. Our situation isn't apples to apples re: the licensing scenario in your response. So, no, the figures weren't nearly that high.
We had been exploring some alternatives that you mention, as well as Lucee.
I was in a state of anxiety when I posted, so there was some frustration bubbling up, along with genuine interest and concern. Thankfully, we've worked with Adobe to reach a more palatable solution for a small budget shop. Like many things in work and life, it boiled down to persistent, good faith communication. Moreover, your response provided some hope that there might be some positive resolution. Many thanks!
ACF has been a good platform to us for years, so we're grateful it appears we'll be able to continue using it.
In addition, your site/blog has been helpful to myself and many others. Thanks for all your posts, guidance, and advocacy. I definitely owe you a "coffee" or two. (Note to self to do that soon.)
Thank you!
What you're running into instead is a longstanding challenge of how some in Adobe sales INTERPET that EULA, especially regarding some vague wording about networks and service bureaus. It's unfortunate, but the truth is that you just slipped under the "net" before now in your 2021 deployment, if it was the same architecture.
Your choices are 1) "pay the man" (and get the many benefits of Enterprise vs Standard--which I covered in a talk at carehart.org/presentations), or 2) fight against that interpretation, or 3) consider moving your cfml apps to run on Lucee or Boxlang (which may go easily or not), or 4) move off of cfml (which some want to do but generally find hard if they have substantial legacy apps).
Note also that Adobe announced plans for Cf2026 at CF Summit this week, so in staying you'll get the benefits of such new versions, which will now be annual. Hollow consolation for those who simply resent having to pay. Again, as for being forced to pay for standard vs enterprise, see my talk before concluding whether it's "worth the price of admission".
When I look at the EULA for 2023 (I can't find 2025, but supposedly there's no relevant change), I don't see what the problem with a VM with 2 cores is. The Standard editions section says:
Standard License Deployment.
Adobe grants Licensee a license to install and use the Production Software on a perCore basis as provided herein section 1.5 or unless otherwise agreed in writing. Adobe
grants Licensee the right to run on a single computer for each valid license of
Production Software that Licensee has obtained, as long as the number of Cores in
such single computer is less than or equal to two (2).
And section 1.5 says:
“Core” means a physical or virtual core on a Physical or Virtual Machine and is capable of
independently manipulating and operating the Software. In Physical deployment, Core refers
to one of smaller processing units of the CPU in a Computer, and in virtual deployment, it refers
to the unit of processing power in a Virtual Machine. A virtual Core is the virtual representation
of a single hardware thread in underlying processing core. The total number of Cores operating
the Software in the Computer may not exceed the licensed quantity, and will be the greater of
(a) the exact number of Cores operating the Software in the case when Licensee configures
the Computer (using a reliable and verifiable means of hardware or software partitioning) such
that the total number of Cores that actually operate the Software is less than the total number
of Cores on that Computer; or (b) the sum of all the Cores contained in every CPU on the
Computer. The total number of Cores assigned to the Virtual Machine may not exceed the
licensed quantity.
And finally 1.4 says:
“Computer” means a A virtual or physical device for storing or processing data, such as servers,
desktop computers, laptops, mobile devices and hardware products. Where a device contains
more than one virtual environment (including Virtual Machines and virtual processors), each
virtual environment will be counted as a separate Computer.
I would love to know if anyone has had success buying from a reseller. I'm looking at one that says "2 Core" and it's priced at $760. It seems to be what we need so I'm wondering if there's a catch.