# Caplin Platform 8 release highlights

Caplin Platform 8 introduces new support for REST clients and endpoints, dynamic configuration of deployments, and updated operating system and runtime support.

Version 8 is an important release for the Caplin Platform. It combines new support for REST, dynamic configuration, and AArch64 (ARM64) CPUs, with improved monitoring and updated operating system, Java, and .NET support.

## New features

### REST

Liberator now includes first-class support for REST clients and integration with REST endpoints:

* **REST clients:** Provide REST clients with access to Caplin Platform data, previously only available to StreamLink clients. Supports GET, POST, and PUT requests, and the following StreamLink datatypes: Type 1 Records, Generic Objects, and JSON Data. [Read more...](../liberator/liberator-rest-interface.md)
* **REST endpoint proxy:** Publish internal REST endpoints as Caplin Platform subjects without writing your own adapter. Liberator 8 includes a configurable REST Adapter that proxies GET, POST, and PUT endpoints to StreamLink and REST clients of Liberator. Schedule regular GET requests to transform a static endpoint into a stream. [Read more...](../liberator/liberator-rest-adapter.md)

### Dynamic configuration

Deploy new adapters and scale them at runtime, with no downtime required to reconfigure Liberator and Transformer.

New [Dynamic Peers](../datasource/datasource-dynamic-peers.md), [Dynamic Services](../datasource/datasource-dynamic-services.md), and [Dynamic Fields](../datasource/datasource-field-definitions.md) features in Caplin Platform 8 components allow adapters to provide Liberator and Transformer with data-service routing, object mapping, and field configuration at the time of peer connection. New [API keys](../datasource/datasource-apikeys.md) ensure only trusted components can configure a running deployment.

In simple use cases, dynamic features provide some of the benefits of Discovery’s [peer discovery](../discovery/discovery-peer-discovery.md) out-of-the-box. In cloud deployments, dynamic features complement Discovery and make new on-prem/cloud hybrid deployments possible.

### Updated operating system support

Caplin Platform now supports AArch64 (ARM64) CPUs. Take advantage of more power-efficient hosting options with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 AArch64 builds of Liberator 8, Transformer 8, and DataSource for C (DSDK) 8. 

**Liberator 8, Transformer 8, DataSource for Java 8, DataSource for C (DSDK) 8**\
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (x86_64, aarch64) [recommended]\
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (x86_64)\
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 (x86_64)^{asterisk}^

^{asterisk}^ Red Hat Extended Life Cycle Support subscription required from 30th June 2024

**StreamLink Android 8**\
Android 11 (API level 30) and higher

**StreamLink .NET 8**\
Microsoft Windows 10 and 11\
Microsoft Windows Server 2019 and 2022

**DataSource .NET 8**\
Microsoft Windows Server 2019 and 2022

### Updated Java and .NET support

**DataSource for Java, Liberator Java modules, Transformer Java modules**\
OpenJDK 17, OpenJDK 21

**StreamLink .NET, DataSource .NET**\
+.NET Framework 4.8+

### Improved monitoring

The Prometheus metrics published by Platform components have been reworked to use static metric names and dynamic labels. This allows for the creation of reusable monitoring dashboards. Liberator 8 comes packaged with an example dashboard to get you started. [Read more...](../datasource/datasource-monitoring-liberator-prometheus-grafana.md)

### Docker image releases

Liberator 8, Transformer 8, and a selection of their modules are now available packaged as a Docker image: [Platform Core](platform-core-docker-image.md).

To arrange access to Caplin’s Docker Registry, please speak to your Caplin account manager.

## Requirements

For a full description of Caplin Platform 8 requirements, see [Caplin Platform 8 system requirements](platform-hardware-and-software-requirements.md)

## Upgrading to Caplin Platform 8

For guidance on upgrading to Caplin Platform 8, see [Upgrading to Caplin Platform 8](upgrading.md).