## RabbitMQ 3.8.5

RabbitMQ `3.8.5` is a maintenance release.
It focuses on bug fixes and usability improvements.

This release is [compatible](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rabbitmq-users/wlPIWz3UYHQ) with [Erlang 23](http://blog.erlang.org/OTP-23-Highlights/).

### Erlang/OTP Compatibility Notes

This release [**requires Erlang/OTP 21.3**](https://www.rabbitmq.com/which-erlang.html) or later.
`22.3` or `23.0` releases are recommended.

[Provisioning Latest Erlang Releases](https://www.rabbitmq.com/which-erlang.html#erlang-repositories) explains
what package repositories and tools can be used to provision latest patch versions of Erlang `22.3.x`.


## Upgrade and Compatibility Notes

### Deprecations

This release deprecates `rabbitmq-diagnostics node_health_check` (née `rabbitmqctl node_health_check`).
See the section on CLI tools changes below to learn more.


### Upgrade Doc Guides and Change Log

See [3.8.0 release notes](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server/releases/tag/v3.8.0) upgrade and
compatibility notes first if upgrading from an earlier release.

See the [Upgrading guide](https://www.rabbitmq.com/upgrade.html) for general documentation on upgrades and
[RabbitMQ change log](https://www.rabbitmq.com/changelog.html) for release notes of other releases.

### Upgrading to Erlang 21.x or Later Versions

When upgrading to this release from `3.7.6` or an older version, extra care has to be taken.

Since CLI tools from RabbitMQ releases older than 3.7.7 will fail on Erlang 21 or later,
RabbitMQ **must be upgraded at the same time as Erlang**.

Alternatively the node can be upgraded to `3.7.18` first, then Erlang 22.x or 23.x, then RabbitMQ to most recent
3.8.x release.

### Getting Help

Any questions about this release, upgrades or RabbitMQ in general are welcome on the [RabbitMQ mailing list](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/rabbitmq-users).



## Changes Worth Mentioning

### Core Server

#### Bug Fixes

 * In `3.8.4`, [`RABBITMQ_CONF_ENV_FILE`](https://www.rabbitmq.com/configure.html#customise-environment) value was ignored on Windows.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-common#392](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-common/issues/392)

 * Message store shutdown now uses a much higher timeout (up to 10 minutes instead of 30 seconds).

   In environments with large message backlogs this means that the chances of queue indices rebuilding
   after node restart is now substantially lower.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server#2324](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server/issues/2324)

 * On Windows, `RABBITMQ_HOME` locations with brackets are supported again.

   Contributed by @twjs76.

   GitHub issues: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server#2371](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server/pull/2371),
                  [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server#1756](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server/issues/1756)

 * `RABBITMQ_LOG_BASE` was not respected in some installations.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server-release#131](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server-release/issues/131)

 * Setting `RABBITMQ_QUORUM_DIR` to a location outside of node's data directory for a new node resulted
   in feature flags not being implicitly enabled on boot.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server#2317](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server/issues/2317)

 * `net_ticktime` and other Erlang distribution settings set in `rabbitmq.conf` were ignored because
   distribution was started too early on node boot.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server#2377](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server/issues/2377)

#### Enhancements

 * Raft data directory now can be configured using `ra.data_dir` configuration key:

   ``` ini
   ra.data_dir = /path/to/raft/data/directory
   ```

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server#2354](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server/issues/2354)

 * User and permission management operations now produce clear log entries when they succeed,
   not just when they fail. This helps auditing in environments that have stricter security and audit
   requirements.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server#2363](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server/issues/2363)


### CLI Tools

#### Bug Fixes

 * CLI tools now take `NODENAME` into account as well as `RABBITMQ_NODENAME`, just like the server does.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-cli#421](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-cli/issues/421)

 * `rabbitmq-diagnostics observer` is now compatible with Erlang 23.

   GitHub issue: [zhongwencool/observer_cli#68](https://github.com/zhongwencool/observer_cli/issues/68)

#### Deprecations

 * `rabbitmq-diagnostics node_health_check` (née `rabbitmqctl node_health_check`) is **deprecated** and will be
   removed in a future version.

   `node_health_check` (as well as its HTTP API counterpart) is an opinionated, intrusive, aspirational attempt
   at producing One True Health Check™ for RabbitMQ that was envisioned and added to CLI tools around 2015-2016.

   It has proven to be too prone to false positives, can consume a prohibitive
   amount of CPU and runtime scheduler resources, and tends to be too opinionated
   for many technical operations teams.

   A much more modular, pick-and-choose approach [has been adopted since](https://www.rabbitmq.com/monitoring.html#health-checks)
   but this command has never been deprecated. Until now.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-cli#426](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-cli/issues/426)


### Management Plugin

#### Bug Fixes

 * [Definition import](https://www.rabbitmq.com/definitions.html) was not performed when `management.load_definitions = /path/to/definitions/file.json`
   was used, although it was for its newer counterpart, `load_definitions = /path/to/definitions/file.json`.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-management#818](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-management/issues/818)

 * jQuery was upgraded to `3.5.1`.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-management#815](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-management/issues/815)


### Consistent Hashing Exchange

### Bug Fixes

 * Due to [later plugin activation](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server/issues/2381) in `3.8.4`, durable
   consistent hashing exchanges were skipped during topology recovery. In practice that meant these exchanges
   did not route messages published to it.

   Now the plugin reconstructs consistent hashing ring manually for every durable exchange of this type and
   routing functions as expected.

   Kudos to Rob Gerritsen and Raimond @rai69 Kuipers for helping with discovery of this issue.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-consistent-hash-exchange#45](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-consistent-hash-exchange/issues/45)

### Enhancements

 * `rabbitmq-diagnostics consistent_hash_exchange_ring_state <exchange>` is a new CLI command that makes it
   easy to inspect consistent hashing ring state for an exchange.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-consistent-hash-exchange#47](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-consistent-hash-exchange/pull/47)


### MQTT Plugin

#### Bug Fixes

 * Client ID tracker operation timeout has been increased from default 5 seconds.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-mqtt#231](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-mqtt/pull/231)


### Web STOMP Plugin

#### Enhacenements

 * More graceful handling of incorrect or unparseable data.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-web-stomp#121](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-web-stomp/issues/121)


### AWS Peer Discovery Plugin

#### Enhancements

 * AWS peer discovery backend can be specified as `aws`:

   ``` ini
   cluster_formation.peer_discovery_backend = aws
   ```

   as well as the module name, or plugin name (`rabbitmq_peer_discovery_aws`):

   ``` ini
   cluster_formation.peer_discovery_backend = rabbit_peer_discovery_aws
   ```

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-peer-discovery-aws#34](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-peer-discovery-aws/issues/34)


### Consul Peer Discovery Plugin

#### Enhancements

 * Consul peer discovery backend can be specified as `consul`:

   ``` ini
   cluster_formation.peer_discovery_backend = consul
   ```

   as well as the module name, or plugin name (`rabbitmq_peer_discovery_consul`):

   ``` ini
   cluster_formation.peer_discovery_backend = rabbit_peer_discovery_consul
   ```

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-peer-discovery-consul#43](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-peer-discovery-consul/issues/43)


### etcd Peer Discovery Plugin

#### Bug Fixes

 * Locking operation against `etcd` v3 API failed with a `case_clause`.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-peer-discovery-etcd#30](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-peer-discovery-etcd/issues/30)

#### Enhancements

 * etcd peer discovery backend can be specified as `etcd`:

   ``` ini
   cluster_formation.peer_discovery_backend = etcd
   ```

   as well as the module name, or plugin name (`rabbitmq_peer_discovery_etcd`):

   ``` ini
   cluster_formation.peer_discovery_backend = rabbit_peer_discovery_etcd
   ```

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-peer-discovery-etcd#26](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-peer-discovery-etcd/issues/26)


### Kubernetes Peer Discovery Plugin

#### Enhancements

 * Kubernetes peer discovery backend can be specified as `k8s` or `kubernetes`:

   ``` ini
   cluster_formation.peer_discovery_backend = k8s
   ```

   as well as the module name, or plugin name (`rabbitmq_peer_discovery_k8s`):

   ``` ini
   cluster_formation.peer_discovery_backend = rabbit_peer_discovery_k8s
   ```

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-peer-discovery-k8s#65](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-peer-discovery-k8s/issues/65)


### Web STOMP Plugin

#### Enhancements

 * [Basic HTTP auth setting](https://www.rabbitmq.com/web-stomp.html) is now exposed to new style configuration:

   ``` ini
   web_stomp.use_http_auth = true
   ```

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-web-stomp#119](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-web-stomp/issues/119)


## Debian Package

### Enhancements

 * Invocations of `rabbitmqctl wait` in service management scripts now use a timeout.

   Contributed by Nicolas @nicolasbock Bock.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server-release#129](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server-release/pull/129)


## RPM Package

### Enhancements

 * Invocations of `rabbitmqctl wait` in service management scripts now use a timeout.

   Contributed by Nicolas @nicolasbock Bock.

   GitHub issue: [rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server-release#129](https://github.com/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server-release/pull/129)


## Dependency Upgrades

 * `recon` was upgraded [from 2.5.0 to 2.5.1](https://github.com/ferd/recon/compare/2.5.0...2.5.1)
 * `observer_cli` was upgraded [from 1.5.3 to 1.5.4](https://github.com/zhongwencool/observer_cli/compare/1.5.3...1.5.4)


## Source code archives

**Warning**: The source code archive provided by GitHub only contains the source of the broker, not the plugins or the client libraries.
Please download the archive named `rabbitmq-server-3.8.5.tar.xz`.