Release 2.5 | SurrealDB

2.5.0

Released on Jan 22, 2026

Features:

Added DEFER keyword for background index building and maintenance (Experimental)
Added an auth_limit on defined APIs, functions, fields and events, that limits execution to the permissions of the creating user instead of the invoking user.

Security Advisories:

Confused Deputy Privilege Escalation through Future Fields and Functions

Note: Storable closures in future fields and functions are now disabled by default for security reasons. To enable the previous behaviour, set the SURREAL_CAPS_ALLOW_INSECURE_STORABLE_CLOSURES environment variable. This change addresses the security vulnerability described in Advisory.

Upgrade or install

Get SurrealDB v2.5.0

Pick how you want to install or upgrade. Surrealist can update connected instances in place, or choose a platform below to copy a CLI command for v2.5.0.

You can upgrade your SurrealDB Cloud instance to v2.5.0 effortlessly through the Surrealist app.

Open the Surrealist app
Select your organisation and instance
On the dashboard, click on the "Upgrade" button
Your instance will be updated and restarted automatically

Install via Homebrew, then upgrade in place to v2.5.0.

brew install surrealdb/tap/surreal

surreal upgrade --version 2.5.0

Run the install script - it auto-detects your architecture and fetches v2.5.0.

curl -sSf https://install.surrealdb.com | sh -s -- --version 2.5.0

Pins to v2.5.0. Drop --version to always get the newest stable.

Install via PowerShell, then upgrade in place to v2.5.0.

iwr https://windows.surrealdb.com -useb | iex

surreal upgrade --version 2.5.0

Chocolatey and Scoop are also supported - see the full install guide.

Pull and run the v2.5.0 image directly - no local CLI needed.

docker run --rm --pull always -p 8000:8000 surrealdb/surrealdb:v2.5.0 start

Tag v2.5.0 pins to this exact release. Use :latest to always pull the newest stable.

The CLI can swap any existing install - Homebrew, install script, or manual binary - to v2.5.0.

surreal upgrade --version 2.5.0

Run surreal version afterwards to confirm the new version is active.

Full install guide

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