Factor n-2 support into deprecation plan

Signed-off-by: Sergio Herrera <627709+seherv@users.noreply.github.com>

Author: seherv

.github/workflows/build-tag.yaml

@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ jobs:
         # overwriting an existing release; replacing a tagged version's
         # contents requires bumping VERSION and re-tagging.
         twine upload --skip-existing dist/*
-    # TODO: remove in 1.20.
+    # TODO: remove in 1.22.
     # The previously-separate distributions (dapr-ext-fastapi, dapr-ext-grpc,
     # dapr-ext-langgraph, dapr-ext-strands, dapr-ext-workflow, flask-dapr)
     # are intentionally NOT republished. Bundling the extension code into

RELEASE.md

@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ A single tag (`v*`) triggers the release of the core SDK only:
 |---|---|
 | `dapr` (core SDK) | Includes every extension under `dapr.ext.*`. Users opt in to per-extension third-party deps via extras: `pip install "dapr[fastapi]"`, etc. The legacy top-level `flask_dapr` import path remains available as a thin shim inside this wheel and emits `FutureWarning`. |
 
-**The previously-separate distributions** — `dapr-ext-fastapi`, `dapr-ext-grpc`,
+**As of 1.19, the previously-separate distributions** — `dapr-ext-fastapi`, `dapr-ext-grpc`,
 `dapr-ext-langgraph`, `dapr-ext-strands`, `dapr-ext-workflow`, `flask-dapr` —
-are **no longer published**.
+are **no longer published**. Backport branches that predate 1.19 (`release-1.18`,
+`release-1.17`) still build and publish them for fixes shipped to those releases.
 
 The design constraint was keeping `from dapr.ext.X import ...` stable across
 the upgrade, so the cost lands once in pip during migration rather than
@@ -45,6 +46,11 @@ churning user-pinned versions of fastapi, uvicorn, langchain, etc.
 states at import time and prints the recovery command as a `FutureWarning`.
 Suppress with `DAPR_SKIP_LEGACY_CHECK=1`.
 
+The warning and the `flask_dapr` shim are kept through 1.21 and removed in
+1.22. 1.18 is the last release to ship the standalone distributions, and N-2
+support keeps it alive until 1.21, so this window covers every user who could
+still be migrating.
+
 You can also create the tag via a **GitHub Release**, which auto-creates the tag and provides
 a changelog UI.
 

dapr/__init__.py

@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
 limitations under the License.
 """
 
-# TODO: remove in 1.20 (pre-1.19 dapr-ext-* / flask-dapr migration only).
+# TODO: remove in 1.22 (legacy dapr-ext-* / flask-dapr migration).
+# Kept through 1.21, when N-2 support forces the last 1.18 users to upgrade.
 #
 # On import, checks for two states a legacy dapr-ext-* install could leave
 # the environment in.

dapr/ext/flask/AGENTS.md

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ tests/ext/flask/
 
 Installed via the `flask` extra on core dapr: `pip install "dapr[flask]"`.
 
-The legacy top-level import path (`from flask_dapr import DaprApp, DaprActor`) is still supported through a thin shim at the repo root that emits a `FutureWarning`. The shim is scheduled for removal one release after the bundling change ships. All new code and docs should use the canonical `from dapr.ext.flask import ...` path.
+The legacy top-level import path (`from flask_dapr import DaprApp, DaprActor`) is still supported through a thin shim at the repo root that emits a `FutureWarning`. The shim is kept through 1.21 and removed in 1.22, giving users on 1.18 (the last release to ship the standalone distributions) the full N-2 support window to migrate. All new code and docs should use the canonical `from dapr.ext.flask import ...` path.
 
 ## Public API
 
@@ -89,6 +89,6 @@ Note: No tests for `DaprActor` in this extension (unlike FastAPI which tests `_w
 ## Key details
 
 - **Synchronous + asyncio bridge**: Flask is sync, but `ActorRuntime` is async. The extension uses `asyncio.run()` for each actor operation.
-- **Canonical import path**: Use `from dapr.ext.flask import DaprApp, DaprActor`. The legacy `flask_dapr` top-level path still works but emits `FutureWarning` and will be removed next cycle.
+- **Canonical import path**: Use `from dapr.ext.flask import DaprApp, DaprActor`. The legacy `flask_dapr` top-level path still works but emits `FutureWarning` and will be removed in 1.22.
 - **Similar to FastAPI extension**: The two extensions have nearly identical functionality. When modifying one, check if the same change is needed in the other.
 - **Reentrancy ID**: Actor method invocation extracts `Dapr-Reentrancy-Id` header, same as FastAPI extension.

flask_dapr/__init__.py

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 limitations under the License.
 """
 
-# TODO: remove in 1.20.
+# TODO: remove in 1.22 with the legacy check in dapr/__init__.py.
 # Deprecation shim for the pre-1.19 `flask_dapr` top-level import path.
 # Use `dapr.ext.flask` instead.
 

pyproject.toml

@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ pattern = '(?P<version>\S+)'
 # `RECORD`. Materialising `dapr/ext/__init__.py` here would lock out every
 # future externally-published dapr.ext.* plugin by claiming ownership of the
 # namespace parent.
-# TODO: drop flask_dapr in 1.20 (with the shim).
+# TODO: drop flask_dapr in 1.22 (with the shim).
 packages = ["dapr", "flask_dapr"]
 # Repo-internal docs (contributor / AI-agent guidance) live next to the code
 # for discoverability but should not ship in the published wheel.

tests/ext/flask/test_shim_deprecation.py

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 non-`__main__` callers).
 """
 
-# TODO: remove in 1.20 with the flask_dapr shim.
+# TODO: remove in 1.22 with the flask_dapr shim.
 
 import sys
 

tests/test_legacy_extension_check.py

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 limitations under the License.
 """
 
-# TODO: remove in 1.20 with the detection in dapr/__init__.py it tests.
+# TODO: remove in 1.22 with the detection in dapr/__init__.py it tests.
 
 import importlib.metadata
 import tempfile