:_mod-docs-content-type: ASSEMBLY

// This assembly is included in the following assemblies:
//
// deploying/deploying.adoc

[id='assembly-downgrade-{context}']
= Downgrading Strimzi

[role="_abstract"]
If you are encountering issues with the version of Strimzi you upgraded to,
you can revert to a previous version.

If you installed Strimzi using the YAML installation files, you can use the files from the previous release to perform the downgrade.

Downgrading Strimzi involves two key steps:

. Downgrading the Kafka cluster to a version supported by the target Cluster Operator (if required).
. Downgrading the Cluster Operator to the previous release.

If downgrading through multiple versions, you may need to repeat these steps.

Always downgrade Kafka before the Cluster Operator to maintain compatibility.
Ensure that the Kafka version you downgrade to is supported by the target Cluster Operator.
The metadata version of the Kafka cluster must not be higher than the maximum version supported by the downgraded Kafka version.

WARNING: The following downgrade instructions are only suitable if you installed Strimzi using the installation files. 
If you installed Strimzi using another method, such as {OperatorHub}, downgrade may not be supported by that method unless specified in its documentation.

//steps to downgrade Kafka
include::../../modules/upgrading/proc-downgrade-kafka-kraft.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

//kafka downgrade paths
include::../../modules/upgrading/con-downgrade-paths.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

//steps to downgrade the operators
include::assembly-downgrade-cluster-operator.adoc[leveloffset=+1]


