docs: release announcement for 1.27.1, 1.26.2 and 1.25.4 (#376)

Closes #375

Signed-off-by: Gabriele Bartolini <gabriele.bartolini@enterprisedb.com>

Author: gbartolini

content/releases/cloudnative-pg-1-27.1-released/58364dde1adc4a0a8.37186404-2048x1445.jpg

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+---
+title: "CloudNativePG 1.27.1, 1.26.2 and 1.25.4 released!"
+date: 2025-10-23
+draft: false
+authors:
+ - gbartolini
+image:
+    url: 58364dde1adc4a0a8.37186404-2048x1445.jpg
+    attribution: from <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/photo/58364dde1a/">Saurabh</a>
+tags:
+ - release
+ - postgresql
+ - postgres
+ - kubernetes
+ - k8s
+ - cloudnativepg
+ - cnpg
+summary: The CloudNativePG community has released new updates for the 1.27, 1.26 and 1.25 versions of the CloudNativePG operator.
+---
+
+The **CloudNativePG Community** is pleased to announce the release of
+**CloudNativePG Operator** versions 1.27.1, 1.26.2, and 1.25.4.
+
+Version 1.25.4 is the final patch release for the 1.25.x series, which is now
+unsupported.
+
+These maintenance releases deliver important bug fixes and stability
+improvements, ensuring your PostgreSQL clusters continue to run reliably in
+production environments.
+
+While the patch releases focus on stability, the 1.27.1 release introduces
+a few key changes:
+
+- **PostgreSQL 18 Support:** Support for **PostgreSQL 18** has been introduced,
+  and the default version is now `18.0-system-trixie`. This update also adopts
+  the new format for `postgres-containers`, `postgis-containers`, and
+  `pgbouncer-containers` images.
+- **Barman Cloud Support:** The decommissioning of native in-core support for
+  Barman Cloud has been delayed until at least version 1.29.
+- **Monitoring Deprecation:** The `monitoring.enablePodMonitor` field in the
+  `Cluster` and `Pooler` resources has been deprecated. If you rely on
+  `PodMonitor` resources, you should start planning to create them manually, as
+  this field will be removed in a future release.
+  
+We encourage all users to upgrade to benefit from these enhancements.
+
+Read the full release notes for details:
+
+- [Release notes for 1.27.1](https://cloudnative-pg.io/documentation/1.27/release_notes/v1.27/)
+- [Release notes for 1.26.2](https://cloudnative-pg.io/documentation/1.26/release_notes/v1.26/)
+- [Release notes for 1.25.4](https://cloudnative-pg.io/documentation/1.25/release_notes/v1.25/)
+
+---
+
+## Upgrade guidance
+
+We recommend upgrading to **1.27.1** to benefit from the latest features,
+enhancements, and long-term stability.
+
+If you’re on **1.26.x**, upgrade to **1.26.2** to get the latest fixes in that
+series. Users on the 1.25.x series should plan an upgrade to a supported
+version.
+
+Follow the [upgrade instructions](https://cloudnative-pg.io/documentation/1.27/installation_upgrade/#upgrades)
+for a smooth transition.
+
+---
+
+## Get involved with the community
+
+[Join us](https://github.com/cloudnative-pg/cloudnative-pg?tab=readme-ov-file#communications)
+to help shape the future of cloud-native Postgres!
+
+If you're using CloudNativePG in production, consider
+[adding your organisation as an adopter](https://github.com/cloudnative-pg/cloudnative-pg/blob/main/ADOPTERS.md)
+to support the project's growth and evolution.
+
+Thank you for your continued support and for being part of the CloudNativePG community!
+
+<!--
+## About CloudNativePG
+
+[CloudNativePG](https://cloudnative-pg.io) is an open-source Kubernetes
+Operator specifically designed for PostgreSQL workloads. It manages the entire
+lifecycle of a PostgreSQL cluster, including bootstrapping, configuration, high
+availability, connection routing, and comprehensive backup and disaster
+recovery mechanisms. By leveraging PostgreSQL's native streaming replication,
+CloudNativePG efficiently distributes data across pods, nodes, and zones using
+standard Kubernetes patterns, enabling seamless scaling of replicas in a
+Kubernetes-native manner. Originally developed and supported by
+[EDB](https://www.enterprisedb.com/), CloudNativePG is a CNCF Sandbox project
+and the sole PostgreSQL operator in this category.
+-->
+<!--
+
+We've just released CloudNativePG 1.27.1, 1.26.2, and 1.25.4! 🚀
+
+These maintenance releases deliver important stability improvements and bug
+fixes to keep your production clusters running smoothly.
+
+Key highlights in 1.27.1 include:
+- Support for **PostgreSQL 18**
+- Native in-core support for Barman Cloud extended
+- The `monitoring.enablePodMonitor` field is now deprecated
+
+We recommend upgrading to 1.27.1 for the latest features and long-term
+stability.
+
+Note: 1.25.4 is the final release for the unsupported 1.25.x series.
+
+Read the full announcement: https://cloudnative-pg.io/releases/cloudnative-pg-1-27.1-released/
+
+#CloudNativePG #PostgreSQL #Kubernetes #K8s #DevOps #Database #Operator
+
+--->