Honoring a Legacy: Specify 6
For over two decades, Specify 6 has served as the bedrock of biological collection management for institutions across the globe. It has chronicled millions of specimens, supported countless research breakthroughs, and fostered a global community of curators and collection managers. Today, we gather to honor that legacy as we formally announce the official End of Life (EOL) for Specify 6.
While we reflect on the incredible journey of Specify 6 with gratitude, we do so with a sense of triumph. The “torch” of innovation has been passed. Specify 7 represents the culmination of years of community feedback and modern engineering, ready to lead our consortium into a new era of collections management and data accessibility.
Important Dates & Support Eligibility
Specify 6 will officially reach its End of Life on July 31, 2026. This date marks the conclusion of our primary development and support cycle for the Java-based version of Specify.
To ensure a smooth transition for our most dedicated partners, technical support for Specify 6 will remain available exclusively to Catalyst-level members and above from August 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026. We encourage all members to review their transition plans now to ensure uninterrupted access to our support team during this period.
[!tip] Web Portal
Support for Web Portal exporting from Specify 6 will continue to be offered until a comprehensive, fully-integrated replacement is released in Specify 7. This is planned for later this year.
Important Update for macOS Users
Please note that the digital notarization for Specify 6 on macOS will expire on March 13, 2026.
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Existing Installations: If you already have Specify 6 installed, the application will continue to work as expected.
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New Installations: If you are installing Specify 6 on a new computer after this date, macOS Gatekeeper will warn that the developer cannot be verified. To bypass this, you will need to right-click the application icon and select “Open” manually.
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Compatibility Warning: Specify 6 is compiled for Intel-based Mac systems, which means it relies on Rosetta 2 to run on modern Macs (using ARM-based CPUs). This is planned for removal in macOS 28, which is expected to release late 2027. At that time, Specify 6 will not run on modern Mac computers running the latest version of macOS.
Embracing the Future: Specify 7
Specify 7 is the realization of our community’s collective vision for a modular, flexible, and powerful collections platform. Built on a modern tech stack of React and Python, Specify 7 is faster, more secure, and infinitely more accessible than its predecessor. It has transformed from a web-based version of Specify 6 into a superior tool designed for modern collections management.
This transition brings with it a host of powerful capabilities that were previously unattainable. Specify 7 offers native support for a significantly more powerful WorkBench for data migration and import, geology collections, and intuitive tree tools for managing complex tree data. Collection administrators now enjoy granular user permissions, manage collection object types for varied collections, and offers safer backup processes. Users can perform extensive Batch Edit actions, import collaboratively georeferenced data sets, set powerful uniqueness rules, and many other important new features. Above all, it features an extensive set of APIs that collections are free to build with and on top of.
Beyond just the new functionality, Specify 7 is our most inclusive platform yet. It has wider language support and a commitment to accessibility (including screen reader compatibility and WCAG compliance). From the introduction of batch editing, dynamic forms, and the ability to use RSS feeds for data publishing, Specify 7 is the engine that will drive the next generation of the Specify Collections Consortium.
The Path Ahead
The future of Specify is web-based, open-source, and community-driven. We are already hard at work bringing the final remaining Specify 6 features into the Specify 7 environment.
Tools for creating and expanding databases will arrive within the next 1-2 months, fully replacing the need to use Specify 6 for these actions. Improved data export tools (for data publishing and for the Web Portal) will arrive later this year.
Some additional examples planned in the near future:
- ‘Select All’ button for query results
- Support for dash-separated ranges in the Query Builder
- Support for generating labels or reports from selected query results
- Printing based on ‘count amount’ value for labels
We invite you to join us here on the Speciforum to share your transition stories, ask questions, and help us shape the future of Specify 7.
[!info] Membership Assistance
If you have questions regarding your membership level or need to discuss your transition to Specify 7, please reach out to Theresa Miller, our Membership & Fulfillment Officer, at membership@specifysoftware.org.