# Astro Runtime documentation

> The distribution of Apache Airflow that powers Astro.

This documentation is also queryable through an MCP server at https://astronomer.io/docs/mcp, and any page is available as plain Markdown by appending .md to its URL.

## Astro Runtime

- [Astronomer Runtime overview](https://astronomer.io/docs/runtime/overview.md): Overview of Astronomer Runtime - the distribution of Apache Airflow that powers Astro.
- [Astro Runtime architecture](https://astronomer.io/docs/runtime/runtime-image-architecture.md): Reference documentation for Astro Runtime, a differentiated distribution of Apache Airflow.
- [Astro: Upgrade Runtime](https://astronomer.io/docs/runtime/upgrade-astro-runtime.md): Learn how to upgrade the Astro Runtime version on your Deployments. To take advantage of new features and bug and security fixes, upgrade Astro Runtime when a new version becomes available.
- [Astro Private Cloud: Upgrade Runtime](https://astronomer.io/docs/runtime/manage-airflow-versions.md): Adjust and upgrade Airflow versions on Astro Private Cloud.
- [Version upgrade considerations](https://astronomer.io/docs/runtime/version-upgrade-considerations.md): Review upgrade considerations for specific Astro Runtime versions, including breaking changes, database migrations, and known issues.
- [Astro Runtime maintenance and lifecycle policy](https://astronomer.io/docs/runtime/runtime-version-lifecycle-policy.md): Learn how Astronomer releases and maintains versions of Astro Runtime.
- [Astro Runtime release notes](https://astronomer.io/docs/runtime/runtime-release-notes.md): A summary of the latest Astro Runtime features and functionality. Astro Runtime is a Docker image built by Astronomer that provides a differentiated Apache Airflow experience and execution framework.
- [Astro Runtime provider package reference](https://astronomer.io/docs/runtime/runtime-provider-reference.md): View the provider packages and versions included in each release of Astro Runtime