The history of Domino and Notes
The history of the Domino and Notes software products spans almost four decades and is full of changes. From start-up to global corporation, different owners have shaped the product and influenced the application market with solutions based on the software. Read on to discover the fascinating milestones in the origin and development of Domino and Notes. We look forward to the next decades of the product – #dominoforever.
In the 1970s, a message board application called “Notes” was developed at the CERL (Computer Education Research Laboratory) of the University of Illinois .
1984 The company "Iris Associates" is founded by graduates of CERL. Close cooperation with the company "Lotus".
1985 A first version of Notes is introduced under the Windows operating system.
In 1988, "Iris Associates" was acquired by the company "Lotus".
Until 1991, Lotus Notes was used exclusively in projects and was not officially available.
In 1996, the company "Lotus" was acquired by the IT giant "IBM." A purchase price of approximately 4 billion US dollars was agreed upon (main product: Lotus Notes). With version Notes 4.5, the new brand "Domino" was introduced for the server.
In 2002, IBM Notes became the first widely used software product to offer comprehensive encryption. The Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) secured client and server connections (64-bit key length, instead of the previous 40 bits – made possible by an agreement with the NSA). A milestone in security.
In 2008, IBM released XPages technology, which is based on JavaServer Faces. This allows IBM Domino applications to be better deployed to browser clients.
In 2012, IBM decided to discontinue the Lotus brand. Products would henceforth be marketed under the name "IBM".
In 2013, with the release of version 9, the product was renamed "IBM Notes." This was the last major release for the time being, with no significant updates until 2017. The software took a backseat, as blockchain, artificial intelligence (Watson), cloud computing, and security became IBM's initial priorities.
In 2017, IBM announced a partnership with the Indian services company HCL Technologies. Declining revenues necessitated cost-cutting measures and layoffs. HCL took over the development and service of Notes, Domino, and Sametime. Sales and marketing remained with IBM. HCL received a revenue share, and both companies planned a new release, version 10. HCL focused on growth rather than stagnation, and many IBM employees were transferred or new ones were hired.
In 2018, HCL presented new versions of Notes V10, Domino V10, Verse on Premises 1.0.5, and Verse Mobile 9.5.1. HCL emphasized transparency and modernization, integrating customer feedback into product development. The partner community breathed a sigh of relief and looked forward to future developments.
In 2019, HCL Technologies acquired IBM's Collaboration Portfolio (including the products Domino, Notes and Sametime) for approximately US$1,8 billion.
In 2021, HCL Technologies released version 12. The new version opens the platform for simplified access via the browser (HCL Nomad) and integrates user management with Microsoft Active Directory.
In 2023, with version 14, HCL Domino and Notes continued to evolve. A modernized REST API, user management for non-administrators, and an enhanced Domino restyle became available.
Release 14.5, released in 2025 , brings improvements to AutoUpdate and AutoInstall, initial AI-powered features with Domino IQ, and enhancements to the REST API. Security and integration of modern authentication services have been further optimized.
Domino 2026 14.5.1 (Domino 2026) combines secure AI (Domino IQ), data sovereignty, modern APIs, no-code apps, auto-update, better UX and high cost efficiency in an integrated, sovereign platform.
| Version | publication |
|---|---|
| 1.0 | Dec. 1989 |
| 1.1 | Aug. 1990 |
| 2 | 1991 |
| 3 | May 1993 |
| 3.1 | Feb 23, 1994 |
| 3.2 | Oct. 4th, 1994th |
| 3.3 | Feb 23, 1995 |
| 4 | Jan. 22, 1996 |
| 5 | 1999 |
| 6.0 | Sep 2002 |
| 7.0 | Aug. 2005 |
| 7.0.1 | Jul 2006 |
| 7.0.2 | Sep 2006 |
| 8.0 | Aug. 2007 |
| 8.5 | Dec. 2008 |
| 9.0.0 | March 21, 2013 |
| 9.0.1 FP8 | March 7, 2017 |
| 10 | Oct. 10th, 2018th |
| 11 | Dec 20, 2019 |
| 12.0 | 07 Jun 2021 |
| 12.0.1 | Dec 14, 2021 |
| 12.0.2 | Dec 15, 2023 |
| 14.0 | Dec 7, 2023 |
| 14.5 | 17 Jul 2025 |
| 14.5.1 (Domino 2026) | March 19, 2026 |
Versions
Release 1.0 : The first 35.000 copies of Lotus Notes will be sold with applications such as group mail and group phonebook, as well as templates for creating custom applications.
Release 2.0: With ever-increasing demand, Notes has been optimized for greater performance in the following areas: Additional formula language @functions, address search in emails, multiple name and address books, return receipt for email memos, forwarding of documents from the inbox, larger databases and desktop files.
Release 3.0: The ability to use up to 200 users on one server makes Notes interesting for large companies, in addition to some new screen features.
Release 4.0: Introduction of Lotus Script and integration of a web browser. With Release 4.5, Lotus was renamed Domino, and the calendar function, Domino.Action, and unrestricted web access from the Notes client were introduced, along with numerous other new features.
Release 5.0 further expands web support and makes servers independent, thus enabling, for example, the use of JavaScript, the ability to read and write messages regardless of the email provider used, and overall supporting all web applications.
Release 6.0: IBM responded to competitor dominance with lower pricing and a new, more feature-rich Notes client. The ability to transfer and reuse application code was expanded. Release 6.5 enabled tighter integration with other IBM/Lotus products.
Release 7.0: Domino 7 servers now support applications on DB2 databases, as well as improved web integration. Enhanced encryption improves security. Behind the scenes, server performance has also been improved.
Release 8.0 : Included quick access to frequently used applications, and enhanced the client, business, and mail applications, enabled by the Eclipse framework. Release 8.5 further expands the integration capabilities of the Eclipse client and related applications.
Release 9.0 : Provides optimized client support (browser or native client and mobile devices such as iOS, Android, BlackBerry 10 and Windows 8), as well as improved support for the mobile applications Notes Traveler, Companion and Notes Traveler ToDo.
Release 10.0: IBM Verse on-premises and Sametime Chat are released. Along with this: improved security features, easier integration of the Domino server, user-friendliness, and application development support for modern standards such as Node.js and Bootstrap 4.
Release 11.0, available from December 2019, includes improved applications for administrators, business users and developers.
Release 12.0, consistent further development starting in 2021. Extensions such as HCL Nomad Web, the new REST API or Domino Leap will be integrable.
Release 14.0, available from December 2023, is the latest version with simplified user management and significantly improved security.
Release 14.5 marks the continuation of HCL Software's modernization of Domino and Notes. Key improvements include enhanced manageability, such as expanded AutoUpdate and AutoInstall functionality, enabling even faster and simpler server maintenance. The integration of Domino IQ brings AI-powered capabilities directly to the platform for the first time, allowing for local text analysis, for example. Security is further enhanced, and the integration with modern authentication and identity services is optimized. For developers, version 14.5 includes additional REST API extensions and improvements to web application development.
Release 14.5.1 introduces DominoIQ, offering secure, locally operated AI with full control over your own data. Organizations retain complete data sovereignty, meet compliance requirements, and reduce risks. At the same time, AI-powered automation increases productivity and the speed of innovation – without dependence on cloud providers and with clearly calculable business value.
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