diff --git a/.bumpversion.cfg b/.bumpversion.cfg
index d330c7ae..11f96949 100644
--- a/.bumpversion.cfg
+++ b/.bumpversion.cfg
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [bumpversion]
-current_version = 0.25.3
+current_version = 0.26.0
 commit = True
 message = Bumps version to {new_version}
 tag = False
diff --git a/.github/dependencies/python38/Dockerfile b/.github/dependencies/python312/Dockerfile
similarity index 74%
rename from .github/dependencies/python38/Dockerfile
rename to .github/dependencies/python312/Dockerfile
index c23f016a..0c177955 100644
--- a/.github/dependencies/python38/Dockerfile
+++ b/.github/dependencies/python312/Dockerfile
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-# This Dockerfile is used to let Dependabot manage the pinned version of Python 3.8
+# This Dockerfile is used to let Dependabot manage the pinned version of Python 3.12
 # that will be installed into the docker container.
 
 # This file is separate from the other Dockerfile tools in order to create a separate
 # entry in the Dependabot config that ignores major and minor version updates, in
-# order to keep this pinned to Python 3.8.
+# order to keep this pinned to Python 3.12.
 
-FROM python:3.8.20 as python38
+FROM python:3.12.8 as python312
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 60d227bd..2dc80a4b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,33 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com/) and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 
+### [0.26.0](https://github.com/plus3it/tardigrade-ci/releases/tag/0.26.0)
+
+**Released**: 2024.12.30
+
+**Summary**:
+
+* Adds targets to manage python3.12
+* Install python3.12 in tardigrade-ci image
+* Deprecates and removes python3.8 support
+
+* Updates tool versions:
+    * bats 1.11.1
+    * black 24.10.0
+    * cfn-lint 1.22.2
+    * golang 1.23.4
+    * localstack 4.0.3
+    * pylint 3.3.2
+    * pytest 8.3.4
+    * python 3.12.8
+    * python 3.13.1
+    * python-hcl2 5.1.1
+    * rclone 1.68.2
+    * terraform 1.10.3
+    * terraform-docs 0.19.0
+    * terragrunt 0.69.13
+    * yq 4.44.6
+
 ### [0.25.3](https://github.com/plus3it/tardigrade-ci/releases/tag/0.25.3)
 
 **Released**: 2024.08.07
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 97c2483f..17cef43d 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -61,11 +61,11 @@ ENV GOPATH=/go
 RUN make -C /${PROJECT_NAME} install
 
 # Install python versions
-RUN make -C /${PROJECT_NAME} python38/install \
-    && pyenv global system $(pyenv versions | grep 3.8)
+RUN make -C /${PROJECT_NAME} python312/install
+RUN pyenv global system $(pyenv versions | grep 3.12)
 RUN python --version \
     && python3 --version \
-    && python3.8 --version
+    && python3.12 --version
 
 WORKDIR /${PROJECT_NAME}
 ENTRYPOINT ["entrypoint.sh"]
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6c3292d1..5761fb36 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export PWD := $(shell pwd)
 export TARDIGRADE_CI_PATH ?= $(PWD)
 export TARDIGRADE_CI_PROJECT ?= tardigrade-ci
 export TARDIGRADE_CI_DOCKERFILE_TOOLS ?= $(TARDIGRADE_CI_PATH)/Dockerfile.tools
-export TARDIGRADE_CI_DOCKERFILE_PYTHON38 ?= $(TARDIGRADE_CI_PATH)/.github/dependencies/python38/Dockerfile
+export TARDIGRADE_CI_DOCKERFILE_PYTHON312 ?= $(TARDIGRADE_CI_PATH)/.github/dependencies/python312/Dockerfile
 export TARDIGRADE_CI_GITHUB_TOOLS ?= $(TARDIGRADE_CI_PATH)/.github/workflows/dependabot_hack.yml
 export TARDIGRADE_CI_PYTHON_TOOLS ?= $(TARDIGRADE_CI_PATH)/requirements.txt
 export SEMVER_PATTERN ?= [0-9]+(\.[0-9]+){1,3}
@@ -222,16 +222,16 @@ black/install: export BLACK_VERSION ?= $(call match_pattern_in_file,$(TARDIGRADE
 black/install:
 	@ $(SELF) install/pip/$(@D) PYPI_PKG_NAME='$(@D)==$(BLACK_VERSION)'
 
-python38/%: export PYTHON_38_VERSION ?= $(call match_pattern_in_file,$(TARDIGRADE_CI_DOCKERFILE_PYTHON38),'python:3.8','$(SEMVER_PATTERN)')
+python312/%: export PYTHON_312_VERSION ?= $(call match_pattern_in_file,$(TARDIGRADE_CI_DOCKERFILE_PYTHON312),'python:3.12','$(SEMVER_PATTERN)')
 
-python38/install:
-	@ $(SELF) install/pyenv/$(PYTHON_38_VERSION)
+python312/install:
+	@ $(SELF) install/pyenv/$(PYTHON_312_VERSION)
 
-python38/select:
-	@ $(SELF) select/pyenv/$(PYTHON_38_VERSION)
+python312/select:
+	@ $(SELF) select/pyenv/$(PYTHON_312_VERSION)
 
-python38/version:
-	@ echo $(PYTHON_38_VERSION)
+python312/version:
+	@ echo $(PYTHON_312_VERSION)
 
 select/pyenv/%: | guard/program/pyenv
 	@ echo "[$@]: Selecting python $(@F)"
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ docs/lint/%: | terraform/lint guard/program/terraform-docs
 docker/%: export IMAGE_NAME ?= $(shell basename $(PWD)):latest
 
 ## Builds the tardigrade-ci docker image
-docker/build: export PYTHON_38_VERSION ?= $(call match_pattern_in_file,$(TARDIGRADE_CI_DOCKERFILE_PYTHON38),'python:3.8','$(SEMVER_PATTERN)')
+docker/build: export PYTHON_312_VERSION ?= $(call match_pattern_in_file,$(TARDIGRADE_CI_DOCKERFILE_PYTHON312),'python:3.12','$(SEMVER_PATTERN)')
 docker/build: export TARDIGRADE_CI_DOCKERFILE ?= Dockerfile
 docker/build: export DOCKER_BUILDKIT ?= $(shell [ -z $(TRAVIS) ] && echo "DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1" || echo "DOCKER_BUILDKIT=0";)
 docker/build: