The ksqlDB 0.12.0 release introduces significant improvements to enhance usability and reduce administration time, featuring query upgrades and automatic restarts for persistent queries. Users can now evolve queries in real-time with the "CREATE OR REPLACE" feature, allowing for seamless modification without disrupting stream processing, as seen in the example of a fictional ksqlMart store updating its return policy. Schema upgrades are also supported, enabling the addition of new fields to streams while maintaining query continuity. Additionally, persistent queries that encounter errors now automatically restart, resuming from the last processed event, which minimizes operational disruptions and saves resources. These enhancements, along with other updates detailed in the changelog, are aimed at optimizing the experience of working with ksqlDB, with further information available on GitHub and the community Slack channel.