This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== Choosing a version of FreeBSD – operating system branches, code quality, lifespans, and support ====== Each //release// of FreeBSD is the end result of periodic special attention – release engineering – to a ''releng'' branch of the code for the OS. ===== Support ===== With the [[https://www.freebsd.org/security/#model|five-year support model]] that was established in 2015, two or more major versions may be supported at any one time. Major versions 13 and 14 are supported. 13 has: * a long lifespan – the ''stable/13'' branch * two supported releases – **13.3-RELEASE** and **13.4-RELEASE** on the ''releng/13.3'' and ''releng/13.4'' branches. 14 has: * a longer lifespan – the ''stable/14'' branch * two supported releases – **14.1-RELEASE** and **14.2-RELEASE** on the ''releng/14.1'' and ''releng/14.2'' branches. FreeBSD 14.2-RELEASE is recommended for new installations. ===== Visualising CURRENT (the main branch) and RELEASE (releng branches) ===== Adapted from the timelines at [[https://codeberg.org/FreeBSD/freebsd-src/src/commit/96c567f972e05c47cd239b6c9226354e808f039b/share/misc/bsd-family-tree#L417-L462|https://codeberg.org/FreeBSD/freebsd-src/src/commit/96c567f972e05c47cd239b6c9226354e808f039b/share/misc/bsd-family-tree#L417-L462]]: <code> | | | 12.2 (end-of-life) | | | `------. | | *- 13.0 | | (EOL) | | | | | | 12.3 (EOL) | | | | 13.1 | | (EOL) | | | | | | 12.4 (EOL) | | | 13.2 (EOL) | | | `------. | | *- 14.0 | | (EOL) | | | | | | 13.3 (ending) | | | | 14.1- | | RELEASE | | | | | | 13.4-RELEASE | | | | 14.2- | | RELEASE | | | | | 15.0-CURRENT (main branch) </code> * FreeBSD 12.⋯ releases are end-of-life ([[https://www.freebsd.org/security/unsupported/|no longer supported]]) * FreeBSD 13.0-RELEASE, 13.1-RELEASE, and 13.2-RELEASE are similarly EOL * FreeBSD 13.3-RELEASE life will end on 31st December 2024 * FreeBSD 13.4-RELEASE is alive * FreeBSD 14.0-RELEASE is EOL * FreeBSD 14.1-RELEASE is alive * FreeBSD 14.2-RELEASE is alive * FreeBSD 15.0-CURRENT is latest. ===== 15.0-CURRENT and other development versions of FreeBSD ===== [[https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=freebsd-update&sektion=8&manpath=freebsd-release|freebsd-update(8)]]: * simplifies updates and upgrades with prerelease (ALPHA, BETA, RC (release candidate)) and with RELEASE * can **not** be used with STABLE or CURRENT * pkgbase is an alternative to freebsd-update (see below). [[https://www.freebsd.org/security/notices/|Errata notices]] and [[https://www.freebsd.org/security/advisories/|security advisories]]: * cover releases and associated stable branches * do **not** cover CURRENT. ===== FreshBSD views of branches ===== * [[https://freshbsd.org/freebsd/src/branch/stable/13|stable/13]] * [[https://freshbsd.org/freebsd/src/branch/releng/13.3|releng/13.3]] * [[https://freshbsd.org/freebsd/src/branch/releng/13.4|releng/13.4]] * [[https://freshbsd.org/freebsd/src/branch/stable/14|stable/14]] * [[https://freshbsd.org/freebsd/src/branch/releng/14.1|releng/14.1]] * [[https://freshbsd.org/freebsd/src/branch/releng/14.2|releng/14.2]] * [[https://freshbsd.org/freebsd/src/branch/main|main]] – FreeBSD-CURRENT ===== Further reading ===== * [[https://wiki.freebsd.org/PkgBase|pkgbase]] – the FreeBSD base operating system (OS), //packaged// * [[https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/book/#updating-upgrading-freebsdupdate|FreeBSD Update]] in the FreeBSD Handbook * [[https://www.freebsd.org/snapshots/|FreeBSD Snapshot Releases]] * [[https://www.freebsd.org/releng/charter/|Charter for the Release Engineering Team]] * [[https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-announce/2024-July/000143.html|Change to FreeBSD release scheduling and support period]] (2024) CKG Edit