MAINLINE
New features every 9 to 10 weeks
Each cycle opens with a 2-week merge window for new features, then about 7 weeks of weekly release candidates to fix bugs.
How a cycle runsWHAT KERNEL.ORG SAYS
Which kernel
are you running?
Linux, strictly speaking, is a kernel.
Check a longterm kernel
9–10 WEEKSper mainline release
It is the part of the system that shares out the machine's resources to every other program. New versions arrive on a steady rhythm, and some are looked after for years. Here is how the release cycle works.
At a glance
- Mainline brings features
- Stable brings fixes
- Longterm buys time
- A steady rhythm, in the open
9–10 weeks
Time between mainline releases
A 2-week merge window for new features, then a 7-week stabilisation period with weekly release candidates. rc7 is usually the last.
CADENCE · KERNEL.ORG
2 years
Initial projected support for a new longterm kernel
It can be extended if there is enough industry interest to help support it for longer, which is why some longterm kernels last much longer than others.
LONGTERM · KERNEL.ORG
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
Release cadence
and support length.
One figure for the release rhythm,
one for how long a longterm kernel starts out with.
On 28 October 2026, kernel.org listed 7.3 (released 18 October 2026) as the latest mainline kernel and 7.2.13 as the latest stable kernel.
A QUICK KERNEL CHECK
How long is your
kernel looked after?
Pick a longterm kernel to see when kernel.org projects its end of life. The bar shows how soon you should plan to move on.
Projected end-of-life dates are not set in stone and can be extended. Distribution kernels follow their own vendor's support.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Mainline, stable
and longterm.
New features land in mainline.
Fixes flow back to stable and longterm kernels.
LONGTERM
Older kernels kept patched
Longterm kernels get only important bug fixes, backported from mainline. Each usually starts with a 2-year projected end of life.
Check a kernel
EVERYWHERE
From laptops to supercomputers
By November 2009, the Linux family already ran on 89.20% of the TOP500 supercomputers, according to the Open Source Initiative.
See the numbers
FOUR THINGS TO DO
Know your kernel,
plan ahead.
These come straight from kernel.org's own guidance on releases.
Run uname -r
It prints your kernel version. Anything after the dash means you are running a distribution kernel.
Use your distribution's support
Kernel developers cannot support distribution kernels; your distribution vendor's channels are the place to ask.
Ignore the big number
The major version goes up when the number after the dot starts looking too big. kernel.org says there is no other reason.
Watch the end-of-life dates
If you build your own longterm kernel, note its projected end of life and plan the move before it arrives.
HOW A RELEASE CYCLE RUNS
Merge, test,
release, repeat.
After each mainline release comes a 2-week merge window, when major new features go in. Then 7 weeks of bug fixing follow, with a release candidate snapshot each week. Release candidates are aimed at developers and enthusiasts and must be compiled from source.
Once a mainline kernel is out it is considered stable, and fixes are backported to it, usually weekly, until the next mainline arrives, unless it is chosen as a longterm kernel. The old odd-and-even numbering for development kernels was dropped after 2.6; pre-releases are now marked -rc.
Questions
Questions people ask
Is Linux an operating system or a kernel?
Linux is the kernel, the program that allocates the machine's resources to other programs. The GNU Project points out that it is normally used with GNU software, and prefers the name GNU/Linux for the whole system.
How often is a new Linux kernel released?
A new mainline kernel arrives every 9 to 10 weeks. Stable updates come as needed, usually about once a week.
What is a longterm kernel?
An older kernel that keeps receiving important bug fixes backported from mainline. Each usually starts with a 2-year projected end of life, which can be extended.
Does going from 6.x to 7.x mean a big change?
No. kernel.org says the major number is incremented when the number after the dot starts looking too big, and for no other reason.
How do I know if I'm running a distribution kernel?
Run uname -r. Unless you compiled your own kernel from kernel.org, you are running a distribution kernel, and anything after the dash in the version shows it.
When is the next mainline kernel due?
kernel.org's rule of thumb is to take the date of the previous mainline release and add 9 to 10 weeks. Version 7.3 came out on 18 October 2026, which puts the next mainline release in the second half of December 2026. kernel.org also publishes a releases calendar you can subscribe to.
How is a new longterm kernel chosen?
kernel.org says longterm kernels are picked on several factors, including major new features, the needs of popular commercial distributions, demand from device manufacturers, and maintainers' workload and availability. You can roughly estimate when the next one will arrive from how long it has been since the last one was chosen.
Sources
Where the facts come from
ABOUT THIS NAME
Interested in leasing linuxbarn.com?
linuxbarn.com is part of the DoodleSale portfolio. It isn't in an auction right now, but you can ask about leasing it.