Linux kernel development process currently consists of a few different
main kernel "branches" and lots of different subsystem-specific kernel
branches. These different branches are:
- - main 3.x kernel tree
- - 3.x.y -stable kernel tree
- - 3.x -git kernel patches
+ - main 4.x kernel tree
+ - 4.x.y -stable kernel tree
+ - 4.x -git kernel patches
- subsystem specific kernel trees and patches
- - the 3.x -next kernel tree for integration tests
+ - the 4.x -next kernel tree for integration tests
-3.x kernel tree
+4.x kernel tree
-----------------
-3.x kernels are maintained by Linus Torvalds, and can be found on
-kernel.org in the pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/ directory. Its development
+4.x kernels are maintained by Linus Torvalds, and can be found on
+kernel.org in the pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ directory. Its development
process is as follows:
- As soon as a new kernel is released a two weeks window is open,
during this period of time maintainers can submit big diffs to
released according to perceived bug status, not according to a
preconceived timeline."
-3.x.y -stable kernel tree
+4.x.y -stable kernel tree
---------------------------
Kernels with 3-part versions are -stable kernels. They contain
relatively small and critical fixes for security problems or significant
-regressions discovered in a given 3.x kernel.
+regressions discovered in a given 4.x kernel.
This is the recommended branch for users who want the most recent stable
kernel and are not interested in helping test development/experimental
versions.
-If no 3.x.y kernel is available, then the highest numbered 3.x
+If no 4.x.y kernel is available, then the highest numbered 4.x
kernel is the current stable kernel.
-3.x.y are maintained by the "stable" team <stable@vger.kernel.org>, and
+4.x.y are maintained by the "stable" team <stable@vger.kernel.org>, and
are released as needs dictate. The normal release period is approximately
two weeks, but it can be longer if there are no pressing problems. A
security-related problem, instead, can cause a release to happen almost
documents what kinds of changes are acceptable for the -stable tree, and
how the release process works.
-3.x -git patches
+4.x -git patches
------------------
These are daily snapshots of Linus' kernel tree which are managed in a
git repository (hence the name.) These patches are usually released
accepted, or rejected. Most of these patchwork sites are listed at
http://patchwork.kernel.org/.
-3.x -next kernel tree for integration tests
+4.x -next kernel tree for integration tests
---------------------------------------------
-Before updates from subsystem trees are merged into the mainline 3.x
+Before updates from subsystem trees are merged into the mainline 4.x
tree, they need to be integration-tested. For this purpose, a special
testing repository exists into which virtually all subsystem trees are
pulled on an almost daily basis:
Code Review / kvmfornfv.git / blobdiff