====== 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
  * one supported release – **14.1-RELEASE** on the ''releng/14.1'' branch.

FreeBSD 14.1-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
   |    |      |
   |
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 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/14.0|releng/14.0]]
  * [[https://freshbsd.org/freebsd/src/branch/releng/14.1|releng/14.1]]
  * [[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)