====== 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]], 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 – **13.2-RELEASE**  and **13.3-RELEASE**  on the ''releng/13.2''  and ''releng/13.3''  branches.

14 has:

  * a longer lifespan – the ''stable/14''  branch
  * a supported release – **14.0-RELEASE**  on the ''releng/14.0''  branch.

FreeBSD 14.0-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>

   |   |      |
   |   |   FreeBSD
   |   |    11.4
   |   |
   |  FreeBSD
   |   12.2
   |   |
   |    `------.
   |           |
   *--FreeBSD  |
   |   13.0    |
   |   |       |
   |   |    FreeBSD
   |   |     12.3
   |   |       |
   |  FreeBSD  |
   |   13.1    |
   |   |       |
   |   |    FreeBSD
   |   |     12.4
   |   |
   |  FreeBSD
   |   13.2
   |   |
   |    `------.
   |           |
   *--FreeBSD  |
   |   14.0    |
   |           |
   |        FreeBSD
   |         13.3
   |
FreeBSD 15.0-CURRENT

</code>
  * FreeBSD 11.4-RELEASE and 12.4-RELEASE are dead ([[https://www.freebsd.org/security/unsupported/|no longer supported]])
  * FreeBSD 13.2-RELEASE will die on 30th June 2024
  * FreeBSD 13.3-RELEASE is alive
  * FreeBSD 14.0-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/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]]