The Linux 6.6 kernel has been assigned the status of a long-term support branch. Updates for branch 6.6 will be released at least until December 2026, but it is possible that, as in the case of branches 5.10, 5.4 and 4.19, the period will be extended to six years and maintenance will last until December 2029. For regular kernel releases, updates are released only before the next stable branch is released (for example, updates for the 6.5 branch were released before 6.6 was released).
Maintenance of longterm branches continues:
- 6.1 - until December 2026 + support within SLTS (used in Debian 12 and the main branch of OpenWRT).
- 5.15 - until October 2026 (used on Ubuntu 22.04, Oracle Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel 7 and OpenWRT 23.05).
- 5.10 - until December 2026 + support within SLTS (used in Debian 11, Android 12 and OpenWRT 22).
- 5.4 - until December 2025 (used in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and Oracle Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel 6)
- 4.19 - until December 2024 + support within SLTS (used in Debian 10 and Android 10).
- 4.14 - until January 2024
Separately, based on kernels 4.4, 4.19, 5.10 and 6.1, the Linux Foundation provides SLTS (Super Long Term Support) branches, which are maintained separately and will be supported for 10-20 years. SLTS branches are maintained within the framework of the Civil Infrastructure Platform (CIP) project, which involves companies such as Toshiba, Siemens, Renesas, Bosch, Hitachi and MOXA, as well as the maintainers of the LTS branches of the main kernel, Debian developers and the creators of the KernelCI project. . SLTS cores are aimed at application in technical systems of civil infrastructure and in critical industrial systems.
Source: opennet.ru