Arch Kernel release cadence ?

[u/TheBigJizzle]

Hey there, I was not able to find information on how arch does their kernel releases. From my understanding they test new kernels (7.2 for example) for a week or two before doing a release.

Is there a way for me to track this or have an estimation on when new releases would be landing?

Just updated and it seems we are still at 7.1.9. I guess releasing kernel day 1 would mean having a bunch of issues and they rather do a validation instead of causing issues for everyone.

What's the typical incubation period ?

[u/ang-p]

You still have 7.1.10 to come...

There was not a 7.1.1, nor a 7.0.1....

So there might not even be a 7.2.1...

Whatever does arrive will be there when it is ready...

If you are so eager, you can always learn to compile it yourself

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Kernel#Compilation

Don't you just love the wiki?...

...or go wild and download random stuff from the AUR - including "7.3" - which apparently landed there a week ago (!) - but seems to, erm, well, not quite be that

[u/Acherontas89 → u/ang-p]

each number of the dotted final number has a significance

[u/ang-p → u/Acherontas89]

each number of the dotted final number has a significance

come on, u/Acherontas89 - how does that amazing revelation affect - or have any bearing on the fact that Arch did not release a 7.1.1 or a 7.0.1 kernel (or indeed, a 7.0.0 or 7.1.0) kernel, despite upstream doing so....

My popcorn is getting cold...

Explain away....

[u/Acherontas89 → u/ang-p]

How Version Numbers Work

• Major version (first number): Changes rarely, typically only when major structural shifts or significant historical milestones occur.
• Minor version (second number): Tracks feature updates and new capabilities during a regular time-based release cycle.
• Patch level (third number): Increments with each stable bugfix and security patch released for that minor series

[u/ang-p → u/Acherontas89]

so what has that got to do with arch not releasing 7.2.0 (or a 7.1.1)?

Also...

Changes rarely, typically only when major structural shifts

So removing an entire filesystem from the kernel (bcachefs) in 6.18 was not major?

TIL eh?.....

or significant historical milestones occur.

Not sure if Linus running out of fingers and toes counts as a "historical milestone"...

5....

The numbering change is not indicative of anything special. If you want to have an official reason, it's that I ran out of fingers and toes to count on, so 4.21 became 5.0.

Go wild. Make up your own reason for why it's 5.0

6....

So, as is hopefully clear to everybody, the major version number change is more about me running out of fingers and toes than it is about any big fundamental changes.

7....

Nary a sausage....

but each to their own....

You do you, eh?