openSUSE:Roadmap
openSUSE Release Cycle
Tumbleweed is openSUSE's rolling release, which is constantly updated and always at the 'latest release'.
Aeon was initially based on MicroOS, has taken its own form as a read-only system, release cycle: same as Tumbleweed
Kalpa is currently an experimental spin on MicroOS, and is designed to give people a top tier KDE Plasma Experience on a read-only system, release cycle: same as tumbleweed
MicroOS is a server desktop to keep things stable and secure, release cycle: same as Tumbleweed
Leap Micro is designed to give people the stability of Leap with the security that comes with MicroOS, release cycle: released twice a year.
Slowroll is currently an experimental spin of Tumbleweed designed to be faster than Leap but not as fast as Tumbleweed, release cycle: every 30 days
Leap is openSUSE's regular release, which is has the following estimated release cycle:
- One minor release is expected approximately every 12 months, aligned with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Service Packs. We do provide 6 months of overlap support in between releases so Leap users get up to 18 months per individual release.
- One major release is expected after approximately 36–48 months, aligned with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Releases.
Leap is always based on the newest SUSE Linux Enterprise Server available to the date. Next release of Leap will be 16.0 which will be based on SUSE Linux Enteprise 16.0
The life cycle of Tumbleweed and Leap are documented in The Lifetime Wiki Page.
Active Leap releases
DRAFT Schedule for Leap 16.0
Alpha (Fall 2024) Beta April/May 2025 July/Aug 2025 mid-Oct GA
Mon, Oct 7th, 2024 pre-Alpha availability
- Install images avialable at https://get.opensuse.org/ - Staging and quality control with openQA prior publishing in place
April 21st, 2025 Beta Code Submission deadline
- Corresponds with SLES 16 Public Beta code-drop deadline
May, 2025 Beta build done
- Corresponds with SLES 16 Public Beta code-drop deadline
July 2025 RC Code Submission deadline
- Corresponds with SLES 16 Public Public RC code-drop deadline
August, 2025 RC build done
October, 2025 Global Availability
Schedule for Leap 15.6
Schedule is a subject to change espeicialy in case that SLES 15 SP6 schedule changes.
Fri, Jul 15, 2023 Start of Development phase
o Leap and Backports OBS projects are set up. o Leap 15.6 is Alpha. o SUSE:SLE-15-SP6:GA is being synced to OBS o Release checklist for Leap 15.6 is in progress-o-o
Fri, Jul 21, 2023 SLES Features are Submitted to E&I o Features must be in JIRA and submitted to E&I
Wed, Sep 20, 2023 SLES Final Decision and Feedback Deadline for features o Starts late feature process
Fri, September 29, 2023 SLES Code Drop Deadline for partners o Informative! SLES code drop deadline for SUSE's partners
Wed, Oct 18, 2023 Engineering Interlock o Week after Interlock for SUSE Linux Enteprise (Oct 11th)
Mon, Jan 29, 2024 SLES Feature Cut-off
o Informative! No new feature code is accepted in SLES. SR containing new features/updates will be rejected.
Wed, February 21, 2024 Checkin Deadline for Beta
o Deadline is at 15:00 UTC o Deadline for any package removals from Leap. o Deadline corresponds with SLE 15 SP6 late feature cutoff deadline o Every feature with a code delivery for SUSE Linux Enterprise after this date requires an ECO and may be targeted post FCS date. Does not apply for Leap code-drops. o After this date only P1 bugfixes, important security fixes and pre-agreed important P2 fixes are accepted in SUSE Linux Enterprise. This does not apply for Leap code-drops.
Wed, March 6th, 2024 Beta build is done
o Leap 15.6 is Beta o Maintenance team starts working on maintenance setup
Thu, March 7th, 2024 Marketing annoucement + Bug Day
o Beta article on news-o-o and a live event on weekly Thursday meeting o https://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Bug_Day#March_7th:_Leap_15.6_Beta
Tue, Mar 19th, 2024 Final Product ABI and Crypto
o Informative! SLE Final Product ABI and Crypto
Wed, April 17th, 2024 Checkin Deadline for RC
o Deadline is at 15:00 UTC o Only important bugfixes should be accepted after this point o Corresponds with a deadline for two weekly snapshots prior to SLE's Public RC
Wed, April 27, 2024 RC build is done
o RC build is done o Maintenance setup is done o Leap Code freeze. o Backports project freeze ahead of Leap o Stop using snapshot of SLES 15 SP6 changes
Fri, May 3, 2024 Security audit gate
o Security audit gate
Thu, May 16, 2024 Gold Master Candidate code submission deadline
o Deadline is at 15:00 UTC o In sync with SLES GMC candidate code submission deadline o All translations were pulled
Thu, June 6th, 2024 Gold Master build is done
o Leap is GOLD (SLES GM planned for 30th May)
Wed, Jun 12, 2024 Public Availability of the Release
o Leap 15.6 will be released to the public at 12:00 UTC
Wed, Jun 12, 2024 Release retrospective survey is open
o Release retro on survey.opensuse.org is open right after GA
Wed, Jun 26, 2024 Collect feedback from the retrospective (could be shared on osc2024)
o Share feedback of the retrospective with community.
Schedule for Leap 15.5
Schedule in .txt | Schedule in .ics
Wed, Jun 7, 2023 Public Availability of the Release
o Leap 15.5 was released to the public at 12:00 UTC
Thu, Jun 8, 2023 Release retrospective survey is open
o Release retro on survey.opensuse.org is open right after GA
Thu, Jun 22, 2023 Collect feedback from the retrospective
o Share feedback of the retrospective with community.
Wed, Oct 4th, 2023 Quarterly Update 1
o Respin of installation images, if we identify a reason to respin (can be skipped)
Wed, Jan 17th, 2024 Quarterly Update 2
o Respin of installation images, if we identify a reason to respin (can be skipped)
Wed, May 8th, 2024 Quarterly Update 3
o Respin of installation images, if we identify a reason to respin (can be skipped)
Tue, Dec 31st, 2024 EOL
o Leap 15.5 is End of life. See SDB:How_to_migrate_to_SLE for a longer support.
Schedule for Leap 15.4
Schedule in .txt | Schedule in .ics
Sun, Dec 31st, 2023 EOL
o Leap 15.4 will be End of life. See SDB:How_to_migrate_to_SLE for a longer support.
Active Leap Micro releases
Leap Micro is simply a re-brand of SLE Micro rpms with some product building configuration tweaks.
Our goal is to be tailing SLE Micro typically with roughly a one month delay, hat usually translates into the previous milestone.
SLE Micro is released twice a year.
Schedule for Leap Micro 5.5
Leap Micro is simply a re-brand of SLE Micro rpms withs ome product building configuration tweaks. Our goal is to be tailing SLE Micro typically with roughly a one month delay, hat usually translates into the previous milestone.
Tue, Dec 31, 2024 Planned End of Live
o Leap Micro 5.5 will reach end of life soon after the next-next release is out
Schedule for Leap Micro 6.0
Tue, June 25, 2024 Public Availability of the Release
o Leap Micro 6.0 is available
Thu, April 30, 2025 Planned End of Live
o Leap Micro 6.0 will reach end of life after Leap Micro 6.2 is released.
Schedule for Leap Micro 6.1
Thu, Dec 05, 2024 Public Availability of the Release
o Leap Micro 6.1 is available
Thu, Nov 30, 2025 Planned End of Live
o Leap Micro 6.1 will reach end of life after Leap Micro 6.3 is released.
Draft Schedule for Leap Micro 6.2
Wed, Jan 29, 2024 Alpha build is done
o Initial setup in OBS o Images are building o openQA setup
Wed, Feb 12, 2024 Beta build is done
o Based on SL Micro 6.2 Public Beta
Wed, March 12, 2025 RC build is done
o Maintenance workflow in place o Migration path from previous major version is documented
Wed, April 23, 2025 Public Availability of the Release
o Leap Micro 6.2 is available
Thu, April 30, 2026 Planned End of Live
o Leap Micro 6.2 will reach end of life after Leap Micro 6.4 is released.
See also
- Wikipedia entry (sometimes more up to date)
- Build Service roadmap page about planning details
- openSUSE Release process
- Lifetime of openSUSE releases