= Fedora Release Life Cycle

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The Fedora Project releases a new version of Fedora approximately every
6 months and provides updated packages (maintenance) to these releases
for approximately 13 months. This allows users to "skip a release" while
still being able to always have a system that is still receiving
updates.

[[development-schedule]]
Development Schedule
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We say _approximately every 6 months_ because like many things, they
don't always go exactly as planned. The schedule is not strictly
time-based, but a hybrid of time and quality. The milestone releases are
QA:Release_validation_test_plan[tested] for compliance with the
link:Fedora_Release_Criteria[Fedora Release Criteria], and releases will
be delayed if this is not the case.

The schedule for the release currently under development, , is on its
link:Releases/{{FedoraVersion[|next}}/Schedule| release schedule] page.
Alpha, Beta, and General Availability (final) releases happen at 14:00
UTC.

[[development-planning]]
Development Planning
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Fedora development planning is handled by the
link:Changes/Policy[Release Planning Process]. So-called _Changes_ are
proposed, initially reviewed, and monitored through the development
process by the link:Fedora_Engineering_Steering_Committee[engineering
steering committee].

[[development-process]]
Development Process
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Fedora uses a system involving two 'development' trees.
link:Releases/Rawhide[Rawhide] is a constantly rolling development tree.
No releases are built directly from Rawhide. 14 weeks before the planned
date of a Fedora release, a tree for that release is
"link:Releases/Branched[Branched]" from the Rawhide tree. At that point
the Rawhide tree is moving towards the release _after_ the new Branched
release, and the pending release is stabilized in the Branched tree.

After the link:Updates_Policy#Bodhi_enabling[Bodhi enabling point], the
Bodhi system is permanently active on the Branched release (all the way
until it goes EOL), and requirements for updates to be marked as
_stable_ are set out in the link:Updates_Policy[Updates Policy].
Packages must go through the
link:Repositories#updates-testing[_updates-testing_] repository for the
release before entering its link:Repositories#stable[_stable_]
repository, according to rules defined in the updates policy: these
rules tighten gradually from Alpha through to post-GA (Final), but the
basic process does not change.

For some time prior to a milestone (Alpha, Beta, Final) release a
link:Milestone_freezes[freeze] is in effect which prevents packages
moving from _updates-testing_ to _stable_ except in accordance with the
QA:SOP_blocker_bug_process[blocker] and
QA:SOP_freeze_exception_bug_process[freeze exception] bug policies. This
freeze is lifted once the milestone is finished, and so packages begin
to move from _updates-testing_ to _stable_ as normal again, until the
next milestone's freeze date.

[[schedule-methodology]]
Schedule Methodology
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Fedora release schedules are proposed by the
link:Fedora_Program_Management[Fedora Program Manager] and ratified by
the link:FESCo[ Fedora Engineering Steering Committee (FESCo)], with
input from other groups. FESCo is responsible for overseeing the
technical direction of the Fedora distribution. A core schedule is
created using the key tasks listed below. Detailed team schedules are
built around these dates.

[cols=",,",options="header",]
|=======================================================================
|Task/Milestone |Start Day (Tuesdays or Thursdays) |Length
|Planning and Development |_Branch point_ of _previous release_ plus
*one day* |Variable

|link:Changes/Policy#For_Developers[Changes Checkpoint #1: Proposal
deadline] |Tue: _Branch point_ minus *3 months* |n/a

|link:Releases/Branched[Branch point] |Tue: _Alpha Freeze_ minus *2
weeks* |n/a

|link:Changes/Policy#For_Developers[Changes Checkpoint #2: Feature
completion deadline] |Tue: *Same day* as _Branch point_ |N/A

|QA:SOP_compose_request[Alpha test composes] |Any time after _Branch
point_ |Until _Alpha release candidates_

|link:Milestone_freezes[ Alpha Freeze] |Tue: _Alpha Release_ minus *2
weeks* |QA:SOP_freeze_exception_bug_process and
QA:SOP_blocker_bug_process in effect until _Alpha Release_

|link:Updates_Policy#Bodhi_activation[Bodhi activation point] |Tue:
*Same day* as _Alpha Freeze_ |Bodhi enabled and Updates_Policy
requirements in effect until _EOL_

|String Freeze |Tue: *Same day* as _Alpha Freeze_
|link:Software_String_Freeze_Policy[Software String Freeze Policy] in
effect until _GA Release_

|QA:SOP_compose_request[Alpha release candidates] |Any time after _Alpha
Freeze_ |Until _Alpha Release_

|Alpha Go_No_Go_Meeting |*Thu* @ 13:00 E\{D,S}T: planned _Alpha Release_
*minus five days* (repeats if No-Go) |n/a

|Alpha Release |Tue: _Beta Release_ minus *5 weeks*, _Alpha Freeze_ plus
*2 weeks* |Live until _Beta Release_

|QA:SOP_compose_request[Beta test composes] |Tue: _Beta Freeze_ minus *2
weeks*, _Alpha Release_ plus *1 week* |Until _Beta release candidates_

|link:Milestone_freezes[ Beta Freeze] |Tue: _Beta Release_ minus *2
weeks*, _Alpha Release_ plus *3 weeks*
|QA:SOP_freeze_exception_bug_process and QA:SOP_blocker_bug_process in
effect until _Beta Release_

|QA:SOP_compose_request[Beta release candidates] |Any time after _Beta
Freeze_ |Until _Beta Release_

|link:Changes/Policy#For_Developers[Changes Checkpoint #3: 100% code
complete deadline ] |Tue: *Same day* as _Beta Freeze_ |N/A

|Beta Go_No_Go_Meeting |*Thu* @ 13:00 E\{D,S}T: planned _Beta Release_
*minus five days* (repeats if No-Go) |n/a

|Beta Release |Tue: _Beta Freeze_ plus *2 weeks*, _GA Release_ minus *5
weeks* |Live until _GA release_

|QA:SOP_compose_request[Final test composes] |Tue: _Final Freeze_ minus
*2 weeks*, _Beta Release_ plus *1 week* |Until _Final release
candidates_

|link:Milestone_freezes[ Final Freeze] |Tue: _Final Release_ minus *2
weeks*, _Beta Release_ plus *3 weeks*
|QA:SOP_freeze_exception_bug_process and QA:SOP_blocker_bug_process in
effect until _GA Release_

|QA:SOP_compose_request[Final release candidates] |Any time after _Final
Freeze_ |Until _GA Release_

|Final Go_No_Go_Meeting |*Thu* @ 13:00 E\{D,S}T: planned _GA Release_
*minus five days* (repeats if No-Go) |n/a

|GA Release |Tue: *Primary date* from which rest of schedule derives
|n/a

|Maintenance |Tue: *Same day* as _GA release_ |~**13 Months**

|End of Life |_GA of next-but-one release_ plus *one month* |n/a
|=======================================================================

[[steps-to-construct-a-new-schedule]]
Steps to Construct a New Schedule
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This is admittedly an unusual methodology, but it is fairly easy to
generate using the the
[https://fedorapeople.org/groups/schedule/f-%7B%7BFedoraVersionNumber%7Cnext%7D}
TaskJuggler schedules] the Fedora Program Manager maintains.

1.  Pick _GA release_ date (the Tuesday before May 1st or October 31st)
* Check with Fedora PR to ensure that planned dates do not conflict with
other ecosystem planned events (so we get the maximum press benefit)
2.  Work backwards using consistent spacing for freezes, composes, and
releases for Alpha, Beta, and Final, as described above, to the _Branch
point_
3.  Set the link:Changes/Policy[change proposal checkpoint/deadline]
working backwards from the _Branch point_
4.  The time before the _change proposal checkpoint/deadline_ and after
the _Branch point of the previous release_ is the time dedicated to
_development_
* Development time varies from from release to release based on when the
previous release branched
* The stabilization and testing time (from _Branch point_ until _GA
release_) is held constant from release to release

Schedule draft is submitted to FESCo via its ticketing system for the
approval. Initially, all milestones except "Change Checkpoint: Proposal
submission deadline (System Wide Changes)" are scheduled as so called
"no earlier than". Final schedule is set after the FESCo's review of
proposed and accepted Changes proposals and "no earlier than" note is
removed from schedule. This gives us opportunity to properly plan
release, especially for changes with high impact on the release.

[[development-schedule-rationale]]
Development Schedule Rationale
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Fedora generally develops new releases over a six month period to
provide a regular and predictable release schedule. The bi-annual
targeted release dates are _May Day_ (May 1st) and _Halloween_ (October
31) making them easy to remember and avoiding significant holiday
breaks. Changes to this standard must be approved by the
community-elected link:FESCo[ Fedora Engineering Steering Committee
(FESCo)].

A six month release schedule also follows the precedence of Red Hat
Linux (precursor to Fedora). Former Red Hat software engineer Havoc
Pennington offers a historical perspective
http://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.redhat.fedora.advisory-board/1475/[here].
GNOME started following a time based release based on the ideas and
success of Red Hat Linux and other distributions following Fedora having
adopted a similar release cycle. Several other major components,
including the Linux kernel, Openoffice.org, Xorg, have started following
a time based release schedule. While the exact release schedules vary
between these components and other upstream projects, the interactions
between these components and Fedora makes a six month time based release
schedule a good balance.

Although due to how planning process and release validation works,
Fedora is not a strictly time based distribution but uses combination of
both time and feature based release paradigms. This way we can react to
bigger changes aka new installed, way how we release bits (Fedora.Next)
etc.

[[schedule-contingency-planning]]
Schedule Contingency Planning
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If the Alpha, Beta, or Final link:Go_No_Go_Meeting[Go_No_Go_Meetings]
result in a "No Go" determination, that milestone and subsequent
milestones will be pushed back by one week.

One week is added to the schedule to maintain the practice of releasing
on Tuesdays. Tuesdays are the designated release day because they are
good days for news coverage and the established day we synchronize our
content with the mirrors that carry our releases. Be aware of holidays
and of possible PR conflicts (contact Fedora PR) with the new proposed
final date.

Go/No Go meetings receive input from representatives of
link:Fedora_Engineering_Steering_Committee[FESCo],
link:ReleaseEngineering[Release Engineering], and link:QA[Quality
Assurance].

[[maintenance-schedule]]
Maintenance Schedule
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We say maintained for _approximately 13 months_ because the supported
period for releases is dependent on the date the release under
development goes final. As a result, _Release X_ is supported until one
month after the release of _Release X+2_.

This translates into:

* will be maintained until 1 month after the release of .
* will be maintained until 1 month after the release of .

[[maintenance-schedule-rationale]]
Maintenance Schedule Rationale
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Fedora is link:Objectives[ focused] on free and open source software
link:Red_Hat_contributions[ innovations] and moves quickly. If you want
a distribution that moves slower but has a longer lifecycle, Red Hat
Enterprise Linux, which is derivative of Fedora or free rebuilds of that
such as CentOS might be more suitable for you. Refer to the RHEL page
for more details.

Historically, the Fedora Project has found supporting two releases plus
Rawhide and the pre-release Branched code to be a manageable work load.

[[end-of-life-eol]]
End of Life (EOL)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When a release reaches the point where it is no longer supported nor
updates are created for it, then it is considered _End of Life_ (EOL).
Branches for new packages in the SCM are not allowed for distribution X
after the Fedora X+2 release and new builds are no longer allowed.

The tasks performed at EOL are documented in the
link:End_of_life_SOP[End of life SOP].

[[additional-release-schedule-information]]
Additional Release Schedule Information
---------------------------------------

* Overview of Releases, including currently supported releases
* link:End_of_life[ Unsupported Releases]
* link:Releases/HistoricalSchedules[ Historical Release Information]

Category:Distribution
'''

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