Lifecycle Overview
==================

Debian follows a roughly two‑year cycle. A new stable release usually happens every second summer after the previous one. The Release Team posts plans and dates as the cycle goes on.

Typical cycle at a glance
-------------------------

- Transition and Toolchain Freeze
- Soft Freeze
- Hard Freeze
- Full Freeze
- Release

Main phases
-----------

- Active development

  - After a release, developers upload to unstable.
  - Packages migrate to testing once they meet policy and testing is healthy.
  - Transitions are planned and carried out during this period.

- Transition and Toolchain Freeze (about 18 months in)

  - No new transitions; avoid large or disruptive changes.
  - No changes to toolchain packages (essential/build‑essential) without prior coordination.
  - Standard migration rules generally still apply.

- Soft freeze

  - No new source packages into testing; no re‑entry of packages removed earlier.
  - Migration from unstable to testing slows down; delays get longer for everyone.
  - Migration rules tighten; some changes may need manual review.
  - Focus on small, targeted fixes; don’t upload unrelated changes to unstable.

- Hard freeze

  - Key packages and packages without useful autopkgtests usually need an unblock by the Release Team.
  - Non‑key packages with good autopkgtests may still migrate automatically, but more slowly and under stricter rules.

- Full freeze

  - Manual review (unblock) is required for almost all packages.
  - Only targeted fixes are accepted; discuss early if in doubt.

- Release

  - The Release Team, ftpmasters, Debian CD team, and Press agree a date (usually a weekend) and announce it.
  - On release day, testing becomes the new stable. Images are built and published.

- Post‑release: point releases and updates

  - "Stable" gets regular point releases (x.y) that roll up security fixes and other important fixes.
  - Fixes are staged in stable‑proposed‑updates; urgent non‑security fixes may go via stable‑updates; security fixes are handled by the Security Team.
  - Dates for point releases are planned and announced by the Stable Release Managers.

Useful links
------------

- Freeze policy for testing: https://release.debian.org/testing/freeze_policy.html
- Key packages overview: https://udd.debian.org/cgi-bin/key_packages.yaml.cgi
- Release Team site (schedules, announcements, planned point releases): https://release.debian.org/
- stable‑proposed‑updates (stable queue): https://release.debian.org/proposed-updates/stable.html
- stable‑proposed‑updates (oldstable queue): https://release.debian.org/proposed-updates/oldstable.html
- stable‑updates (what it is and how to use it): https://wiki.debian.org/StableUpdates
- Security information and DSAs: https://www.debian.org/security/
- debian‑stable‑announce mailing list: https://lists.debian.org/debian-stable-announce/
- Debian releases overview: https://www.debian.org/releases/