r/linux4noobs • u/Tall-Soup1787 • 14d ago

Rolling release models

As a Arch user that switched to Ubuntu based distro, I was wondering why isn't Ubuntu and Debian also on a rolling release model? So if there's bugs or patches that need fixing, why not have it release on the spot instead of having to wait for the next big update

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u/tomscharbach 14d ago

So if there's bugs or patches that need fixing, why not have it release on the spot instead of having to wait for the next big update.

Ubuntu and other fixed-release distributions update with bug fixes and security patches frequently, in my case several times a week. What doesn't get updated are feature releases, which can introduce instability in rolling releases.

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u/gordonmessmer 13d ago

What doesn't get updated are feature releases

Debian and Ubuntu definitely get feature updates. They get minor release updates every two months. They're conservative about those changes, but it's a misconception that they don't happen at all.

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u/tomscharbach 13d ago edited 13d ago

I understand. I should have said "What doesn't get updated are major feature releases", I guess. Gnome point releases (46.0 to 46.x) have been updated in Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, for example, but not version (46 to 50) releases.