As a non-long-term supported kernel, Linux Kernel version 6.9 was released on May 12, 2024. It has now ended support and no longer provides security updates. Therefore, users using this version of the kernel should upgrade to subsequent supported versions or LTS long-term support versions.
Under normal circumstances, the life cycle of non-long-term supported kernels is very short. The current final version of the Linux Kernel 6.9 series is version 6.9.12, which has also been marked as EOL (End of Life) on Kernel.org.
Other kernels for users to choose include the LinuxKernel6.10.y branch (the latest version is currently version 6.10.3). Of course, this version is also a non-LTS version and therefore only has short-term support for a few months. Users can perform rolling updates according to the Linux distribution they are using.
If users do not want to frequently upgrade the kernel, they should consider the LTS long-term support version, including Linux Kernel 6.6LTS and 6.1LTS, which are supported until December 2026. There is no need to worry about the end of the life cycle and the need to upgrade in a short period of time.
The operating system is convenient. Currently, more and more GNU/Linux distributions have been upgraded or plan to upgrade to the LinuxKernel6.10.y branch in the next few weeks, including Fedora Linux, Ubuntu, and Linux Lite. Users of these distributions can refer to the developer website for upgrade information.
Finally, Linux Kernel mainline version 6.11-rc2 has also been released today. This new version of the kernel will be released after the test is completed. After the release, users can also choose to upgrade from 6.9 to 6.11.