This page summarizes Gentoo releases and milestones for 2025.
¶ Releases and Versions
Gentoo follows a continuous rolling release model with regular updates throughout 2025:
| Component |
Update Frequency |
Description |
| Stage3 Snapshots |
Weekly |
Autobuilds updated every 7 days for all architectures |
| Portage Tree |
Continuous |
Ebuild updates as packages are added/updated |
| Installation Media |
Frequent |
Minimal LiveCDs updated with latest kernel and tools |
| Documentation |
Continuous |
Wiki and handbook updated by community editors |
| Type |
Init System |
Description |
| Base/OpenRC |
OpenRC |
Command-line only; default for servers and minimal installs |
| Base/systemd |
systemd |
Command-line only; for systemd-requiring environments |
| Desktop |
OpenRC/systemd |
Pre-configured with video/audio USE flags; includes pre-built LLVM and Rust |
| No-multilib |
OpenRC/systemd |
64-bit only; excludes 32-bit libraries |
| Hardened |
OpenRC |
Security-hardened with PaX, SSP, and hardening flags |
| Experimental |
Various |
LLVM and/or Musl-based; for advanced users |
| Architecture |
Status |
Description |
| AMD64 |
✅ Recommended |
64-bit x86 (Intel/AMD, post-2015); primary focus |
| X86 |
✅ Stable |
32-bit x86 (legacy systems) |
| ARM |
✅ Stable |
32-bit ARM (ARMv7+) |
| ARM64 |
✅ Stable |
64-bit ARM (AArch64) |
| PPC |
✅ Stable |
32-bit PowerPC |
| PPC64 |
✅ Stable |
64-bit PowerPC (big-endian) |
| PPC64 LE |
✅ Stable |
64-bit PowerPC (little-endian) |
| SPARC |
✅ Stable |
SPARC architecture |
| MIPS |
⚠️ Experimental |
MIPS architecture |
| HPPA |
⚠️ Experimental |
HP PA-RISC |
| Alpha |
⚠️ Experimental |
DEC Alpha |
| RISC-V |
✅ Growing |
RISC-V architecture |
- Pre-built Packages: Desktop stage3 tarballs introduced with pre-built LLVM and Rust
- Compilation Time Savings: Desktop stages save many hours of initial compilation
- USE Flag Configuration: Pre-configured video and audio USE flags for desktop environments
- Faster Setup: Reduced time from installation to usable desktop system
- Handbook Maintenance: Continued handbook updates with simplified installation procedures
- Wiki Infrastructure: Modernized wiki platform with improved editing tools
- Translations: Community-driven handbook translations expanded
¶ Security and Hardening
- Security Advisories: Regular GLSA (Gentoo Linux Security Advisories) published throughout 2025
- Hardened Profiles: Continued maintenance of security-hardened profiles
- Vulnerability Coordination: Gentoo Security Team coordinates with upstream projects
- AMD64 Focus: Primary development and testing focus for modern systems
- ARM64 Growth: Increased support for ARM64 servers and single-board computers
- RISC-V Development: Growing community interest and package support
- Main Repository: ~20,000 packages maintained by Gentoo developers
- Overlays: Gentoo Overlay Repository (GURU) expanded with user contributions
- Quality Assurance: Automated testing and stability keyword process continued
- Ebuild API: Improvements to ebuild format and capabilities
- Dependency Resolution: Enhanced conflict detection and resolution
- Binary Packages: Improved binhost support for optional binary distribution
- Performance: Ongoing optimizations for faster emerge operations
- Global USE Flags: Regular review and cleanup of obsolete flags
- Package USE: Expanded per-package USE flag documentation
- Profile Defaults: Architecture-specific USE flag optimizations
- Catalyst: Updated stage build tooling for reproducible builds
- Parallel Building: Optimized MAKEOPTS handling for multi-core systems
- Sandbox: Enhanced security for package building
| Component |
Frequency |
Notes |
| Stage3 Snapshots |
Weekly |
Every 7 days for all architectures |
| Portage Tree |
Continuous |
Daily ebuild updates |
| Installation Media |
Monthly |
Minimal LiveCD refreshes |
| Security Advisories |
As Needed |
GLSA published when vulnerabilities found |
- Rolling Release: Gentoo uses continuous updates; no version upgrades needed.
- Weekly Stage3: Stage3 snapshots updated every 7 days for all architectures.
- Stage3 Only: Stage3 tarballs are the only officially supported installation method.
- Stage1/Stage2: Documented in Gentoo FAQ for advanced users only.
- Desktop Stages: Introduced/prevalent in 2025 with pre-built LLVM and Rust.
- AMD64 Recommended: Primary architecture for modern CPUs (post-2015).
- Hardened Options: Security-hardened profiles available with PaX, SSP, PIE.
- Documentation: Handbook actively maintained throughout 2025.
- Copyright: © 2001–2025 Gentoo Authors.
- License: Wiki content under CC-BY-SA-4.0.
- https://www.gentoo.org/downloads/
- https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/FAQ
- https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Handbook:Main
- https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Stage_file
- https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Portage
- https://www.gentoo.org/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentoo_Linux