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# Stable Release Updates (SRU)

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memorably. -->

**Stable release updates** (SRUs) are package updates to a currently supported Ubuntu release.

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product does. -->

Once an Ubuntu release has been completed and published, updates for it
are only **released under certain circumstances**, and must follow **a special
procedure** called SRU.

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product meets. -->

The SRU principles and processes ensure that stable Ubuntu releases **remain stable
and predictable** to the user.

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This documentation is intended for **all Ubuntu users** if
they wish to understand what to expect from Ubuntu stable releases, and
also for **upstream and Ubuntu developers** if they wish to
understand what changes would or would not be acceptable to us. The rest
is intended for **Ubuntu developers and SRU team members** to achieve this
in practice.

#### IMPORTANT
Did you **notice a regression** in a package that went to the `-updates` pocket?
Please report this by following [Report a regression](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/project/SRU/howto/regression.md#howto-report-regression).

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Learn how Canonical determines which updates qualify for SRUs, who supervises the update process, who contributes and what responsibilities they have.

## Which updates we release

We follow strict rules to ensure that SRUs fix real-world problems and introduce no disruptions.

* [Principles](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/project/SRU/explanation/principles.md)
* [Requirements](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/project/SRU/explanation/requirements.md)

## Who releases updates

The [SRU team and other stakeholders](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/project/who-makes-ubuntu/roles/SRU.md#explanation-role-expectations) review and release updates. Community members outside of Canonical can contribute in the process.

* [Overview of the SRU pipeline](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/project/SRU/explanation/pipeline.md)

## Processes

You must follow these rules when you upload a package update. Processes such as automatic tests, phasing and user reports prevent regressions in updates. Certain exceptions to standard processes are possible.

* [Standard processes](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/project/SRU/explanation/standard-processes.md)
* [Non-standard processes](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/project/SRU/explanation/non-standard-processes.md)
* [Reasons for requirements](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/project/SRU/explanation/further-requirements.md)

## Getting started

The basic SRU process consists of the following steps:

1. An SRU driver prepares the relevant bugs with the necessary
   documentation, using the [SRU bug template](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/project/SRU/reference/bug-template.md#reference-sru-bug-template),
   and makes an SRU upload available.
2. When an SRU is uploaded by a developer with upload access to the
   Ubuntu package archive, it enters the “Unapproved” queue, which you
   can see here: [Upload queue](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/jammy/+queue?queue_state=1)
   (modify for different series as needed).
3. The SRU team will then review both the upload in the Unapproved queue,
   *and* the SRU documentation on each bug. As necessary, the SRU team
   will leave comments about the upload or SRU documentation on the relevant
   bug. When ready, the upload is *accepted* into the -proposed pocket, and
   then built. Once accepted into -proposed, its status appears in the
   [Pending SRU Report](https://ubuntu-archive-team.ubuntu.com/pending-sru.html)
   when the report is next generated.
4. Once builds are ready, the agreed QA steps are performed on the
   package build using the -proposed pocket, with results being posted
   to the relevant bugs as comments. The [Pending SRU Report](https://ubuntu-archive-team.ubuntu.com/pending-sru.html)
   tracks progress on this, as well as any other blockers detected, such
   as build or test failures.
5. Once the [Pending SRU Report](https://ubuntu-archive-team.ubuntu.com/pending-sru.html)
   displays all outstanding tasks as reported to be resolved, the SRU is
   ready to be released. The SRU team regularly reviews the report. For
   packages marked as ready, they review the corresponding bug comments,
   ensure that all agreed QA steps have been performed satisfactorily
   and that there are no outstanding blockers. If satisfied, they
   *release* packages into the -updates pocket.
6. The SRU is now complete. If a regression is found, see
   [How-to → Handling regressions](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/project/SRU/howto/regression.md#howto-handle-regression-report) for next steps.

The following diagram illustrates this pipeline:

For next steps, see [How-to → Perform a standard SRU](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/project/SRU/howto/standard.md#howto-perform-standard-sru).