# FreeBSD Release Process

- Stable releases are made from the -STABLE development branch at approximately 4 month intervals.
- Major new versions (3.0, 4.0, 5.0, etc..) are released at much longer intervals when the main goals for that release have been realized.

  - 3.0 - October 1998
  - 4.0 - March 2000
  - 5.0 - January 2003
- In periods of transition, point releases from the previous branch are still released while the next major release branch stabilizes. (e.g., 4.8, 4.9, and 4.10 were released after 5.0)