Clear Course is Set for openSUSE Leap

The openSUSE release team confirms there will be a successor to Leap 15 and it’s a numerical leap forward.

As many eagerly await the arrival of Leap 15.6 this year, a path for Leap 16 as a successor awaits. Based on SUSE’s new Adaptable Linux Platform (ALP) codebase, openSUSE Leap 16 will combine the benefits of an advanced enterprise server distribution and user-friendly maintenance and security that is a hallmark of the Leap series.

Leap 16 is aiming to strike a balance between a cutting-edge and a traditional Linux operating system emerging from SUSE’s development of ALP and initiatives to effectively integrate community packages.

The transition to Leap 16 is not just a numerical step-up but symbolizes a significant path forward in technology and user experiences. The future of openSUSE Leap is based on the innovative concept of SUSE’s Adaptable Linux Platform.

The Adaptable Linux Platform powers the next-generation openSUSE Leap, Leap Micro, and SUSE solutions. It makes distributions more adaptable and suitable for cloud-native workloads while also being capable of handling a rapid pace of innovation.

There are no plans to drop the classical (non-immutable) option for Leap; both non-immutable or immutable installation variants are available for Leap 15 and are planned for Leap 16. This is set to remain the preferred way for people to deploy Leap.

Everyone is encouraged to engage in the development of these new platforms by providing feedback, packaging, testing, documenting and any other way.

Leap will continue to follow the openSUSE factory development model.

The development process will involve gathering requirements, including those from community workshops, to ensure that Leap 16.0 meets the evolving needs of its users​​. The openSUSE community is already eyeing the horizon with the anticipated introduction of Leap 16.

Alongside Leap 16, Leap Micro 6.0 will succeed the Leap Micro 5 series. It’s based on SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 6.0, which focuses on containerized and virtualized workloads.

Leap and Leap Micro will both provide users with clear migration paths and sufficient time to upgrade. In case of Leap 16 delays, the release team may extend the life cycle of Leap 15.6 or, as a last resort, release Leap 15.7 to ensure sufficient overlap. Leap 16 will ensure there is no gap between the release and Leap 15’s End of Life cycle.

People can find information updates about Leap 16 on the project’s roadmap page. The release team will share when Leap 16 development starts and how to get involved through official openSUSE channels.