5.1.2. The Linux versioning scheme

• A.B.C (e.g. 2.4.23):
  • A = kernel version
  • B = major version (old: even=stable, odd=devel)
  • C = minor version

• versioning changed from 2.6.11 on:
  • Stable kernels A.B.C.D. D incremented on bugfixes
  • C incremented every couple of months with larger changesets

• other naming A.B.C-xx (rc, mm, ac, ck)