Given the timelines and what had been seen in previous years, it was expected that Linux 6.18 It was the LTS version of the year that is about to end. Available since last SundayIt is most likely (the opposite would be news that doesn't have time to happen) the last kernel version of 2025, and with no reason for it to be otherwise, Linux 6.18 has already been marked as LTS in the official core page.
If there are no changes, which is not impossible in kernel maintenance, Linux 6.18 It will be supported until December 2027which is two years from now. Other LTS versions include 6.12 and 6.6, supported until 2026; 6.1, supported until 2027; and 5.15 and 5.10, supported until 2026, all until December of their respective years.
Linux 6.18 will be supported until December 2027
The fluctuating release dates are driven by decisions made by the maintenance team and changes in update policies. Years ago, LTS kernel versions were supported for five years, but more recently, this extended support was reduced to just two years. At any time, they can decide to extend a version's lifespan to three years, which explains why version 6.1 is supported until 2027 and 6.12 until 2026, despite being released a couple of years later.
When in doubt about which kernel is better, in my opinion there are two things to consider: the kernel offered by the distribution we are using and the kernel that works well with our hardware.
Generally, the kernel provided by a Linux distribution will work well if the installation is successful on your computer, so I recommend not modifying it. However, if you're using a very new computer, a more modern kernel might offer better hardware support, in which case it's worth upgrading. if we are experiencing a major failure or deficiency.
Regarding LTS or regular releases, it's pretty much the same: I recommend the latest if it works well. The latest is Linux 6.18, a version that will start rolling out to the first distributions in the coming days.