# Steering: edition policy

Solnix ships **editions**, like a dated OS release.

- An edition is a branch, e.g. `26.11` (matches `/etc/solnix-release`). The label
  is `26.11`, not `2026-11`.
- The **default branch is the latest supported edition.** Installing without a
  ref gives you that edition:
  `git+https://git.solnix.io/solnix.git#<pkg>`.
- **`unstable`** is the rolling development branch: `?ref=unstable`. Opt-in.
- **Pin exactly** with `?rev=<commit-sha>` for reproducible deployments.

Why editions: a user wants a stable, named target they can trust and that
receives security fixes; a developer wants the moving edge. Editions give both
without forcing either on the other.

Maintainers cut an edition by branching from `unstable` and setting it as the
default. Security fixes are backported to supported editions. See
`email-patch-governance` for the CVE lane.