ROS 2 Distribution Map (2026)

📅 Current as of June 2026 · ROS 2 distribution selection guide

The first decision when building robot software on ROS 2 is "which distribution to use." Each version carries different support lifetimes and target operating systems. Here is where things stand in 2026.

One Release Per Year, LTS on Even Years

ROS 2 publishes a new distribution on May 23 each year. Even-year releases are LTS (long-term support, 5 years); odd-year releases are short-term (non-LTS).

Rendering diagram…

Which One to Choose

• Production and long-term projects → Jazzy (LTS). Five-year support means stability, and the ecosystem (Nav2 and other major packages) is most mature here.
• Experimenting with the latest features → non-LTS like Kilted. Short support window means it is best suited for prototypes and research.

💡 imSim's choice — imSim runs its navigation and bridge stack on ROS 2 Jazzy (LTS). A validation platform needs "long, stable support" over "cutting-edge," and Jazzy delivers that. (Everything in the Nav2 navigation series is built on this foundation.)

⚠️ The OS pairing matters — each distribution targets a specific Ubuntu version as defined in REP 2000. Jazzy targets Ubuntu 24.04. Mismatching OS and distribution version will block you at installation, so always verify the pairing before setting up a new environment.

In a nutshell

📌 ROS 2 releases every May; even years are 5-year LTS. The recommended LTS in 2026 is Jazzy Jalisco (Ubuntu 24.04, supported through ~2029); Kilted Kaiju is for short-term experimentation. Production and validation platforms should be on LTS (Jazzy).