:_mod-docs-content-type: ASSEMBLY
[id="understanding-update-channels-releases"]
= Understanding update channels and releases
include::_attributes/common-attributes.adoc[]
:context: understanding-update-channels-releases

toc::[]

[role="_abstract"]
Update channels are the mechanism by which users declare the {product-title} minor version they intend to update their clusters to. They also allow users to choose the timing and level of support their updates will have through the `fast`, `stable`, `candidate`, and `eus` channel options.

The Cluster Version Operator uses an update graph based on the channel declaration, along with other conditional information, to provide a list of recommended and conditional updates available to the cluster.

include::modules/understanding-update-channels-overview.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

// Update channels
include::modules/understanding-update-channels.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

include::modules/understanding-update-channels-restricted.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

ifndef::openshift-origin[]
include::modules/understanding-update-recs.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

include::modules/understanding-update-recs-conditional.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

include::modules/understanding-update-channels-choosing.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

include::modules/understanding-update-channels-switching.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

endif::openshift-origin[]
