Recommendation for updating packages

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

I just updated to from 17.04.4 --> 17.04.5 (very smooth, great job dev team) and manually reinstalled some of the packages I use (luci-ssl, block-mount, some kernel modules, rsynd, etc.). When I query my package freshness, I see that there are many luci packages out-of-date:

# opkg list-upgradable
luci-lib-ip - git-18.180.55366-b78664c-1 - git-18.201.27126-7bf0367-1
luci-theme-bootstrap - git-18.180.55366-b78664c-1 - git-18.201.27126-7bf0367-1
luci-app-firewall - git-18.180.55366-b78664c-1 - git-18.201.27126-7bf0367-1
mtd - 21.1 - 23
luci-proto-ppp - git-18.180.55366-b78664c-1 - git-18.201.27126-7bf0367-1
luci-mod-admin-full - git-18.180.55366-b78664c-1 - git-18.201.27126-7bf0367-1
luci-base - git-18.180.55366-b78664c-1 - git-18.201.27126-7bf0367-1
luci-proto-ipv6 - git-18.180.55366-b78664c-1 - git-18.201.27126-7bf0367-1
luci-lib-nixio - git-18.180.55366-b78664c-1 - git-18.201.27126-7bf0367-1
luci-lib-jsonc - git-18.180.55366-b78664c-1 - git-18.201.27126-7bf0367-1
luci - git-18.180.55366-b78664c-1 - git-18.201.27126-7bf0367-1

I recall through reading these forums that unless one "knows what one is doing," it is not recommended to just update all the packages as some breakage can occur. What is the official guidance?

Thanks!

For reference:

# cat /etc/os-release 
NAME="LEDE"
VERSION="17.01.5, Reboot"
ID="lede"
ID_LIKE="lede openwrt"
PRETTY_NAME="LEDE Reboot 17.01.5"
VERSION_ID="17.01.5"
HOME_URL="http://lede-project.org/"
BUG_URL="http://bugs.lede-project.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="http://forum.openwrt.org/"
BUILD_ID="r3919-38e704be71"
LEDE_BOARD="ipq806x/generic"
LEDE_ARCH="arm_cortex-a15_neon-vfpv4"
LEDE_TAINTS=""
LEDE_DEVICE_MANUFACTURER="LEDE"
LEDE_DEVICE_MANUFACTURER_URL="http://lede-project.org/"
LEDE_DEVICE_PRODUCT="Generic"
LEDE_DEVICE_REVISION="v0"
LEDE_RELEASE="LEDE Reboot 17.01.5 r3919-38e704be71"
2

I would leave those packages as they are now.
And then install 18.06 when it is released.

There is no official advice, but my personal view is that you could update those packages that you have installed by yourself. But you should leave the core packages included in the firmware image as they are.

Luci could be upgraded, but there is no point unless you benefit from the dsl related changes that is the only difference to your current version. See Luci 17.01 changelog
https://git.openwrt.org/?p=project/luci.git;a=shortlog;h=refs/heads/lede-17.01

3

Sounds good. Thanks again for the quick reply.

4

I've been updating packages regularly, on three different devices, since version 14.07, and have had exactly zero adverse consequences... I am not saying it is safe, or you should do the same, just sharing my experience.

5

Just don't upgrade the critical package