Linus Torvalds announced that Linux Kernel 5.13 is released. According to his announcement, it is one of the bigger 5.x releases that includes over 17,000 commits with merges from more than 2,000 developers. The most significant feature of the release is Apple M1 processors support. The latest release can be downloaded from its official website.
Apple M1 processors support
Linux Kernel 5.13 comes with the initial support for the Apple M1 chips. However, it is still in its early stages and expected to be developed even further in the following releases. It also shows us Linux’s objective to run Linux on Apple hardware. The new Kernel also comes with Landlock security module, which was being developed for a while. It allows unprivileged application sandboxing and can be used with other security modules to control what can be accessed or not by running processes. Linus Torvalds, Developer of Linux Kernel said,
“5.13 overall is actually fairly large. In fact, it’s one of the bigger 5.x releases, with over 16k commits (over 17k if you count merges), from over 2kdevelopers. But it’s a “big all over” kind of thing, not something particular that stands out as particularly unusual. Some of the extra size might just be because 5.12 had that extra rc week.
And with 5.13 out the door, that obviously means that the merge window for 5.14 will be starting tomorrow. I already have a few pull requests for it pending, but as usual, I’d ask people to give the final 5.13 at least a quick test before moving on to the exciting new pending stuff…”
FAQ
What is the most recent Linux kernel?
Currently, the most recent Linux kernel version is 6.1. The 6.2 version is expected to be released in the middle of February 2023.
How do you check the installed Linux kernel version?
You can check the Linux kernel version of your system with three different methods. You can simply use uname -r command to quickly check the Linux kernel version. You can also use cat /proc/version to check the version from a file. Installing the neofetch application is also an option to check the kernel version and it provides additional information about the other packages installed as well.
Can the Linux kernel be customized?
Yes, the Linux kernel can be customized. You can customize the Linux kernel by enabling or disabling specific options, and even adding new functionalities. But it’s a complicated process; you can check online guides about customizing the Linux kernel.
Is it legal to edit the Linux kernel?
Yes, it is legal to edit the Linux kernel since it is under General Public License.
Is the Linux kernel open source?
Yes, the Linux kernel is an open-source project.
Who developed the Linux kernel?
Linus Torvalds has developed and still developing the Linux kernel.
Does Linus Torvalds still work on Linux?
Yes, Linus Torvalds still works on developing the Linux kernel.
What is the Linux kernel written in?
Linux kernel code is written in the standard C programming language.