The creator of the Linux operating system, Linus Torvalds, is preparing for the release of Linux kernel 5.16. For the preparation, Linus has launched a new release candidate version of the Linux kernel. Linus says that the Linux kernel 5.16 rc5 mainly focuses on drivers, including network, sound, HID, USB, and some selftest updates for BPF, KVM, and networking. The patch also includes improved filesystems, core kernel, and networking.
Holidays might delay the pipeline
Linus also points the upcoming Christmas and New Year Eve holidays would affect the release cycle. The holidays might cause a one-week delay in the pipeline. The delay should also affect the final release of the Linux kernel 5.16 by a couple of days, which is expected to be launched in early January 2022.
Linus Torvalds, developer of Linux kernel said,
« So everything looks fairly normal. This rc5 is perhaps a bit bigger than usual, but it’s not like it’s breaking any records. I blame people trying to get stuff done before the holidays, and/or just random timing effects.
Anyway, I do expect things to calm down over the next couple of weeks, but we’ll see.
As to rc5, the patch is dominated by drivers (network, sound, HID, RDMA, USB… and a lot of other random things) and selftest updates (BPF, KVM, and networking).
The rest is fairly random – filesystems (CIFS, Btfrs, Tracefs), core kernel, and networking. Some fixups to the new damon virtual address space monitoring code.
Shortlog appended.
Do give it good testing – with the holidays coming up, things are probably going to slow down both on the development and testing front, and as a result, I expect that I will also extend the RC series by another week not because it’s necessarily needed (too early to tell, but doesn’t feel that way), but simply because nobody will want to open the next merge window immediately in the new year.
Anyway, that’s the plan right now (based on previous years where we’ve done the same), but let’s see how this all goes. »
The release candidate can be downloaded from the git via the link below:
Download Linux kernel 5.16 rc5
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.