- Linus Torvalds announced the release of Linux Kernel 6.0 release candidate 1 two weeks after the release of Linux Kernel 5.19.
- Linus Torvalds’ latest announcement also shows that the merge window for Linux Kernel 6.0 is now officially closed.
- According to the announcement, approximately 60% of the new version mainly focuses on GPU, networking, and sound.
Linus Torvalds announced that the first release candidate for Linux Kernel 6.0 is now available two weeks after the release of Linux Kernel 5.19, which means that the merge window is now officially closed. Torvalds also stated that there is nothing fundamentally different about the release. There are 13,500 non-merge commits and over 800 merges, thus, it is expected to be a fairly sizable release. Linux kernel 6.0 is expected to be released in early October.
Nothing fundamentally different
Although version 6.0 looks like it is coming with significant changes, Torvalds stated that it is just a number. Once again Linus Torvalds said that when the minor number gets to 20, changing the major number resets it to something smaller, making it easier and distinguish.
Approximately 60% of the changes are driver update, which mostly focuses on GPU, networking, and sound. The rest of them are a mix of arch updates, filesystems, tooling, and just random changes. Torvalds also hoped to get some of the first Rust infrastructure and the multi-gen LRU VM in this release but it is not happening.
The new release will come with some big changes for AMD GPU changes. Torvalds also said that “the CPU people” showed up the JSON files that describe the perf events, but they look absolutely tiny compared to the ‘asic_reg’ auto-generated GPU and AI hardware definitions. Linux Torvalds, developer of Linux Kernel said,
« Despite the major number change, there’s nothing fundamentally different about this release, I’ve long eschewed the notion that major numbers are meaningful, and the only reason for a “hierarchical” numbering system is to make the numbers easier to remember and distinguish. Which is why when the minor number gets to around 20 I prefer to just increment the major number instead and reset to something smaller.
Oh, and after I had already decided to call this kernel 6.0, a few Chinese developers piped up and pointed out that “5.20” is a more wholesome version of the Western “4.20” internet-famous number. So if you want to call this “Linux 5.20”, go right ahead. Because the kernel version numbers really are entirely made up and have no intrinsic meaning. »
FAQ
What is the most recent Linux kernel?
The latest version of Linux Kernel is 6.2 and it was released on February 20, 2023. Also, the latest LTS (Long-Term Support) version of Linux Kernel is 6.1 and it was released on December 11, 2022.
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.