The release of Linux Kernel 6.18 RC2 has been announced by Linus Torvalds, marking a significant milestone in its development. This release features numerous changes and enhancements across various kernel components, with key contributions from notable developers including Alexei Starovoitov, Eric Biggers, Marc Kleine-Budde, and Marc Zyngier. Although some regressions were reported, many were identified as trivial configuration issues or bugs within the QEMU test environment rather than actual problems within the kernel itself.
The release highlights ongoing progress despite the presence of unresolved regressions, and Linus has expressed a relaxed attitude, urging further testing to ensure the final version meets high standards. The changelog for Linux Kernel 6.18 RC2 showcases a diverse array of improvements, including:
- Enhancements in BPF map allocation and memory management through Alexei Starovoitov's patches.
- Updates to the SMB client implementation, focusing on signature calculation and pre-authentication hash generation, contributed by Eric Biggers.
- Improvements to the CAN driver, particularly for the m_can module, by Marc Kleine-Budde.
- Optimizations in KVM for arm64, including timer context handling and vCPU event management, thanks to Marc Zyngier's extensive patch series.
In total, the changelog contains over 250 commits from more than 70 developers, underscoring the collaborative effort behind the Linux operating system.
The full source for Linux Kernel 6.18-rc2 is available for download, along with patch files:
- Full source: [Linux Kernel 6.18-rc2](https://git.kernel.org/torvalds/t/linux-6.18-rc2.tar.gz)
- Patch: [Linux Kernel 6.18-rc2 Patch](https://git.kernel.org/torvalds/p/v6.18-rc2/v6.17)
Additionally, a summary of the changes can be accessed at this URL: [Linux Kernel 6.18-rc2 Summary](https://git.kernel.org/torvalds/ds/v6.18-rc2/v6.18-rc1).
As the development of the Linux kernel continues, community engagement and testing will play a crucial role in refining the upcoming final release, ensuring it is both stable and feature-rich for users. The collaborative nature of this open-source project remains a key strength, with developers from around the globe contributing to its evolution
The release highlights ongoing progress despite the presence of unresolved regressions, and Linus has expressed a relaxed attitude, urging further testing to ensure the final version meets high standards. The changelog for Linux Kernel 6.18 RC2 showcases a diverse array of improvements, including:
- Enhancements in BPF map allocation and memory management through Alexei Starovoitov's patches.
- Updates to the SMB client implementation, focusing on signature calculation and pre-authentication hash generation, contributed by Eric Biggers.
- Improvements to the CAN driver, particularly for the m_can module, by Marc Kleine-Budde.
- Optimizations in KVM for arm64, including timer context handling and vCPU event management, thanks to Marc Zyngier's extensive patch series.
In total, the changelog contains over 250 commits from more than 70 developers, underscoring the collaborative effort behind the Linux operating system.
The full source for Linux Kernel 6.18-rc2 is available for download, along with patch files:
- Full source: [Linux Kernel 6.18-rc2](https://git.kernel.org/torvalds/t/linux-6.18-rc2.tar.gz)
- Patch: [Linux Kernel 6.18-rc2 Patch](https://git.kernel.org/torvalds/p/v6.18-rc2/v6.17)
Additionally, a summary of the changes can be accessed at this URL: [Linux Kernel 6.18-rc2 Summary](https://git.kernel.org/torvalds/ds/v6.18-rc2/v6.18-rc1).
As the development of the Linux kernel continues, community engagement and testing will play a crucial role in refining the upcoming final release, ensuring it is both stable and feature-rich for users. The collaborative nature of this open-source project remains a key strength, with developers from around the globe contributing to its evolution
Linux Kernel 6.18-rc2 released
Linus Torvalds has announced the release of Linux Kernel 6.18 RC2, which marks an important day in the development process. The release includes a wide range of changes and improvements across various components, with notable contributions from developers such as Alexei Starovoitov, Eric Biggers, Marc Kleine-Budde, and Marc Zyngier. Many reported regressions turned out to be trivial issues or bugs in the QEMU test environment, not actual kernel bugs.
