Linux Kernel 7.4 has entered its merge window with significant improvements, including a boot-time memory operation that reduces the process from approximately 268 seconds to just 50 milliseconds. This release cycle also features enhanced workqueue flushing, the removal of unsafe user access helpers, and incremental updates to Rust integration, with the C-language Binder driver being replaced by its Rust counterpart. The stable release is targeted for late December 2026, but it may be delayed into mid-January 2027 due to Linus Torvalds' vacation during the merge window. Overall, Linux 7.4 is characterized by performance enhancements and cleanup efforts rather than a singular major feature, addressing bottlenecks across various computing environments
Linux Kernel 7.4 is shaping up fast, led by a boot-time fix that could turn minutes into milliseconds
The merge window for Linux 7.4 opened this week, with feature work already landing steadily ahead of a late-December release target. The cycle's standout improvements include a boot-time memory operation that drops from roughly 268 seconds to 50 milliseconds, workqueue flushing that speeds up by orders of magnitude, and a long-awaited cleanup removing the unsafe __get_user() and __put_user() helpers. Rust also took a small but symbolic step forward by replacing and deleting Google's C-language Binder driver rather than merely running alongside it. Timing remains the main risk, since Torvalds spent the initial merge window on his annual vacation and the stable release could slip into mid-January 2027.
