First Release Candidate for Linux Kernel 6.14 Now Available
Linus Torvalds has officially released the first release candidate for kernel 6.14 and it includes over 500,000 lines of modified code, making for a small release.
The latest Linux kernel now has a release candidate (6.14-rc1) available for testing. Within the 500,000 lines of code, there were over 10,000 commits and 9,300 merges. Although this is one of the smaller releases recently, it still includes some important changes, specifically in the areas of x86 architecture, filesystems, networking, hardware support, and security.
The new release (RC) candidate updates Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability (RAS) and includes fixes for CPU speculation, enhancements for Secure Encrypted Virtualization, improvements to several filesystems, several networking fixes, support for ARM architecture, and improvements for RISC-V hardware.
Although Torvalds says this is a "tiny" release (because less development occurred over the holidays), he believes the development team was finally able to get the whole holiday season release timing right.
Other changes to the kernel include support for amd-pstate preferred core rankings, a new cgroup controller geared toward device memory, a new AMD XDNA Ryzen AI NPU accelerator driver, support for RISC-V T-Head vector extensions, several Rust updates, improved suspend/resume support for Raspberry Pi, and new or improved drivers for devices like SM8750 platform, MT8188 Mali-G57 MC3 support, a new EDAC driver for Loongson architecture, and more.
Because this release is smaller than usual (and things went well over the holidays), Torvalds is confident kernel 6.14 will be available in March 2025. You can read more about the release here.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.