Linus Torvalds has officially announced the release of Linux kernel 6.12, which is considered one of the most significant kernel updates in recent times due to its extensive range of new features and improvements. The final week of testing for this release went smoothly, with no unexpected issues reported.
Key Features of Linux 6.12
Real-Time Kernel Support
A standout addition in Linux 6.12 is the mainline support for PREEMPT_RT. This enhancement dramatically boosts the performance of real-time applications by allowing kernel processes to be pre-emptible. This means high-priority tasks can interrupt lower-priority ones almost immediately, significantly improving response times for certain applications. PREEMPT_RT has been in development for many years, having been first introduced around 2005.
Specialized Schedulers
The new sched_ext scheduler class allows the behavior of the scheduler to be defined by a set of BPF programs—known as the BPF scheduler. This innovation opens the door to potentially novel scheduling behaviors and is expected to cater to performance enhancements, particularly for gaming applications on Linux.
Filesystem Updates
Linux 6.12 introduces several advancements for filesystems, including:
- XFS support for larger block sizes than page size.
- Enhanced nsfs for more mount namespace information.
- The ability for EROFS to mount filesystem images stored in files.
- New
ioctl()commands for XFS. - FUSE subsystem supports ID-mapped mounts.
Additional Improvements
Among various improvements, the kernel includes a new method for user-space address masking to improve performance mitigations related to Spectre. Notably, error codes are now added to kernel panic screens to facilitate debugging during graphics-related issues.
Hardware Support
Each new kernel release brings enhanced support for an array of devices. Linux 6.12 includes:
- Support for the ARM-powered GameForce Ace handheld.
- Initial support for the Raspberry Pi 5.
- Improved functionality for Wacom drawing tablets, including high-resolution scrolling.
- Fan profile support for ASUS Vivobook laptops and battery charging adjustments for newer Dell laptops.
Installing Linux Kernel 6.12
For users looking to install or upgrade to Linux kernel 6.12, there are several options. You can download the kernel source code, use an unofficial PPA, or utilize Canonical’s mainline kernel builds. The upcoming Ubuntu 25.04 will launch with Linux kernel 6.14, which will be back-ported to 24.04 LTS users in early spring.
In summary, Linux kernel 6.12 is packed with groundbreaking features and improvements, setting the stage for enhanced performance and broader hardware compatibility. For a deeper dive into all changes, you can refer to LWN’s detailed merge roundups.