Linux kernel 6.17 has been officially released, featuring significant updates aimed at enhancing hardware support and improving system functionality. Linus Torvalds highlighted the arrival of this version, which includes new and updated drivers, optimizations in file systems, and enhancements in networking.
Key Features of Linux Kernel 6.17:
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Hardware Support: The kernel now supports ARM’s Branch Record Buffer Extension (BRBE) and introduces the AMD hardware feedback interface (HFI). It also includes support for Intel’s Wildcat Lake and Bartlett Lake-S architectures.
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Codec Support: Initial support for the HEVC (H.265) and VP9 codecs in Qualcomm’s Iris decoder has been added, along with updates for the Video 4 Linux (V4L2) driver.
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Performance Enhancements: The update introduces live patching capability for AArch64 systems and enhances system-call tracepoints for User-Mode Linux kernels. Notably, it also supports BPF (Berkeley Packet Filter) for the LoongArch architecture and debuts the DAMON_STAT module for memory-management monitoring.
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New Features for KVM: The kernel integrates support for the GICv5 interrupt controller, enhancing KVM functionality on ARM systems, while AppArmor is now available to control access to AF_UNIX sockets.
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System Improvements: Linux 6.17 permits kernel crash dump space reservation and integrates control-group-based bandwidth control. There are improvements regarding the swapping and migration of transparent huge pages on s390 systems.
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Networking Changes: Enhanced networking capabilities include gateway routing for the Management Component Transport Protocol (MCTP), the TCP_MAXSEG socket option for multipath TCP, and the DualPI2 congestion control protocol. Additionally, new sysctl options for IPv6 have been introduced, allowing interface-specific forwarding configurations.
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File System Updates: The Btrfs file system benefits from large-folio support, while EXT4 sees better scalability in block allocation and I/O support. EROFS now features metadata compression, and a new driver enables access to Intel discrete graphics cards on NVM devices.
Various driver enhancements are included, such as improved support for the Framework Laptop 13 with AMD Ryzen AI 300, and added features for several HP and ASUS laptop models.
Users can download Linux kernel 6.17 from the kernel.org website or from Linus Torvalds’ Git tree for those who wish to compile it for their distributions. However, it is advisable to wait for your distribution’s stable repositories to update before upgrading.
With the release of Linux kernel 6.17, the merge window for the upcoming Linux 6.18 has begun, with the first Release Candidate (RC) expected for public testing on October 12, 2025. Linus Torvalds noted the active engagement from contributors as the next major release builds momentum.