The stable version of Linux 6.16 has been released. According to Linus Torvalds (photo), the last week of the development cycle went smoothly and quietly, with no significant issues that disrupted the planned schedule.
As a result, an eighth release candidate was not necessary and the release could take place as planned on Sunday. Distributions can now pick up the new kernel version and make it available to their users.
Linux 6.16 mainly contains minor driver fixes and improvements spread across various subsystems. The number of patches is limited and the changes are compact, which Torvalds says is ideal for a stable release. It is also mentioned that this version offers improved support for new hardware, although no further details are provided.
In a message published on Sunday, Torvalds looks ahead to the next development cycle. He says that the merge window for Linux 6.17 may be less structured than usual. In August, he will be traveling for about half the month due to family commitments in both the United States and Finland. This period overlaps with the merge window, the two weeks during which major new features are integrated into the kernel.
Possible delay for 6.17
Torvalds says he will try to get as much work done as possible in the first week of that merge window, before his travels begin. He has informed frequent contributors in advance, which has resulted in fifty pull requests already being in progress. Although he expects everything to go largely according to plan, he is aware that the first release candidate (rc1) for Linux 6.17 may appear a few days later than usual due to his absence in the second week.
At the same time, he emphasizes that this situation is no reason to relax deadlines. On the contrary, late pull requests would only complicate the situation. If necessary, certain requests will be postponed until after his return, although this will not immediately lead to major delays.
Despite this logistical challenge, Torvalds expects a largely normal release schedule. In any case, the release of Linux 6.16 marks a stable conclusion to the current development cycle.