Linux Kernel 6.11 Release Candidate 1 (RC1) Is Released

Linux Kernel 6.11 RC1 release: Stability improvement and future prospects

Linus Torvalds, the main developer of Linux kernel, announced the release of the first candidate version (RC1) for Linux kernel 6.11 on July 28, 2024. Although summer vacations have resulted in a reduction in development workload expectedly, the development cycle of 6.11 RC1 is proceeding step by step. Torvalds noted that the merge window and overall statistics are consistent with the typical publishing pattern.

Submit statistics

Linux 6.11-rc1 version contains over 12,000 commits. Most of these changes are driver updates (over 50%), and a large part is related to hardware descriptions.

In addition to driver updates, other development areas worth paying attention to include:

• Architecture update : Especially for ARM and x86 architectures, a large part of which are device tree source code (dts) files.
• Tools and Documentation : About one-sixth of the update.
• Core kernel improvements : affects file systems, networks, virtual machines, and the kernel itself.

Key changes to kernel 6.11 RC1

Most of the changes in 6.11 RC1 focus on hardware support:

1. AMD GPU Register Dump : This accounts for approximately 45% of the number of different code lines, indicating a lot of work has been done with AMD graphics support. This may improve performance and compatibility for AMD GPU users.
2. Performance Event JSON Descriptor Files : These files account for an additional 5% of changes and may improve system performance monitoring capabilities. This update may benefit system administrators and developers engaged in performance optimization.

Change the distribution

Excluding hardware description updates, changes in Linux 6.11 RC1 follow a typical distribution:

1. Driver : More than 50% of changes indicate continued focus on extended hardware support.
2. Architecture updates : About one-third, a large portion of them are in the Device Tree Source Code (DTS) file. This suggests improvements in support for specific platforms, especially on ARM-based systems.
3. Tools and documentation : About one-third, this should help developers and users better understand and use the kernel.
4. Core kernel : The remaining third, covering:
   • File system
   • network
   • Virtual Memory (VM)
   • Inside the kernel

These core updates may include performance improvements and bug fixes for various subsystems.

6.11 Construction regression and improvement in RC1

Geert Uytterhoeven provides a detailed report on build regression and improvements for this version candidate, pointing out that there are fewer build errors and warnings.

Compared with v6.10, the list of build regressions and improvements in Linux kernel 6.11-rc1 is as follows:

• Error regression : There are 7 new build errors in 6.11-rc1, affecting various architectures including MIPS, PowerPC, m68k and sh4. For example, an error is related to an incompatible pointer type in a specific file in a MIPS schema.
• Error Improvements : This report highlights 22 error improvements, addressing various issues such as missing prototypes, relocation errors, and unused variables. These improvements resolve some bugs in the v6.10 kernel.
• Warning regression : There are 4 new build warnings, mainly concentrated in btrfs and kernel/fork.c files.
• Warning Improvements : 6.11-rc1 resolves 19 warnings that existed in previous versions. These improvements cover multiple areas, including configuration files, schema specific files (MIPS, Sparc) and driver files.

Overall, the 6.11-rc1 version shows a significant decrease in the number of errors (-22) and warnings (-19), indicating a positive step towards a more stable and reliable build process.

Follow-up plan

Since this is the first candidate for Linux 6.11, it marks the beginning of the beta phase. In the next few weeks, the kernel community will work to identify and fix bugs and will release subsequent RC versions.

Assuming a typical development cycle follows, the final version of Linux 6.11 is expected to be released within a few months. If a typical development cycle is followed, we can expect the final version of Linux 6.11 to be released around September 22, 2024.

Test Linux kernel 6.11 RC1

Users are encouraged to download the first version of 6.11 from the Kernel.org website or Linus Torvalds' git tree for testing.

Note that these development versions should not be used in production systems because they are experimental.

Linux kernel 6.11 final release date

Linux kernel RC1 was released on July 28, 2024. Considering a typical 9-10-week development cycle, we can estimate the release date of the final version of Linux kernel 6.11.

• Candidate release cycle : 7-8 weeks after RC1 is released.
• RC1 Release : July 28, 2024
• RC cycle duration : 7-8 weeks

Estimated final release date

• 7 weeks from RC1 : September 15, 2024
• 8 weeks from RC1 : September 22, 2024

So if a typical development cycle is followed, we can expect the final version of Linux 6.11 to be released on September 15 or September 22, 2024.

The most likely scenario is September 22, 2024, as this allows for a full 8-week RC phase, which is common for many kernel versions. However, if the stabilization process goes well, it is possible to be released on September 15.

It is important to note that this is our assumption. The actual release date may vary by one to two weeks due to specific issues encountered in the RC phase.

Linus Torvalds may decide to extend the cycle if a significant problem is found, or release it in advance if the kernel is fast and stable.

The development cycle of typical new Linux kernel versions

The typical development cycle of new Linux kernel versions follows a complete pattern. Let me explain the process:

1. Merge window :

• Lasts about two weeks.
• Open immediately after the previous stable kernel is released.
• During this time, major changes and new features will be merged into the mainline kernel.

2. Version Candidate (RC) :

• After the merge window is closed, the first version candidate (RC1) will be announced.
• RC is subsequently released every week.
• The RC phase usually lasts 7-8 weeks, but can be extended to 9-10 weeks if required.

3. Stabilization :

• In the RC phase, the focus shifts to bug fixing and stabilization.
• No new features will be added after RC1, only bug fixes and critical updates.

4. Final release :

• The final version will be released when Linus Torvalds determines that the kernel is stable enough.
• This usually happens after RC7 or RC8, but can happen earlier or later depending on the stability of the version.

5. Maintenance :

• After the final release, the kernel enters the maintenance stage.
• Bug fixes and security updates will be returned to this version.

The entire cycle from the merge window opening to the final release usually takes about 9-10 weeks. This means that new kernel versions are usually released every 2-3 months.

For Linux 6.11 RC1, we are at the beginning of the RC phase. Based on typical cycles, we can expect the final version of Linux 6.11 to be released in about 7-8 weeks, assuming no major issues that would extend the RC phase were found.

resource :

• Linux Kernel 6.11 RC1 Release Notes

Follow-up reading :

• Linux Kernel 6.11-rc2 Release: Focus on "More Meaningful Questions"

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