End-of-Life Linux Kernel 6.8: Time to Upgrade to Linux Kernel 6.9
The stable repositories of several well-known distributions, such as Arch Linux and openSUSE Tumbleweed, already have the Linux kernel 6.9.
We would like to remind you that the Linux 6.8 kernel series has been identified as End of Life (EOL) on the kernel.org website. Therefore, it is recommended that you consider updating to Linux kernel 6.9.
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The Linux kernel 6.8 was released on March 10th, 2024, and included a number of new features such as support for the Broadcom BCM2712 processor in the Raspberry Pi 5, LAM (Linear Address Masking) virtualization, and guest-first memory support for KVM.
It also included a basic online filesystem verification and fix mechanism for the Bcachefs file system.
Upgrade to the Latest and Most Recent Kernel Branch: Linux 6.9
With the release of Linux 6.8.12, the final update in the series, renowned Linux kernel developer and maintainer Greg Kroah-Hartman announced on May 30th, 2024, that Linux 6.8 is unfortunately not an LTS (Long Term Support) branch and has reached the end of life. He advised users to upgrade to the most recent Linux 6.9 kernel branch.
“The 6.8.12 kernel is now available for download. Users using the 6.8 kernel series are required to update. The 6.8.y release is the LAST of its kind; it is currently the end-of-life branch.” Greg Kroah-Hartman requested in a mailing list message that users upgrade to the 6.9.y branch.
The Linux kernel 6.9 was released on May 12, 2024, earlier this month. It includes numerous changes, such as support for AMD SNP (Secure Nested Paging) guests, support for Rust on AArch64 (ARM64) architectures, and support for the Intel FRED (Flexible Return and Event Delivery) mechanism for improved low-level event delivery.
Of course, to support the newest hardware, Linux 6.9 also includes updated and new drivers. The stable repositories of several well-known distributions, such as Arch Linux and openSUSE Tumbleweed, already have the Linux kernel 6.9.
Ubuntu users can upgrade to Linux kernel 6.9, and Fedora Linux users will get it soon as well. Installing Linux kernel 6.9 from the official repositories is also possible for users of Linux Lite.
In case you are utilizing alternative GNU/Linux distributions, enquire with their maintainers about the availability of Linux 6.9 for upgrade.
Wrap up!
Linux 6.9, on the other hand, is another short-lived kernel branch that has only been supported for a few months. Thus, switching to one of the various LTS kernel series—Linux 6.6 LTS and Linux 6.1 LTS, for example—would be a wise choice if you’re looking for long-term support. Both branches are supported through December 2026.
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