Linux 6.0 has just been released with support for more chips from Intel, AMD and Qualcomm, but the entire tech world is waiting for the upcoming release which is expected to surprise.
The latest version of the Linux kernel has been released, containing the usual range of hardware updates. The latest version has no major changes, but Linus Torvalds reports that the upcoming version will have additions of code written in the Rust language.
While the version number 6.0 after the first number changes usually heralds a major change (at least in other software), the Linus Torvalds said that it is mainly about supporting recent hardware technologies.
The next version, 6.1, will have what Torvalds calls “incredible new stuff,” and mostly some new code written in Rust.
Until now, the core code is written in C. C was chosen from the beginning as the target language because it was high-level. But requiring developers to manually manage memory has led to some massive bugs, including the Heartbleed exploit that affected OpenSSH in 2014.
Rust is a high-performance language designed for systems programming but handles memory automatically. For this reason, it has created a buzz in the developer community. The inclusion of Rust could streamline Linux kernel development by reducing the time spent on debugging, although the vast majority of the kernel will likely remain in C because much of the code has already been successfully tested.
What's new in 6.0?
Although Torvalds downplays the importance of the major version number, there are some substantial changes for hardware support. The new version improves support for Intel Xeon Ice Lake and AMD Ryzen Ice Ripper and EPYC processors, according to Phoronix.
Core also now supports a number of new processors from both companies, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3.
