Linux 7.0 release: Rust and x86 optimizations

Linux 7.0: Key Changes in the Kernel and Support for New Hardware

Linus Torvalds announced the release of the stable Linux kernel 7.0 on April 12, 2026. The release follows the schedule after Linux 6.19 and will be included in Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. The kernel incorporates 15,624 patches from 2,477 developers, with a total change size of 56 MB: 704,060 lines of code added, 278,132 lines removed, and 18,053 files affected.

Key New Features in the Kernel

Rust code has lost its "experimental" status, making it easier to use in production. A new filtering mechanism for io_uring enhances control over asynchronous I/O operations. The CPU scheduler now defaults to lazy preemption, minimizing context switch overhead. Support for time-slice extension has been added for fine-tuning time quanta.

File systems now feature nullfs and autonomous self-recovery for XFS. The network stack has gained AccECN congestion notification support. EXT4 is optimized for parallel direct I/O writes, boosting performance.

I/O error reporting is now standardized across the kernel. UDP networking benefits from inline optimizations that reduce latency.

Hardware Improvements for x86 and AMD/Intel

Intel:

• TSX extensions now default to "auto" mode on safe CPUs, improving performance without manual tweaks.
• NTB support for Xeon Diamond Rapids and perf events.
• Hints for "slow" workloads on Panther Lake.
• Audio for Nova Lake.

AMD:

• EPYC optimizations: scheduler scalability and memory management.
• Perf metrics for Zen 6.
• L2 cache statistics in Turbostat.
• CXL for Zen 5 address translation.

New LoongArch features. Fixes for SPARC and Alpha.

Graphics and Peripherals

Graphics drivers have been updated:

• Initial support for future Radeon.
• Continued work on Intel Crescent Island and Nova Lake, including multi-queue processing and temperature sensor access.
• D3cold unlocked for Battlemage.
• PowerVR for AM62P.
• AMDGPU fixes for GCN 1.0/1.1.

Other improvements in display drivers.

Rust Development and Architectural Changes

Rust integration has advanced: prepared for version 1.95 with stable features only. CFI in user-space for RISC-V. Atomic LS64/LS64V instructions for ARM64 with single-copy. FPGA debugging for OpenRISC. SoC SpacemiT K3 RVA23 in mainline. Snapdragon X2 Elite for laptops.

Kconfig options for custom boot logos instead of Tux.

Change distribution:

• 51% — device drivers.
• 11% — architecture code.
• 14% — network stack.
• 5% — file systems.
• 3% — kernel subsystems.

Key Takeaways

• Rust in the kernel is now stable, without experimental status.
• Lazy preemption by default optimizes the CPU scheduler.
• TSX auto mode on Intel boosts perf out of the box.
• Autonomous XFS recovery and nullfs for better reliability.
• Major optimizations for AMD EPYC and UDP networking.

Torvalds noted the trend toward small AI-generated fixes as the new norm. The merge window for 7.1 is open with 40+ pull requests.

— Editorial Team