Linus Torvalds released the eighth release candidate (RC8) for the upcoming Linux Kernel version 6.19 on 1 February 2026.
This release is the final RC in the 6.19 testing cycle. In the Linux 6.19-rc8 announcement mail, Linus Torvalds described rc8 as a "nice calm week" where "everything looks good".
Table of Contents
Overview of the Linux 6.19-rc8 Release
Following the larger-than-normal rc7, this version is significantly smaller, consisting of tidy and minor updates.
- Patch Scale: The changes are mostly "few-liners". Interestingly, the largest single patch in this release simply removed a duplicated driver, while the next largest was an update to a selftest.
- Driver Dominance: As is tradition, the bulk of the updates cover GPU and networking drivers, though the overall volume remains "tiny".
- Rust Refinement: Continuing the trend from previous weeks, the Rust infrastructure saw minor fixes, such as ensuring certain functions (like those using
build_assert) are always inlined. - Filesystem Restrictions: A series of updates specifically disallowed delegation requests on directories for several protocols, including NFS, SMB, 9p, GFS2, and Ceph.
Key Technical Fixes
Despite the small size, several subsystems received final polishes:
- Architecture: Minor typo fixes for RISC-V and errata removals for SiFive were included.
- Memory Management: Fixes arrived for KASAN poisoning in
vrealloc()and a memory failure fix for hugetlb tail pages. - Graphics: Multiple fixes for amdgpu addressed reset issues in various graphics engines (gfx10, gfx11, and gfx12).
Download and Test Linux Kernel 6.19 RC8
Please test the latest Linux 6.19-rc8 and report back any issues they find to help make Linux 6.19 the best it can be.
You can download the Kernel 6.19 RC8 from the Kernel.org website and/or the Linus Torvalds's git tree.
Linux Kernel 6.19 Final Will Be Released on 8 February, 2026
Because this release candidate is so stable and small, the path to the stable version is clear.
- Expected Stable Release: Linus Torvalds stated that, unless "something odd happens," he expects to release the final 6.19 next weekend.
- The Timeline: This confirms our previous calculation—we are on track for the official stable launch on 8 February 2026.
