CachyOS Update Now Uses AutoFDO-Optimized Kernel, Rusticl Driver

The CachyOS December 2024 update is out today as the newest monthly release to this performance-optimized, Arch Linux based operating system.

Following recent experiments with an AutoFDO-optimized kernel build, CachyOS is now shipping its default kernel with it having been built using compiler AutoFDO feedback optimizations. The December 2024 announcement for CachyOS explains:

"One of the most notable changes is that the default kernel is now optimized using AutoFDO. Profiling workloads are run through a diverse set of tests, including sysbench, CachyOS Benchmarker, Git operations, kernel compilation, and several miscellaneous benchmarks. Currently, the profiling is done on a Zen5 machine, but in the future, we plan to support merging multiple profiles for even broader optimization."

CachyOS also now uses Rusticl as the modern OpenCL driver for Mesa Gallium3D drivers rather than Clover. CachyOS also now uses scx_loader for sched-ext scheduler management. The December 2024 update is rounded out by improved Bluetooth support, fixing VA-API driver selection, updating to Mesa 24.3.2 graphics drivers, OpenZFS 2.2.7 ZFS file-system support, and installer improvements.

Downloads and more details on today's CachyOS December 2024 release via CachyOS.org.

In case you missed it from yesterday, the new Linux comparison benchmarks on Intel Core Ultra Arrow Lake have CachyOS coming in first place for out-of-the-box performance.