Linux 5.12 Diverted From Release To Allow An Extra Week Of Testing

While normally after seven weekly release candidates the next stable Linux kernel release is declared, Linux 5.12 is one of those special kernels needing at least an eighth RC before going gold.

Due to Linux 5.12-rc7 having been on the larger side along with some of the earlier release candidates being larger than usual this cycle, today's Linux 5.12-rc8 doesn't come entirely as a surprise. Due to still a number of fixes landing this week, Linus Torvalds decided to be safe and go for the extra round of testing.

Linus commented in the 5.12-rc8 announcement, "Ok, so it's been _fairly_ calm this past week, but it hasn't been the kind of dead calm I would have taken to mean "no rc8 necessary". So here we are, with an extra rc to make sure things are all settled down."

Thus he's now looking at debuting Linux 5.12 stable next Sunday.

See the top 12 changes of Linux 5.12 or our complete Linux 5.12 feature overview to learn about all of the changes in full for coming with this kernel.

Following next weekend's Linux 5.12 release is then the Linux 5.13 merge window that is looking to be another lively kernel release for in turn going stable at the end of June or potentially early July now given the 5.12 cycle being stretched out this extra week.