OpenSUSE Leap 15 Supports Transactional Updates Using Btrfs / Zypper / Snapper

Of the many new features coming to openSUSE Leap 15 that is built from the same sources as SUSE Linux Enterprise 15 is support for transactional updates.

Incubated by the Kubic Project for fleshing out an openSUSE micro-OS container operating system, openSUSE Leap 15 supports transactional updates -- to basically update operating system packages in an atomic manner. Under this transactional approach, updates will either be applied all together in a single transaction or not at all. If something goes wrong, the system can also be returned to the previous functioning state.

The transactional updates in openSUSE Leap 15 are delivered using Btrfs, Snapper, and Zypper improvements and delivered in a similar manner to traditional snapshots and rollbacks support already existing in openSUSE Leap. Due to not relying upon Snaps, OSTree, or other newer packaging tech itself, the transactional updates for Leap 15 work with the existing packages and repositories.

Those wanting to learn more about the transactional updates support heading to the openSUSE Leap 15 Linux distribution release due out on 25 May, learn more at openSUSE.org.