While there are a lot of great new features, hardware support improvements, and other changes with the Linux 4.20 development cycle, not found in this mainline kernel is the long-awaited WireGuard functionality for an in-kernel secure VPN tunnel.

WireGuard didn't make it into net-next and no pull request otherwise was issued for getting this big ticket networking feature into the next version of the Linux kernel. The code continues to be improved upon but looks like it came up just short of making it into this current development cycle.

With WireGuard also comes the new Zinc crypto API for the Linux kernel, which wasn't marked for inclusion either this cycle.

It's a pity as even Linus Torvalds himself expressed hope earlier this year of merging WireGuard sooner rather than later. WireGuard has received a lot of other praise from upstream developers too and even a recommendation from a US senator.

At least there are out-of-tree (DKMS) packages for WireGuard available for many distributions and other resources to get started even without mainline kernel support. Those wanting to learn more about WireGuard this weekend can do so at WireGuard.com.

Hopefully WireGuard will be merged for the next kernel cycle and by then even in better shape for being the flagship Linux VPN solution.