The Linux community keeps moving forward with the release of Linux Kernel 6.15. This update continues the trend of improving performance, hardware support, and reliability. As expected, it follows the regular two-month release cycle.

A Word from Linus Torvalds

Linus Torvalds confirmed the release, mentioning a last-minute issue that slightly delayed it:

“So this was delayed by a couple of hours because of a last-minute bug report resulting in one new feature being disabled at the eleventh hour, but 6.15 is out there now.”

He also added that most of the changes were routine. There were updates to drivers, core networking, memory management, and some bcachefs fixes. Overall, nothing looked alarming.

What’s New in Linux 6.15?

This is a non-LTS release, which means it will only receive updates for about 9–12 weeks. However, it still brings important enhancements and sets the stage for future improvements.

Nova GPU Driver: Rust-Based NVIDIA Support

A major highlight of this release is the initial implementation of Nova. Developed by Red Hat engineers, this new GPU driver is written in Rust. It targets modern NVIDIA graphics cards, starting with the RTX 2000 series and newer.

Nova is designed to eventually replace the nouveau driver. It uses a GSP-only approach to simplify development while providing better hardware support.

Filesystem Improvements

Several filesystems benefit from notable updates in Linux 6.15:

• Btrfs now supports Zstd compression with adjustable levels from -1 to -15. This results in faster, real-time data compression.

• exFAT has improved deletion performance. Removing many files is now smoother and faster.

• FUSE supports filenames up to 4096 characters, a major jump from previous limits.

• Additionally, there’s early work to support large atomic writes, helping filesystems like XFS and ext4 handle data more reliably.

These changes enhance performance and usability, especially for users managing large datasets.

AMD-Specific Enhancements

This release brings several AMD improvements that boost both speed and efficiency:

• Support for the INVLPGB instruction in new AMD Zen CPUs helps clear outdated memory entries faster. As a result, memory operations are more efficient.

• The AMD P-State driver has been optimized. It now manages CPU frequency scaling better, improving performance and saving power.

• Early groundwork is included for the Versal NET platform, AMD’s hybrid SoC line for networking and embedded systems.

Intel Hardware Updates

Intel also benefits from this kernel update:

• Drivers for newer Intel CPUs and graphics hardware receive small but important upgrades.

• These updates improve system stability and future hardware support.

Although less detailed than AMD’s changes, these refinements still contribute to better performance and compatibility.

Final Thoughts

Linux 6.15 may not be a long-term release, but it still delivers impactful improvements. The Nova driver is a significant step toward better NVIDIA GPU support in open-source systems. Filesystem enhancements and CPU-specific tweaks from AMD and Intel round out a well-balanced release.

If you’re testing new hardware or developing on the latest kernel, this version is worth trying. Just remember that it has a short support cycle, so plan upgrades accordingly.

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