Linux 7.2-rc3 Released, Approaching the "New Normal"

According to a report by Michael Larabel of Phoronix, Linux 7.2-rc3 was released on July 12, 2026. The stable version of the Linux 7.2 kernel is expected to launch in August, making this rc3 an important milestone in its development.

Release Overview

Linux 7.2-rc3 comes approximately a week after the release of Linux 7.2-rc2. While the focus of rc2 was on strengthening security measures such as protection against BPF JIT spraying attacks, rc3 includes a wider range of updates.

A notable aspect of this release is that nearly half of the changes are related to drivers. These include fixes for GPU and network drivers, as well as noise corrections for various device drivers, signaling a return to “business as usual” for kernel development.

Key Updates

Several updates in rc3 stand out. Firstly, the default kernel configuration for the RISC-V architecture now includes support for Ultra RISC-V, indicating steady progress in the expansion of the RISC-V ecosystem.

Secondly, fixes for the SEGA Dreamcast driver have been implemented. Despite being a retro gaming console, it continues to receive maintenance support from the community. Moreover, improvements have been made to display detection in multi-GPU systems, a welcome change for users with multiple graphics cards.

Additionally, the release marks the return of Nick Desaulniers to LLVM Linux development. Known for his contributions to building the Linux kernel using LLVM/Clang, his return is expected to enhance the compatibility between the LLVM toolchain and the Linux kernel.

Furthermore, the rc3 includes numerous bug fixes and regression corrections. Notably, several AI-assisted patches have been incorporated, hinting at an accelerating trend of leveraging AI in kernel development.

Comments from Torvalds

In his announcement of 7.2-rc3, Linus Torvalds made the following remarks:

“Things still look normal (or as normal as they ever are, though it does feel like this is the ‘new normal’ with a slightly higher commit rate, but with people starting to take vacations, that seems to balance things out a bit). About half the changes are driver-related. GPUs and networking remain the usual suspects, but there’s also a fair amount of noise in other drivers. The rest is similarly spread out – networking and filesystems being the biggest areas, but there’s also a smattering of documentation fixes (some just re-indenting), core kernel updates, some architecture fixes, and various tooling updates. Nothing particularly scary or weird stands out.”

Torvalds’ mention of a “new normal” refers to the accelerated pace of development post-pandemic. While acknowledging an increase in commit rates compared to previous release cycles, he noted that the summer vacation season has introduced a slight deceleration, resulting in a balanced pace.

Future Schedule

The stable release of Linux 7.2 is expected in August. No major issues have been reported so far in this rc3 stage, and if progress continues smoothly, the release is anticipated to occur as scheduled.

Notably, Linux 7.2 includes significant performance improvements, such as the Linux Cache Aware Scheduling extension, which has demonstrated up to a 360% speed increase in MySQL. These enhancements are expected to draw considerable interest from developers working with databases.

It has also been confirmed that Ubuntu 26.10 will adopt the Linux 7.2 kernel. With its planned autumn launch, kernel development is advancing steadily.

Editorial Opinion

In the short term, the confirmation that Ubuntu 26.10 will adopt Linux 7.2 is expected to have a significant impact on the broader ecosystem. The alignment of the distribution’s release schedule with kernel development timelines ensures that new features will be delivered promptly, even to non-LTS users. The increasing number of AI-assisted patches has the potential to transform kernel maintenance practices. If machine learning is further integrated into bug fixing, it could improve the efficiency of regression detection.

From a long-term perspective, two developments stand out: the standardization of RISC-V support and the return of LLVM development. The inclusion of RISC-V in the default kernel configuration signifies its growing status as a third major architecture alongside ARM and x86. Meanwhile, Desaulniers’ return may enhance the stability of kernel builds with LLVM, offering an alternative to the historically dominant GCC development environment.

Our editorial team interprets Torvalds’ remarks on the “new normal” as a reflection of a sustained high commit rate. If this pace persists, it could lead to increased workloads for maintainers, an issue that warrants careful attention moving forward.

References

• “Linux 7.2-rc3 Released: Close To The “New Normal"", by Michael Larabel — Phoronix, 2026-07-12T21:59:23.000Z (ARR)
• Source URL: https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-7.2-rc3-Released