Linux kernel 7.0 is the new mainline
After Linux 6.19 Linus Torvalds tagged kernel 7.0 in mid-April 2026. The jump is mostly numbering; hardware and driver work continues as usual.
In February 2026 Linus Torvalds confirmed the series after 6.19 would be called Linux 7.0, not 6.20. After the usual stretch of release candidates, 7.0 was tagged as stable around mid-April 2026.
Torvalds framed the new major number as a practical naming decision, not a rewrite of the kernel. Development stayed on the normal merge-window + RC cadence.
Distros already building on it:
- Ubuntu 26.04 LTS ships 7.0 as its release kernel
- Fedora 44 and rolling systems (Arch, EndeavourOS) picked 7.0 up quickly
Sources
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