The third release candidate for Linux 7.3 is now available, marking a significant step toward the stable release scheduled for late October. Development remains active, with the community integrating numerous patches to address various system issues, some of which were identified using AI and large language models.
A notable change involves the EROFS read-only file system, where the LZ4 rolling decompression feature has been temporarily disabled due to potential data corruption risks. Linus Torvalds noted that this candidate version is relatively large, with a higher-than-usual volume of file system modifications, particularly affecting XFS and SMB clients.
Despite the focus on file systems, the majority of patches continue to target driver updates. The current release includes significant improvements for audio and network device drivers, along with minor GPU driver enhancements. Other updates cover core kernel fixes, network stack adjustments, and improvements to the Landlock security sandbox.
Hardware support has also been expanded in this release. Developers have introduced specific patches for s390 and PowerPC architectures to improve overall system stability and compatibility. The team is now focusing on final preparations for the official launch expected later this month.
