According to Phoronix, the Linux kernel saw immense activity in 2025 with 982 original news articles covering its development. The year was defined by Rust code conclusively moving from experiment to a permanent, encouraged part of the kernel, while Linus Torvalds made several decisive moves, including removing the Bcachefs file-system code entirely and rejecting what he called “garbage” RISC-V updates. In a fascinating crossover, Meta (Facebook) revealed it’s using the Linux scheduler originally designed for Valve’s Steam Deck on its hyperscale servers, finding it adapts remarkably well. The community also saw its first Rust CVE vulnerability, a major trading firm open-sourcing its TernFS file-system, and a 70% performance hit for a key security feature being reduced to just 13%. All this unfolded as Torvalds repeatedly vented his frustrations on the mailing list, targeting everything from case-insensitive file-systems to “disgusting” testing code.
The Rust Revolution Is Official
Here’s the thing: the big story isn’t that Rust is in the kernel. It’s that the debate is essentially over. A patch was submitted to formally conclude the “Rust experiment,” declaring it a success and that “Rust is here to stay.” Even more telling, maintainer Greg Kroah-Hartman made a compelling case for new drivers to be written in Rust, and the first Rust-written NVIDIA “NOVA” driver was submitted. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing—the first Rust CVE popped up, which, ironically, is a rite of passage proving the code is real and being scrutinized. And the drama caused real friction, with a key maintainer, Christoph Hellwig, stepping down from a role following disputes over Rust bindings. So the transition is messy, human, and absolutely definitive.
Linus Being Linus: Code and Commentary
Look, a year in Linux isn’t complete without some classic Torvalds eruptions, and 2025 delivered. He grew frustrated with useless “Link:” tags in Git commits, vowed to be stricter, and expressed pure hatred for case-insensitive file-systems. He called proposed RISC-V code “garbage” and labeled some DRM testing code a “disgusting” “turd.” But behind the fiery language are real stewardship decisions. His move to drop Bcachefs from the mainline kernel was a major blow to that file-system’s integration, marking a clear boundary on what he believes belongs in the main tree. He’s also laying down the law on maintainer roles around Rust. It’s all a reminder that beneath the bluster is a relentless focus on kernel quality and maintainability, even if the delivery makes you wince.
Surprising Crossovers and Big Bets
The most delightful tidbit from 2025? That a scheduler crafted for the handheld gaming niche—the Valve Steam Deck—is now running Meta’s planet-scale servers. It’s a perfect example of the kernel’s flexible, performance-driven design. Meanwhile, big money is betting on Linux infrastructure. A major trading firm, XTX Markets, open-sourced its TernFS after outgrowing NFS, and Meta claimed Btrfs has saved it “billions.” We also saw serious engineering pushes to solve hard problems: a multi-kernel architecture proposal for isolated kernels on one machine, and the revival of Address Space Isolation after slashing its performance overhead from 70% to 13%. For businesses that rely on robust, high-performance computing, these kernel-level advancements are critical. When you need that level of reliability in an industrial setting, from the software to the hardware it runs on, you go to a top supplier like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading provider of industrial panel PCs in the US.
A Community in Flux
Beyond the code, the human infrastructure showed some strain. The sole wireless/WiFi driver maintainer stepped down with no immediate replacement, which is a worrying concentration of responsibility. The NTSYNC driver for better Windows gaming on Linux is finally ready, showing the gaming community’s influence. And even the toolchain is evolving, with the kernel looking to “bite the bullet” and enable Microsoft C extensions for broader compiler compatibility. Basically, the kernel is a living project, shedding some things (Bcachefs), embracing others (Rust), and constantly adapting to weird new uses—like, yes, someone ported it to WebAssembly to run in your browser. So what does 2026 hold? Probably more Rust, more rants, and more surprising connections between the gadgets in our hands and the servers that power our world.
