Fedora GNU/Linux Operating System

Fedora (English - "soft felt hat," pronounced "fedora," formerly Fedora Core) is a distribution of the GNU/Linux operating system. The distribution is sponsored by Red Hat, a community has been created that supports work on it. The project is supported by an open community.

The goal of the Fedora project is to create a holistic operating system from free software. New versions are released every 6-8 months.

2023

Fedora Linux 39

On November 7, 2023, it became known that the release of the Fedora Linux 39 distribution was presented. Fedora Workstation, Fedora Server, Fedora CoreOS, Fedora Cloud Base, Fedora IoT Edition and Live builds have been prepared for download, delivered in the form of spins with desktop environments KDE Plasma 5, Xfce, MATE, Cinnamon, LXDE, Phosh, LXQt, Buday and Sweden. Assemblies are formed for x86_64, Power64, and ARM64 architectures (AArch64). Publishing Fedora Silverblue assemblies is delayed.

Fedora Linux 39

As reported, the most significant changes to Fedora Linux 39 include the following:

• The desktop in Fedora Workstation has been updated to GNOME 45, which features a dynamic virtual desktop indicator, optimal search performance, added a camera power-up indicator, hardware video playback acceleration, replaced the image viewer and camera application, changed the display style of the sidebars, updated GTK 4.12 and libadwaita 1.4 libraries.
• In the Bash command interpreter, command line color is enabled by default.
• Updated versions of packages, including RPM 4.19, gcc 13.2, LLVM/Clang 17, binutils 2.40, glibc 2.38, Python 3.12, Perl 5.38, Golang 1.21, Boost 1.81, Vagrant 2.3, Haskell GHC 9.4, LibreOffice 7.6.
• Added default-fonts meta packages to update updates and install default fonts.
• NetworkManager provides automatic translation of existing connection profiles stored in ifcfg format (/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-) into a format based on the keyfile file.
• You can delete a tzdata package from the time zone database to reduce the size of isolated containers.
• The value of sysctl vm.max_map_count is increased by default from 65530 to 1048576 to optimize compatibility with Windows games running via wine or steam.
• The createrepo_c utility uses the Zstd algorithm by default to compress repository metadata and stops generating metadata in the SQLite database.
• Added the official build of Fedora Onyx with an atomically updated version of Fedora Linux equipped with a custom Budgie environment. The updated build complements the classic Fedora Budgie Spin build and resembles the Fedora Silverblue, Fedora Sericea and Fedora Kinoite editions shipped with GNOME, Sway and KDE. Fedora Onyx is based on Fedora Silverblue technologies and also comes in the form of a monolithic image that is not divided into separate packages and is updated atomically through an entire replacement. The base environment is assembled from the official Fedora RPM packages using the rpm-ostree toolkit and mounted in read-only mode. To install and update additional applications, a system of self-sufficient flatpak packages is used, with the help of which applications are separated from the main system and launched in a separate container.
• Sericea and Sway Spin have stopped shipping xorg-x11 packages.
• The Fedora Kinoite edition (an atomically updated version of Fedora with KDE) has automatic system updates enabled by default.
• To build the Fedora Silverblue and Fedora Kinoite editions, a safer unified core mode rpm-ostree is used.
• Imaging began with the LXQt user environment for the Aarch64 architecture.
• Fedora Cloud has the ability to automatically reboot after installing package updates that require a system reboot. The ability is organized through the creation of the/var/run/reboot-required file after performing the "dnf update" operation and checking it in cloud-init.
• Users managed through, Active Directory FreeIPA or are LDAP given the option of using a technology Passkeys that allows them to pass without authentication passwords biometric using identifiers, such as a fingerprint or face recognition using a FIDO2-compatible device supported in the libfido2 library.
• The minimum size of the ESP (EFI System Partition) partition used when installing Fedora has been increased from 200 to 500 MB due to lack of space for firmware updates. The 500 MB limit corresponds to the settings used by Microsoft starting with Windows 10.
• QGnomePlatform and Adwaita-qt themes have been discontinued, which were used to give Qt applications GNOME-like settings and style so that these applications fit better into the GNOME environment. As a reason, the stagnation of these topics and problems when using them with some applications are mentioned.
• Packages with the aspell proofing system are declared obsolete, instead of which it is recommended to use hunspell or enchant2. The reason is the lack of updates in the aspell project over the past 4 years.
• Removed a pam_console package that was not used by default, had security problems, and could be replaced with functionality from systemd.
• The delivery of the package with man-pages-ru has been stopped, since translations of man-manuals into Russian are also part of the man-pages-l10n package.
• The fedora-repos-modular package has been removed from the base installation and the modular repository has been disabled. The change made it possible to optimize the work of the DNF batch manager by reducing the number of checks and downloads of metadata.
• The method of assembling Flatpak packages in the distribution kit has been changed. Instead of using modules when rebuilding packages with the "prefix =/app" parameter, a separate assembly target is involved.
• The assembly and delivery of separately updated modules, the life cycle of which is not tied to the main filling of the distribution kit, has been stopped, and support is carried out regardless of the releases of the distribution kit, which made it possible to ensure the coexistence of packages with different versions of the same application. As a reason for the termination of module support, there is a loss of interest in module development and problems with the maintenance of existing modules (the last activity in the pagure.io/modularity was observed more than 3 years ago).
• Preparatory work was carried out related to the second stage of the transition to the modernized loading process proposed by Lennart Pottering. Differences from the classic download boil down to the use, instead of the initrd image formed on the local system when installing a package with a kernel, of a Unified Kernel Image (UKI) generated in the distribution infrastructure and a certified digitally signed distribution. UKI combines in one file a kernel boot handler from UEFI (UEFI boot stub), a Linux kernel image and an initrd system environment loaded into memory. When calling a UKI image from UEFI, it is possible to verify the integrity and authenticity of not only the kernel by digital signature, but also the initrd content, the validation of which is important since in this environment the keys are extracted to decrypt the root FS. The main goals for implementation at the second and third stages: integration into the systemd-boot support installer, avoiding binding to using the kernel command line for configuration, stopping storing confidential data in initrd, changing the processing of optional dracut modules.
• The transition to the DNF5 package manager and the updated web-based installer have been postponed until the release of Fedora 40. Also canceled the removal of org-x11-drv-vesa and xorg-x11-drv-fbdev drivers and associated code from the xorg-x11-server-Xorg package, previously scheduled for Fedora 39. At the same time, the developers plan to stop supporting an X11-based session in Fedora 40 in distribution assemblies with KDE and GNOME.
• Additionally, we can note the commissioning of the RPM Fusion project repositories for Fedora 39 "free" and "nonfree," in which packages with additional multimedia applications (MPlayer, VLC, Xine), video/audio codecs, DVD support, proprietary drivers AMD and, NVIDIA game programs and emulators are available^[1]

Approval to supply assemblies with Budgie and Sway environments to Fedora 38

On January 4, 2023, it became known that the FESCo Committee (FedoraEngineering Steering Committee), responsible for the technical part of the development of the Fedora Linux distribution, approved the creation of official ISO images with Budgie and Sway graphical shells . To accompany packages and assemblies with Budgie and Sway, the Budgie SIG and Sway SIG groups were founded. Packages for installing these environments are already available in the repository of the current stable release of Fedora, but starting with Fedora Linux 38, it will be possible to use ready-made ISO images. Fedora Budgie Spin and Fedora Sway Spin will complement the Fedora Spins assembly collection, which features alternative work environments such as KDE, Cinnamon, Xfce, LXQt, MATE, LXDE, i3 and SOAS (Sugar on a Stick) for January 2023.

Fedora. Illustration: blog.buddiesofbudgie.org.

As reported, the Budgie environment is based on GNOME technologies and its own implementation of the GNOME Shell (in the next branch of Budgie 11, they plan to separate the functionality of the desktop from the layer that provides visualization and output of information). To manage windows, the Budgie Window Manager (BWM) is used, which is an extended modification of the basic Mutter plugin. The basis of Budgie is a panel close in organization to the classic desktop panels. All panel elements are applets, which allows you to flexibly adjust the composition, change the placement and replace the implementations of the main panel elements with your taste.

Sway is built using the Wayland protocol and is fully compatible with the i3 mosaic window manager and i3bar panel. Sway is developing as a modular project built on top of the wlroots library, which contains all the basic primitives for organizing the work of a composite manager. For the arrangement of a full-fledged user environment, related components are offered: swayidle (background process with implementation of the KDE idle protocol), swaylock (screen keeper), mako (notification manager), grim (taking screenshots), slurp (highlighting the area on the screen), wf-recorder (video capture), waybar (app bar), virtboard (on-screen keyboard), wl-clipboard (clipboard), wallutils (desktop wallpaper management^[2]

2022

Start testing assemblies with web-based installer

The Fedora project on November 22, 2022 announced the formation of experimental Fedora 37 assemblies equipped with a redesigned Anaconda installer, which instead of an interface based on the GTK library offers a web interface. The updated interface allows interaction through a web browser, which significantly increases the convenience of remote installation control, which does not compare with the old solution based on the VNC protocol. The iso image size is 2.3 GB (x86_64).

The development of this installer has not yet been completed and not all the planned capabilities have been implemented. As changes are added and errors fixed, it is planned to release updated assemblies that reflect the progress of the project. Users are invited to evaluate the interface and make constructive comments on its improvement. Among the available features are the language selection form, the disk selection interface for installation, automatic partitioning on disk, automatic installation of Fedora 37 Workstation on the created section, a screen with an overview of the selected installation parameters, a screen with an indicator of installation progress, and built-in help.

The web interface is built on the basis of components of the Cockpit project, which is already used in Red Hat products for setting up and managing servers. Cockpit is selected as a well-established solution for which there is a backend for interacting with the installer (Anaconda DBus). The application of Cockpit also made it possible to achieve uniformity and unify the various components of system management. The redesign of the interface used the results of previous work to improve the modularity of the installer - the main part of Anaconda was transformed into modules that interact through the DBus API, and the updated interface uses the finished API without internal redesign^[3].

Intention to stop building optional packages for i686 architecture in Fedora Linux 37

Fedora Linux 37 intends to stop building optional packages for the i686 architecture. This became known on March 8, 2022.

For implementation in Fedora Linux 37, it is planned to adopt a prescription recommending that the accompanying package assembly for the i686 architecture be stopped if the need for such packages is doubtful or leads to a noticeable time or resource consumption. The recommendation does not apply to packages used as dependencies in other packages or used in the context of "multilib" to allow 32-bit programs to run in 64-bit environments.

The change has not yet been considered by the FESCo (Fedora Engineering Steering Committee), which is responsible for the technical part of the development of the Fedora distribution. The source clarified that the formation of the main repositories and packages with a kernel for the i686 architecture in Fedora was discontinued back in 2019, only the multilib repositories for x86_64 environments, which are actively used in Wine and Steam to launch 32-bit assemblies of Windows games, were left Fedora ^[4].

2020: Fedora 32

On April 29, 2020, the Fedora Open Source Community Project, sponsored by Red Hat, announced the next version of the fully open Fedora 32 operating system, offering a number of useful features for software developers and IT professionals. Features include improvements to the desktop version of Fedora 32 Workstation, as well as a new Computational Neuroscience Lab image designed to attract scientists to work with open source.

Each next version of Fedora is created to respond to current user requests from developers and IT teams. Fedora Workstation and Fedora Server are designed to provide an open operating system for progressive developers and server projects.

Fedora 32 features include:

• The EarlyOOM mechanism for Fedora 32 Workstation allows you to quickly and without rebooting return the system to a healthy state in situations where intensive operations on the swap file due to the large amount of allocated memory make it difficult to work normally.
• Support for Arm aarch64 architecture within Fedora 32 Workstation.
• Run the fstrim.timer command on Fedora 32 Workstation weekly to improve system performance and disk drive life by informing physical and virtual media of unused data blocks.
• The fully installable Computational Neuroscience Lab image is designed to support the use of free open source software in a scientific environment.
• Advanced support for ARM architecture, including the NVIDIA Jetson platform, Pine64 devices, and a new open-source driver for ARM Mali-400 series video processors.

Fedora 32 Workstation also received the GNOME 3.36 graphical shell, which offers more convenience and performance to both ordinary users and software developers. Like other releases, the presented Fedora version received software fixes and updates, including updated system libraries and programming languages, including GCC 10, Ruby 2.7 and Python 3.8.

Work continues on Fedora CoreOS, Fedora IoT and Fedora Silverblue releases focused on modern IT environments based on Linux containers, Kubernetes and cloud computing.

The Fedora project continues to work to promote free and open source software to provide users with industry-leading Linux innovations. In Fedora 32, this aspiration was embodied in the EarlyOOM mechanism and the new Computational Neuroscience Lab image, designed to draw the attention of the scientific community to open source software, - says Matthew Miller, Fedora project leader, Red Hat

2018

Fedora 29 Beta

In September 2018, Fedora 29 became available in beta.

As with all Fedora beta releases, it has been updated with minor bug fixes and package settings. The basic Fedora 29 Beta package now includes Python 3.7, Perl 5.28. glibc 2.28, Gloang 1.11 и MySQL 8.

Modularity for all releases

The emerging Fedora 29 Beta property is an addition to modularity in all its releases. First, delivered on the Fedora 28 server, modularity allows you to select multiple versions of the same software based on each system with a parallel installation running through containers. This may provide some users with the ability to use validated versions of software, allowing other users to work with newly released innovations without affecting the overall stability of the Fedora operating system.

Software lifecycles are a big challenge in managing modern systems. Some applications need to move quickly so you can get the latest features, while others need a slower cycle to improve stability. The traditional distribution approach Linux forces you to make this decision based on the operating system version. Thanks to the modularity for all Fedora releases, users can have access to advanced flexibility for a variety of uses in current and future Fedora releases.

ARM, Internet of Things and Fedora

As the world of connected devices grows, from smart homes to industrial sensors, it is also important to use Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies. MicroprocessorsARM, which often come with small form factors that absorb energy, can help power these armies of tiny devices. Fedora 29 Beta aims to make Fedora's operating system at home for ARM and IoT.

These features are available with enhanced ZRAM support for ARMv7 and aarch64 swapping, which can improve the performance and reliability of the Fedora 29 beta on ARM single board computers such as the Raspberry Pi. These devices are also used by "manufacturers" in the development of IoT solutions.

Fedora 28

Red Hat, a global open source solution provider, on May 7, 2018 announced the release of another version of the fully open source operating system - Fedora 28, which is offered in three editions: Server, Workstation and Atomic Host.

All editions of the presented version of Fedora are based on a common set of basic packages and contain numerous software fixes and performance improvements, as well as a number of added and optimized functions. The basic Fedora 28 package contains updated compilers and programming languages, including the latest versions of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) 8, Golang 1.10, and Ruby 2.5.

Fedora 28 has received a completely updated modular repository that allows you to use software versions and updates that differ from those included in the default OS. In addition, all editions offer improved support for Virtualbox, making it easier to use Fedora 28 as a guest system on other platforms.

Fedora 28 Server

One of the main innovations of the Fedora server edition was the implementation of the modularity concept, which simplifies the use of software versions and updates that differ from those included in the default OS. Modularity allows you to switch to new versions of software stacks or DBMSs without waiting for a new version of the OS, or, conversely, stay on older but still supported versions after updating the OS.

In addition, Fedora 28 Server now supports 64-bit ARM architecture as one of the main platforms. This creates an additional OS option for system administrators who want to use promising hardware technologies.

Fedora 28 Workstation

The desktop version of Fedora offers tools and capabilities for end users and developers by including GNOME 3.28 in the desktop distribution. In particular, GNOME 3.28 makes it easier to work with files, folders and contacts through the Favorites function, and also offers the Usage application, which simplifies the diagnosis and elimination of performance problems. Fedora Workstation 28 also received a default image tool called GNOME Photos and makes it much easier to view and organize photo collections, the developers say.

In addition, Fedora 28 now supports the front-end 3 interface Thunderbolt and by default activates a number of energy-saving features that increase battery life, as laptops well as offers a number of other innovations.

Fedora 28 Atomic Host

Fedora Atomic Host is a minimalist OS focused on performing container loads in a variety of computing environments, including public clouds. The twice-monthly Fedora Atomic Host distribution includes a basic image for creating virtual machines, an Atomic Host image for creating hosts for deploying containers, and basic container images for assembling Fedora-based containerized applications. Atomic Host now includes Kubernetes 1.9, a container load orchestration platform offering a host of features.

2017

Fedora banned from exporting to Crimea

On September 5, 2017, on the website of the community of Russian-speaking participants in the international Fedora Project^[5] was banned^[6] a message banning the export of the Fedora distribution to Crimea. The decision was made in accordance with Fedora's new export agreement under U.S. sanctions against Russia.

The Fedora Product Export Management page states that Fedora distributions under the United States Export Administration (EAR) Regulations cannot be exported, re-exported, or transferred to a number of countries under U.S. law. Currently, such countries include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, as well as Crimea.

The message separately indicates the current project rule "Don't ask, don't tell" according to which, users and project participants are not required to report from where they are going to use Fedora. The project administration recommends that new and existing community members not indicate their citizenship in personal data. The user will be denied participation in the project only if, as a citizen of ^[7] country that the United States has imposed restrictions, Fedora is deliberately^[8] from ^[9] to^[10].

See also the IT blockade of Crimea

Fedora 26

In mid-July 2017, the next edition was prepared. operating system Fedora 26 includes a build for PERSONAL COMPUTER the Fedora Workstation desktop, as well as Fedora Server and Cloud. In addition to these versions of the distribution, Atomic Host, a specialized OS for running containers, has also been updated. Docker Builds with desktop environments KDE Plasma 5, Xfce, MATE, Cinnamon, LXDE and LXQt have been prepared for release, but the main graphical working environment for the desktop edition of Fedora 26 was released in March 3.24 GNOME.^[11]

According to the developers, they managed to optimize the performance of the GNOME Shell graphics shell. In addition, GNOME 3.24 introduced a night backlight mode, improved the notification area and expanded support for self-sufficient Flatpak packages. Another significant innovation of version 26 is the separation of the Base Runtime layer from the Modules in Fedora Server. This technology is called Fedora Boltron.

As of July 13, 2017, a preliminary version of the server version of the distribution kit is available, in which final applications are delivered as separately updated modules, the life cycle of which is not tied to other applications and the main filling of the distribution kit. Modules with different versions of the same application can run on the same server. To build modules in the infrastructure, the Module Build Service has been launched.

Among other changes in Fedora 26: the delivery of the DNF (2.0) batch manager, which implements more understandable notifications about problems with dependencies, organized the display of a list of weak dependencies in the summary parameters of the transaction, added an improved tooltip system for available commands. DNF (2.0) allows you to update each package to the latest version with improvements or fixes to bugs and vulnerabilities. In addition, Fedora 26 has an alternative utility for disk partitioning in the Anaconda installer, offering additional capabilities for experienced users and system administrators.

Photo: www.opennet.ru

In turn, the Fedora Media Writer image recording utility learned to record images for ARM devices on SD cards and other portable media; another version of the QtGNOME platform has appeared, aimed at ensuring the quality of Qt applications in the GNOME environment. At the same time, "free" and "nonfree" repositories of the RPM Fusion project were put into operation for Fedora 26, in which packages with additional multimedia applications (MPlayer, VLC, Xine), video/audio codecs, DVD support, proprietary drivers AMD and, Nvidia game programs, emulators are available.

The basic edition of Fedora 26 includes applications such as: LibreOffice 5.3 Firefox and 54. Version - - Linuxkernels 4.11. Assemblies are formed for architectures, x86 x86_64, Power64, and ARM64 (AArch64). Additionally, an image is supplied for Docker and assembly for various devices with 32-bit ARM processors. Assemblies of the RFRemix 26 (Russian Fedora Remix) edition, adapted for domestic users, have also been prepared.

2016: Fedora 24

On June 28, 2016, Red Hat, an open source solution provider, announced the release of the Fedora 24^[12] operating system^[12]

Fedora 24 is offered in three editions - Cloud, Server and Workstation, they use a common set of basic packages.

According to the developers, Fedora 24 uses the glibc 2.23 system library of increased performance, offers optimized POSIX compatibility and a set of GCC 6 compilers, with which all basic packages are recompiled in the new version, which provided additional code optimization and higher stability of all operating system releases.

In addition to additional features and software fixes, Fedora 24 offers developer tools and tools focused on handling containers and orchestration technologies. In Kubernetes particular, the Fedora 24 Cloud release includes the OpenShift Origin Kubernetes distribution, designed to create and deploy container applications.

The Fedora Atomic Host system has a development mode. In this mode, at startup, the host automatically loads and starts the Cockpit remote management service together with the tmux terminal manager, which simplifies work in the Fedora Atomic Host developer console, allows you to obtain IP addresses, root password and other key session parameters.

In addition to software fixes and performance improvements, Fedora 24 offers a number of improvements:

• The role of the domain controller in Fedora 24 Server has been improved using the FreeIPA 4.3 account management system, which simplifies the installation, segmentation and visualization of replica topology.
• Reduced Fedora Server size by removing unnecessary packages
• GNOME 3.20 and a preview of the Wayland user interface as part of Fedora 24 Workstation.

Fedora 24 traditionally offers open source tools and components for all categories of users, from developers to system administrators. With the inclusion of the OpenShift platform in the Fedora 24 Cloud edition, Fedora now offers not only development tools, but also tools for deploying and orchestrating Linux containers. Matthew Miller, Fedora Project Leader

2013: Fedora 20

On December 17, 2013, the Fedora Project community presented another release: Fedora 20, codenamed "Heisenbug" (Heisenbug). The beta version of the release was released on November 12, 2013.

New releases

• Since the release of Fedora 20, ARM is considered the main architecture: it is given the same attention as x86 and x86-64. Fedora ARM officially supports armv7hl and work is underway on the AArch64.

• Cloud images are now assembled using the same tools as the rest of the installation images.

The standard Fedora 20 working environment, GNOME 3.10, contains a number of new applications and features:

• Scroll accurately when pulling the slider, or hold down the shift key.
• Support for logon and smart card authentication.
• The title bar combines the window title and the toolbar into one, allowing more screen space for window content and improved access to application controls.
• Improved Loupe following the cursor. The tracking mode is activated by pressing the F7 key.
• Set the background of the lock screen.
• New location tools allow you to automatically update your travel time zone and position your Maps.

The Cinnamon working environment in Fedora 20 has been updated to version 2.0, with many new features and improvements:

• Better placement of windows at the edges of the screen.
• Capturing windows at the edges is similar to placing several windows at the edges, but stuck windows are not overlapped by other windows.
• Fun sound effects that can be customized.
• Improved account management, as well as a new applet for typical tasks.
• Many improvements to the nemo file manager, including support for the system tray for file operations, improvements in file types, and user interface updates.
• More ordered dependencies; Cinnamon no longer requires the installation of the entire GNOME Working Environment, and these two working environments work better in parallel if they are both installed.

Fedora 20 introduces experimental support for adding solid-state drives (SSDs) for fast and transparent caching of traditional disk storage devices (HDDs ).

Changes have been made to better emulate ARM guest virtual machines running on x86 core systems using standard libvirt tools, including virsh, virt-manager, and virt-install.

Fedora 20 no longer has a standard mail transfer facility. Syslog is no longer included in standard package sets: users accustomed to watching system messages in/var/log/messages should use the journalctl command instead.

Notes