The Rocky Linux team has announced the general availability of Rocky Linux 9.6, an update that solidifies this operating system as one of the benchmark options in the enterprise Linux ecosystem. The new installation images, containers, cloud images, and “live” versions are now available for download from the official Rocky Linux website.
Key New Features and Improvements
Rocky Linux 9.6 introduces a series of relevant updates that expand support for dynamic programming languages, web servers, databases, and performance tools. Notable changes include:
- Programming Languages, Web Servers, and Databases:
- PHP 8.3 and 8.4, two modern versions of the popular web development language.
- nginx 1.26, one of the most efficient HTTP and reverse proxy servers.
- MySQL 8.4, the latest version of the most widely used open-source relational database.
- Development and Debugging Tools:
- Valgrind 3.24.0
- SystemTap 5.2
- elfutils 0.192
- libabigail 2.6
- Performance Monitoring and Visualization:
- Performance Co-pilot 6.3.2
- Grafana 10.2.6
- New Compiler Toolsets:
- LLVM Toolset 19.17
- Rust Toolset 1.84.1
- Go Toolset 1.23
Cloud and Container Improvements
This release places special emphasis on the creation and deployment of cloud images, thanks to the adoption of KIWI, a modern image-building tool that enables more consistent and sustainable workflows. Most of the images for Rocky Linux 9.6 have been generated using KIWI, ensuring higher quality and maintenance.
One of the major new features is the availability of a new image type compatible with the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), making it easier to deploy Rocky Linux directly on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Additionally, specific utilities for Oracle Cloud images have been updated.
Upgrade and Migration Process
Upgrading from previous versions of Rocky Linux 9.x can be easily done via the terminal with sudo dnf -y upgrade or through graphical tools like GNOME Software or KDE Discover.
For users of other Enterprise Linux 9 distributions, there are utilities like migrate2rocky to convert installations and adopt Rocky Linux 9.6 easily.
No official direct upgrade process is available from Rocky Linux 8; in that case, a clean installation is recommended.
Testing, Stability, and Community Participation
Rocky Linux 9.6 has undergone a rigorous testing process, combining manual and automated validations in various environments before its release. The process is transparent, and anyone wishing to participate in future testing can join the Testing channel on Mattermost.
Known Issues
Among the issues in this version, the following stand out:
- ZFS Module: The current version of the OpenZFS module is not compatible with Rocky Linux 9.6, so it’s recommended to wait for the corresponding update if relying on ZFS.
- SELinux and passt: When using SELinux on systems with the passt backend installed, the network interface may not initialize correctly. The team suggests reviewing the details in the official documentation.
Acknowledgments
The release of Rocky Linux 9.6 has been made possible by the work of dozens of volunteers, developers, and sponsors, alongside the Fedora and CentOS Stream ecosystems.