CentOS Stream 10 Released: What’s New in “Coughlan”?

The CentOS Project has officially announced the release of CentOS Stream 10, codenamed “Coughlan.”

Now available for download, this release brings a host of exciting new features, software updates, and improvements, continuing CentOS Stream’s evolution as a rolling-release distribution closely aligned with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).

With support guaranteed until at least 2030, CentOS Stream 10 ensures a stable, long-term platform for users, developers, and businesses alike.

What’s New in CentOS Stream 10?

1. New Kernel 6.12 for Improved Performance

One of the standout features of CentOS Stream 10 is the inclusion of Linux kernel 6.12. This new kernel brings enhanced performance, security fixes, and support for newer hardware. Kernel 6.12 is designed to unlock better optimizations for AMD and Intel 64-bit processors, particularly focusing on the v3 microarchitecture level. These changes ensure that CentOS Stream 10 delivers higher performance and greater reliability for users running on modern hardware.

2. Broad Architecture Support

CentOS Stream 10 continues to offer support for a wide variety of hardware architectures, including ARM 64-bit (ARMv8.0-A), IBM Power (POWER9), and IBM Z (z14). This broad hardware compatibility ensures that organizations with specialized workloads can continue to rely on CentOS Stream for a stable and scalable environment, regardless of their hardware platform.

3. Transition to Traditional RPM Packages

In CentOS Stream 10, the project has moved away from the modularity approach used in previous releases. Modularity, which allowed users to install different versions of software, has been phased out in favor of traditional, non-modular RPM packages. This change streamlines the software delivery process, offering a more predictable and stable environment, especially for production systems.

4. Updated Software Components

CentOS Stream 10 comes with an array of updated components that cater to developers and system administrators alike. Here’s a rundown of some key updates:

• Programming Languages:
  • Python 3.12
  • GCC 14
  • Go 1.23
  • Rust 1.82
  • LLVM 19
• Web Servers:
  • Apache HTTP Server 2.4.62
  • nginx 1.26
• Databases:
  • PostgreSQL 16
  • MariaDB 10.11
  • MySQL 8.4
• Other Key Applications:
  • Valkey 7.2 (A Redis fork)
  • PHP 8.3
  • OpenJDK 21

With these updates, developers and system administrators gain access to the latest versions of essential programming tools, web servers, and databases, providing an enhanced development and production environment.

5. GNOME 47 and Wayland by Default

For users on the desktop side, GNOME 47 is the default desktop environment in CentOS Stream 10. This release also marks a significant shift in graphical display technologies. The Xorg server has been removed, and Wayland has become the default display stack.

While Wayland offers improved performance, security, and support for modern graphics, Xwayland will ensure that legacy X11 applications can still run by providing compatibility for older software. This change is in line with the broader trend of moving towards Wayland in modern Linux distributions.

6. Shift Towards Flatpak for Desktop Applications

In a somewhat surprising move, CentOS Stream 10 has removed several popular desktop applications from its main repository, including Firefox, GIMP, LibreOffice, Inkscape, and Thunderbird. Instead, these applications are now available exclusively as Flatpaks.

This shift mirrors Red Hat’s strategy, which aims to deliver graphical applications through Flatpak. Users can easily access these apps via Flathub or request their inclusion in the Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) repository. This change might seem disruptive at first, but it provides users with a more modern, containerized approach to managing graphical software, allowing for easier updates and better security.

7. Enhanced Software Management with DNF 4.20 and RPM 4.19

CentOS Stream 10 introduces DNF 4.20 and RPM 4.19, which improve package management and dependency resolution. These updates lead to a more streamlined experience for system administrators, ensuring smoother updates, installations, and overall better performance when managing software packages.

8. EPEL 10 Now Available

The Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) repository has been updated to EPEL 10, which is already available to CentOS Stream 10 users. EPEL 10 provides access to over 10,000 additional packages, making it easier for administrators and developers to install extra software that’s not available in the default CentOS repositories.

9. Known Issues

As with any new release, there are a few known issues with CentOS Stream 10:

• Secure Boot Compatibility: Currently, CentOS Stream 10 does not boot with Secure Boot enabled. This limitation is due to an ongoing shim review process, which, once completed, will restore Secure Boot compatibility in a future update.

Despite this issue, the CentOS team has assured users that work is actively being done to address it, and it should be resolved in the near future.

Conclusion: A Stable Future Ahead

CentOS Stream 10 “Coughlan” continues the project’s commitment to providing a stable and future-proof platform for users, developers, and businesses. With a long support cycle until at least 2030, users can trust that CentOS Stream 10 will remain a solid choice for production environments.

The inclusion of kernel 6.12, improved software management tools, and updates to essential development libraries and runtimes positions CentOS Stream 10 as a forward-looking, reliable platform. While the shift to Wayland and the move to Flatpak for graphical apps may take some getting used to, these changes reflect the ongoing modernization of Linux desktop environments and package management.

For more information, users can consult the official CentOS Stream 10 release notes or the official CentOS Project announcement.