Rocky Linux 10.1 is officially available for general use, bringing key features like systemd soft reboots and a massive refresh of developer toolchains. This release comes with updated installation media, cloud images, and live images.
I would say the biggest headline feature here is the introduction of soft reboots. Thanks to the systemd soft-reboot function, you can now perform reboots that only affect the userspace. This lets you apply rapid patches in many scenarios without needing a full, lengthy system cycle.
That is huge for production environments where downtime is measured in dollars. You should definitely check the official documentation before deploying it widely, though, because there are limitations you need to be aware of if you plan on using soft reboots in live production.
For those deep in development and security, Rocky Linux 10.1 is great with post-quantum cryptography. Building on the foundation laid in Enterprise Linux 10.0, this release now prioritizes post-quantum algorithms over classical ones in OpenSSL. They have also enabled these algorithms in more libraries and policies, including GnuTLS. That’s a proactive approach to security that I personally appreciate, ensuring the distribution is ready for the future of encryption.
The filesystem game is also getting an upgrade, specifically for XFS enthusiasts. If you rely on XFS for your storage, you’ll be happy to hear about the new enhancements. This lets users scrub mounted XFS filesystems using the ‘xfs_scrub’ command. Even better, you can now shrink XFS filesystems using ‘xfs_growfs’ in some specific scenarios. That added flexibility for managing large storage volumes is always welcome.
Under the hood, the developer landscape has seen a serious refresh. Rocky Linux 10.1 packs a ton of updated software components. For dynamic programming languages, web servers, and databases, you can expect .NET 10, Node.js 24, OpenJDK 25, and Valkey 8. This makes sure that developers working on modern applications have access to the most recent, stable versions of their required runtimes and tools.
The compiler toolsets have also received a significant bump, with GCC 15, Go Toolset 1.24, LLVM Toolset 20, and Rust Toolset 1.88. This is a top-tier update list that provides better optimization and performance for compiled code, which is essential for Enterprise Linux deployments.
Like every major release, Rocky Linux 10.1 has gone through an extensive testing process. The community put it through two weeks of both manual and automated checks across various configurations before giving it the green light for general availability. This commitment to stability is exactly why so many folks trust Rocky Linux as a solid alternative to Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
If you are already running Rocky Linux 10.0, upgrading is simple. You can run ‘sudo dnf -y upgrade’ on the command line interface or use desktop tools like GNOME Software or KDE Discover. If you are still hanging back on the 8.x or 9.x series, you’re going to need to do a fresh install. Rocky Linux doesn’t support upgrades between major releases.
Rocky Linux 10.1 is available for download across a wide range of architectures, but you can also grab live ISO images preinstalled with the GNOME and KDE Plasma desktop environments. You can find the downloads on the official site.
Source: RockyLinux via 9to5Linux