Linux 7.1-rc1 was released today, April 27, 2026, marking the conclusion of the merge window for the upcoming kernel version. This release introduces a new NTFS driver and enables FRED (Flexible Return-Event Delivery) by default, alongside numerous other features. The Linux 7.1 stable kernel is anticipated to be available in mid-June. This development phase brings significant enhancements to filesystem support and security within the Linux kernel.