It was announced the beta test version release what will be the next version of “Fedora Linux 38”, This beta release being the transition to the final stage of testing, in which only critical bug fixes are allowed.
Of the most significant changes in Fedora 38 stands out the first stage of the transition to the modernized boot process. In it, the differences with classic boot are reduced to using instead of the initrd image generated on local system when installing the kernel package, the UKI unified kernel image (Unified Kernel Image) generated on the distribution infrastructure and certified by the distribution's digital signature.
UKI combines a driver to boot the kernel from UEFI (UEFI boot stub), a Linux kernel image, and an initrd system environment loaded into memory in one file. By calling the UKI image from UEFI, it is possible to verify the integrity and validity of the digital signature not only from the kernel, but also from the content of the initrd, the validation of which is important because in this environment keys are extracted to decrypt the FS on the first stage.
Another of the changes that stands out in Fedora 38 is the one that RPM package manager, to analyze keys and signatures digital, uses the sequoia package, which offers an implementation of OpenPGP in the Rust language.
Previously, RPM used its own OpenPGP parsing code, which had unresolved issues and limitations. Added the rpm-sequoia package as a direct dependency of RPM, where support for cryptographic algorithms is based on the Nettle C library (expected to provide the ability to use OpenSSL).
In addition to this, it is also highlighted that the first stage of a new microdnf package manager, which is replacing the DNF currently used. Microdnf has been significantly upgraded and now supports all the main features of DNF, but at the same time it is characterized by high performance and compact size. The key difference between Microdnf and DNF, is to use C instead of Python for development, which allows you to get rid of a large number of dependencies.
For the part of the desktops of Fedora 38 in the version workstation has been upgraded to Gnome 44, which is expected to launch on March 22. New in GNOME 44 is a new lock screen implementation and a “background apps” section in the status menu.
Regarding the Spins, the edition of Xfce has been updated to version 4.18, while in the edition with LXQt it will receive a compilation for the AArch64 architecture.
On desktop builds KDE, the initial setup wizard has been removed from the distribution, since most of its features are not used in KDE Spin and Kinoite, and the Anaconda installer configures the initial configurations during the installation stage.
Nor should we forget that Fedora 38 will be receiving the Fedora Budgie build Spin with the Budgie graphical shell, as well as the compilation of Fedora Sway Spin with Sway's custom environment built using the Wayland protocol and fully compatible with i3 and i3bar tile window manager.
Speaking of Wayland, in this new version of Fedora 38 we can find that the SDDM screen manager has a default login interface with Wayland. The change allows the login manager to be migrated to Wayland on builds with the KDE desktop.
Last but not least, we will also be finding the formation of builds for mobile devices, which is supplied with the shell phosh, which is based on GNOME technologies and the GTK library, uses the Phoc composite server running on top of Wayland, as well as its own squeekboard on-screen keyboard. Purism originally developed the environment as an analogue of GNOME Shell for the Librem 5 smartphone, but it later became part of the unofficial GNOME projects and is now also used in postmarketOS, Mobian, and some firmware for Pine64 devices.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that this trial version will be showing us many more things than those published here, which is why, if you want to know more about it, you can check the details In the following link.
The release is scheduled for April 18.
Good afternoon, I would like to know why I cannot install fedora 38 beta on my laptop, I currently have fedora 37 installed
Dear Reinaldo.
Unfortunately, we can't help you if you don't tell us the model of the Laptop, the configuration or what the exact problem is.
In any case, keep in mind that this is a test version so it probably won't work on all computers until the final release.
What I recommend is that you register at the bug report page and tell me what the problem is.