Alpine Linux 3.18.0: A Security-Focused, Lightweight Distribution with Major Updates

Alpine Linux, a security-oriented, lightweight Linux distribution based on musl libc and busybox, has announced the release of version 3.18.0. The release comes with several updates, including the Linux kernel 6.1, musl libc 1.2.4, Python 3.11, Ruby 3.2, Node.js 20.1, GNOME 44, Go 1.20, KDE Plasma 5.27, Rust 1.69, and experimental support for unattended installs via tiny-cloud.

One of the major changes in the new version is that kernel modules are now signed. However, verified modules are not enforced by default, so third-party modules with akms still work. Additionally, all packages for ppc64le, x86, and x86_64 have been linked with DT_RELR, which should reduce the size of compiled binaries. Python pre-compiled files (pyc) are now shipped in separate packages, and users can avoid installing them and save space by doing "apk add !pyc".

Alpine Linux is known for its focus on security, and the latest version continues that tradition. The new release comes with a number of security enhancements, including improved support for TCP fallback in DNS resolver in musl libc 1.2.4.

Overall, Alpine Linux 3.18.0 is a significant release that brings a number of important improvements to this popular Linux distribution. Whether you're a security-conscious user or simply looking for a lightweight and efficient Linux distribution, Alpine Linux is definitely worth checking out.