openSUSE Leap 16 debuts Agama installer and drops 32-bit support

openSUSE has released Leap 16, a major update based on SUSE Linux Enterprise 16 and powered by Linux kernel 6.12 LTS. It debuts the Agama installer, a web-based replacement for YaST that supports local and remote setups, multi-version installs of Leap, Tumbleweed, Slowroll, and MicroOS, and remote monitoring with agama monitor. Users can choose Base (server), GNOME 48, KDE Plasma 6.4, or Xfce 4.20 for installation.

This release also addresses the 2038 time overflow by disabling 32-bit (ia32) support by default, though it can be re-enabled for legacy applications such as older Steam games. Leap 16 now requires CPUs with the x86-64-v2 instruction set, limiting support to processors released after 2008. Users with older machines are directed toward Tumbleweed or Slowroll.

Other changes include SELinux as the default security module, Zypper with parallel downloads, split repositories for smaller metadata, Cockpit for system management, Myrlyn as a YaST replacement, and the removal of SysV init. Leap 16 will receive 24 months of updates, with annual minor releases planned through Leap 16.6.