NixOS 25.11 “Xantusia” released with 7k new packages, GNOME 49, COSMIC beta, and more

NixOS 25.11 “Xantusia” has been released as the latest version of this Linux distribution built around the Nix package manager. Now powered by the Linux 6.12 LTS kernel, this update delivers a significant package set refresh, introducing 7002 new packages, updating 25252 existing packages, and removing 6338 outdated ones to help maintain system security and manageability.

Alongside its package changes, NixOS 25.11 expands system customization by adding 107 configuration modules and 1778 new configuration options. The release also retires 41 outdated modules and 807 obsolete options for a cleaner configuration experience. These updates build on NixOS's existing support for composable configuration modules and integration tests aimed at distributed systems.

GNOME has been updated to version 49 “Brescia”, bringing substantial desktop changes. The update drops X11 session support and introduces a new video player, a new document viewer, and a redesigned calendar application, among further refinements. While users benefit from the GNOME update, COSMIC beta is also available, and developers also gain access to an improved toolchain. LLVM has been upgraded to version 21, CMake now stands at version 4, and GCC remains at version 14.