The release of the CachyOS 241221 distribution has been published, based on the Arch Linux package base and utilizing a continuous delivery model for updates. The distribution is notable for including optimizations to enhance performance and providing the ability to install various desktop environments. In addition to the default KDE-based environment, GNOME, Xfce, i3WM, Wayfire, LXQT, OpenBox, Cinnamon, Cosmic, UKUI, LXDE, Mate, Budgie, Qtile, Hyprland, and Sway are available for installation. The size of the installation ISO image is 2.7 GB. Separate builds (2.8 GB) are provided for handheld devices (Handheld Edition) with a GameMode-style interface and components for gaming enthusiasts.
The distribution includes the BORE task scheduler by default, optimized to reduce latency on the desktop and prioritize interactive processes. The kernel and packages are built with LTO (Link-Time Optimization) optimizations and utilize instructions available in processors based on x86-64-v3, x86-64-v4, and Zen4 microarchitectures. When building the base packages, additional PGO (Profile-Guided Optimization) or BOLT (Binary Optimization and Layout Tool) optimizations are included. The distribution comes with the Cachy-Browser, a web browser based on Firefox, with patches to enhance security and performance, as well as modifications from the Librewolf project. Supported file systems include btrfs, zfs, ext4, xfs, and f2fs.
Key Changes:
- The default proposed Linux kernel is compiled with AutoFDO (Auto-Feedback-Directed Optimization) optimizations, utilizing profiling results to enhance the performance of frequently executed operations characteristic of pre-analyzed workloads. Clang 19 compiler was used for kernel assembly. The optimization profile for CachyOS was formed based on workloads such as running sysbench performance tests and CachyOS Benchmarker, performing Git operations, and building the kernel from source.
- The default implementation of OpenCL employs the RustiCL driver, written in Rust using the Gallium interface provided in Mesa.
- In the kernel-manager utility, a DBUS interface scx_loader is used to manage the task scheduler sched-ext (SCX). This change simplifies switching between CPU schedulers and allows their settings to be placed in a separate configuration file.
- By default, the service for working with Bluetooth is enabled.
- The basic package includes the wireless-regdb package with a database of wireless network frequencies permitted for various regions.
- A script has been added to cachyos-settings for launching applications using the Zink driver with an OpenGL implementation over Vulkan.
- Package versions have been updated, including Linux kernel 6.12.6, NVIDIA drivers 565.77, Mesa 24.3.2, scx-scheds 1.0.8, and OpenZFS 2.2.7.
Source: opennet.ru
