Linux Kernel 7.3-rc3 released with major filesystem and driver updates

The third release candidate (rc3) for Linux Kernel 7.3 has been released, marking a significant step toward its expected stable debut in the second half of October. Linus Torvalds described the update as “another fairly large rc,” noting a substantial filesystem footprint, particularly involving XFS and the SMB network client.

While filesystems are a major focus, the majority of the work in this release cycle remains centered on drivers, specifically for sound and networking. The AMDGPU driver continues to grow, now accounting for approximately 6.52 million lines of code. The release also includes numerous memory-safety fixes aimed at addressing use-after-free and overflow bugs identified by security researchers and syzbot.

This release candidate is intended for developers and enthusiasts to test for stability and bugs before the final version is deployed to millions of systems worldwide.