Fedora 45 Released With Kernel 7.2 and Stratis Improvements
The latest Fedora release prioritizes stability and storage flexibility over rigid release schedules.
1Delayed Release Strategy
Fedora 45 has officially launched following two week-long delays intended to address last-minute technical issues. While the project announcements remained non-specific regarding the exact bugs, the team prioritized a when-it-is-ready approach. This methodology contrasts with the rigid, calendar-based release cycles typically favored by competitors like Canonical for their Ubuntu distribution.
2Hardware and Desktop Options
The release includes six main editions, five immutable desktop variants, and 12 community spins. Recommended hardware specifications now require a 2 GHz quad-core CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and 20 GB of disk space. Users should note that 3D acceleration is disabled for older hardware, including specific legacy Intel, Nvidia, and AMD models.
3GNOME and Desktop Environments
Workstation 45 features GNOME 51, while the KDE Plasma spin utilizes version 6.8. Both environments have transitioned to Wayland-only displays. However, users preferring X11 can still choose from seven official spins, including Xfce, Cinnamon, and MATE, which maintain X.org support. These updates focus on improving the Settings app and modernizing the interface.
4Apple Silicon Support
Fedora Asahi Remix 45 introduces initial support for M3-based Macs, expanding on existing M1 and M2 compatibility. This support remains preliminary and currently excludes the M3 Ultra chip. Developers advise that users requiring full stability on M3 hardware should continue utilizing macOS until further refinements are integrated into the Linux kernel.
5Security and Package Management
Under-the-hood improvements include the adoption of RPM version 6.1, which features enhanced package signature checking to prevent silent vendor modifications. Additionally, the GNOME keyring has migrated to the oo7 secrets manager. Support for two unmaintained VPN plugins was removed to ensure system integrity and reduce the attack surface for end users.
6Stratis Storage Integration
Fedora 45 features Stratis 3.9.3, Red Hat’s storage subsystem designed as a resilient alternative to OpenZFS. The installer now supports direct installation onto Stratis storage, integrating XFS, LVM, and kernel device-mapper functionality. This provides users with copy-on-write snapshots and multi-device logical volume management, offering a robust alternative to Btrfs for data storage.
7Installer and Kernel Status
The installer now integrates the Cockpit web-management tool, simplifying custom disk partitioning for users. Interestingly, the release ships with kernel 7.2.15, which is the final version of that short-term series. While this is technically an end-of-life kernel, Fedora users can expect rapid updates to newer kernel versions through the standard distribution update process.
8Upgrade Path and Performance
Users can upgrade across one major release version, though skipping two releases requires an intermediate step. Testing on older 2008 hardware confirms that the system remains functional even when falling below recommended specifications. The transition to Fedora 45 highlights a continued focus on immutable architecture and reliable, modern storage management for Linux users.