According to The How-To Geek, Devuan 6.0 “Excalibur” has officially launched as a major point release for the systemd-free Linux distribution. This update arrives following Debian 13 “Trixie’s” August release and brings Linux kernel 6.12 with features like kernel panic QR codes and RISC-V hibernation support. The release upgrades Xfce to version 4.20 and moves the APT package manager to the major 3.0 release with improved dependency resolution. Notably, this is the first Devuan version without 32-bit installation images, though older releases will maintain support until their Debian bases lose long-term support in 2026 and 2028. Work has already begun on Devuan 7 “Freia” based on Debian 14, expected around mid-2027.
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The systemd drama continues
Here’s the thing about Devuan – it exists specifically for people who can’t stand systemd. Remember when systemd became the default init system across most major Linux distributions back in the early 2010s? Well, a vocal group of users never got on board. They argue systemd is too monolithic, too complex, and violates the Unix philosophy of “do one thing well.” Devuan gives them an escape hatch – all the goodness of Debian without the systemd “entanglements” as they put it. You can still use traditional init systems like SysVinit or OpenRC instead. Basically, it’s for the purists who want their system initialization kept simple and separate.
What’s actually new here
Beyond the philosophical stance, there are some solid technical upgrades worth noting. Kernel 6.12 brings some genuinely useful features – those kernel panic QR codes might sound gimmicky until you’re troubleshooting a crashed system and can quickly scan for documentation. The APT 3.0 upgrade is bigger than it sounds too – better dependency resolution means fewer headaches when installing complex software stacks. But the 32-bit drop is significant. It’s part of a broader industry trend, but it does leave some older hardware out in the cold. If you’re still running ancient 32-bit systems, you’ll need to stick with the older Devuan releases for now.
Should you switch?
Look, if you’re happy with your current Linux setup and systemd doesn’t bother you, there’s probably no compelling reason to jump ship. But if systemd has been driving you crazy for years? This might be your moment. The installation process is straightforward – just grab the ISO from the Devuan installation page and follow the usual Linux installation steps. Existing users can upgrade using the official upgrade guide. Want to dive deeper into the technical details? Check out the full release notes for everything that changed. The real question is: how much do you care about init systems? For most users, it doesn’t matter. But for some, it matters a lot.
