5 Reasons Why You Should Update the Linux Kernel

The Linux kernel is the most essential part of your distro and controls everything from resource allocation to the drivers for your RGB keyboard.

Regular updates to the Linux kernel are consistently rolled out, bringing with them bug fixes, support for advanced features, and a plethora of other enhancements. While no one's going to force you to update to the latest Linux kernel, here are five good reasons why you should.

What Is the Linux Kernel Anyway?

It's often said that Linux isn't actually an operating system, and that's true. Most distros are simply a selection of software and package managers which make it easy for you to interact with the underlying kernel.

A short explanation of how the Linux kernel works is that the kernel is responsible for governing system resources, interacting with hardware and peripherals, networking, and the filesystem.

Without the kernel, your distro would be useless, but without the tools which come packaged as a distro, the kernel wouldn't be usable.

1. Your Distro Kernel May Be Outdated Before You Even Install It

All Linux distros come with a version of the Linux kernel, and many popular distros have their own specialized kernel, based on the mainline Linux kernel. The kernel which ships with your distro is likely to be stable and extensively tested to ensure that there are no compatibility issues and that everything works as it should.

Stability, however, comes with the cost of newer features. A stable distro kernel is likely to be several releases behind the mainline kernel—meaning that you're missing out on the latest features.

2. Newer Kernels Support More Recent Hardware

Hardware manufacturers are making constant advances and pushing the limits of what PCs can do. New generations of graphics cards are created to render games with eye-searing levels of realism, and new varieties of RAM promise higher clock speeds and lower latency.

For a Linux distro to effectively interact with new hardware, it needs drivers, and these won't be present in older versions of the kernel. Although you can apply patches to the Linux kernel to add new functionality and hardware support, it's often worth updating the kernel in its entirety to ensure that it supports all your hardware with the latest and greatest patches.

3. Upgrade Your Linux Kernel to Guard Against Vulnerabilities

No software is perfect, and no developer can uncover how their software might be abused. Memory issues can be exploited to execute arbitrary code, and flaws can be pried wide open to leave your system vulnerable to malware.

While successful attacks are few and far between on Linux desktops, the Linux kernel isn't invulnerable to hackers, crackers, and criminals who want to break into your machine.

Notable security flaws discovered over the years have included Dirty COW—a privilege escalation bug that was open to exploitation for more than a decade; Spectre and Meltdown—CPU vulnerabilities that affected multiple platforms; Segment smack; and the Dirty Pipe vulnerability that allows non-privileged users to execute malicious code.

If you update to the latest kernel version, you can be sure that you have the most secure version possible—with any detected vulnerabilities patched and removed.

4. Squash Annoying Bugs With a Kernel Update

Bugs, while not always leading to security issues, are an annoyance at best. Things just don't work as they should do, or return unexpected results.

This is especially true with bugs relating to audio and video playback and power issues. Bugs crop up all the time and just like real bugs, they appear in unexpected places. If you're running an ancient kernel version from the early 2000s, you'll note that leap seconds might cause a kernel panic.

Serious bugs are addressed as soon as they're found, and updating to the latest Linux kernel usually results in a more stable system.

5. Kernel Updates Have New Features

Linux kernel updates aren't just about the humdrum business of keeping your distro safe and bug-free. They can make your system run faster and better.

Typically, a new kernel will bring performance boosts, improvements to CPU efficiency, new file type compatibility, and hardware support.

Impress Your Friends by Using the Latest Linux Kernel

By using Linux on a desktop, you're already part of an elite and very small minority. Most of your Windows-using friends probably think you're some kind of techno-wizard anyway.

Impress them further with your knowledge of specific improvements afforded by the latest kernel. If you want to show off your proficiency with the technical arts, tell them you use Arch (BTW).

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