NixOS 26.05 “Yarara” Arrives with GNOME 50, Plasma 6.6, and Linux 6.18
NixOS 26.05 “Yarara” Arrives with GNOME 50, Plasma 6.6, and Linux 6.18
https://linuxiac.com/nixos-26-05-yarara-arrives-with-gnome-50-plasma-6-6-and-linux-6-18/
Publish Date: 2026-05-30 10:10:00
Source Domain: linuxiac.com
NixOS 26.05 “Yarara” is now available as the latest release of the independent Linux distribution based on the Nix package manager and Nixpkgs collection.
This release features Linux 6.18 LTS as the default kernel, systemd stage 1 enabled by default, GNOME 50, KDE Plasma 6.6, GCC 15, and a significant Nixpkgs update.
Importantly, with the release of NixOS 26.05, keep in mind that NixOS 25.11 “Xantusia” is now deprecated and will reach end of life after June 30, 2026.
A key change is the default Linux kernel update from 6.12 to 6.18. All supported kernels remain available, allowing users to select alternative branches through the configuration system.
NixOS 26.05
The release now uses a systemd-based stage 1 by default. The previous scripted implementation is deprecated and will be removed in NixOS 26.11.
The package set has been extensively updated. Nixpkgs adds 20,442 new packages, updates 20,641, and removes 17,532 outdated packages as part of ongoing maintenance and security improvements.
NixOS 26.05 introduces 85 new modules and 1,547 new configuration options, while removing 25 outdated modules and 355 options. Modules continue to be a core feature, enabling declarative system configuration.
For desktop users, NixOS 26.05 includes GNOME 50 “Tokyo,” the latest GNOME release. The update features accessibility enhancements and improved display handling.
Compiler updates include GCC 15, while LLVM remains at version 21. For macOS users, NixOS 26.05 is the final Nixpkgs release to support x86_64-darwin. Platform support and binary builds will continue until the end of 2026.
Beginning with Nixpkgs 26.11, packages will no longer be built or supported for x86_64-darwin. NixOS 26.05 will receive bugfix and security updates until December 31, 2026.
For more information, visit the announcement or check out the release’s highlights here for a complete list of changes. The distro is available for download in two…
