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Linux 7.4 Is Adding 17,000 Lines of Rust Code. Here’s Why
From safer byte handling to better kernel abstractions, the latest Rust updates show how Linux is building the infrastructure needed for more Rust development.
Rust’s expansion inside the Linux kernel is not just about adding drivers written in a different programming language.
It is also about building the infrastructure that makes Rust practical in a codebase with decades of history, millions of lines of C, and strict requirements for performance, stability, and hardware compatibility.
The latest development is a substantial step in that direction.
On October 20, 2026, Phoronix reported that Miguel Ojeda had submitted a pull request for Linux 7.4 containing roughly 17,000 lines of Rust-related changes. The update includes a major Zerocopy library upgrade, new kernel modules, improvements to Rust’s initialization abstractions, and better diagnostics for developers.
Additional Rust work is also arriving through separate subsystem pull requests, including improvements to NVIDIA’s Nova driver and Rust graphics infrastructure. Source: Phoronix
