NOTICE: kpatch is now in maintenance mode - klp-build is the future

[jpoimboe]

Summary

kpatch-build functionality has been upstreamed into the Linux kernel as
klp-build, starting with Linux 6.19. As a result, kpatch is moving to maintenance mode.

Background

kpatch has served the community well for over a decade, providing a way to
build and apply live kernel patches. With klp-build now part of the upstream
kernel, the natural next step is to consolidate efforts there rather than
maintain parallel functionalities.

What's changing

• No new features will be added to kpatch
• No bug fixes for issues specific to newer kernels (6.19+) or newer toolchains
• Existing functionality for older kernels will continue to be maintained

klp-build architecture support

Architecture	Status
x86-64	Supported (Linux 6.19+)
arm64	Patches in development on LKML
ppc64le	Coming soon
s390	Coming soon
loongarch	Coming soon

What should I use?

• Linux 6.19+ on x86-64: Use klp-build
• Older kernels or other architectures: kpatch continues to work and will be minimally maintained

Questions?

Feel free to ask questions in this thread.