NetBSD 11 lands with RISC-V support and lightning-fast VM boots
Venerable Unix-like remains reassuringly old-school, if you're willing to put in the work
NetBSD's 19th major version, 11.0, launched in July following a 30-year journey. This release introduces 64-bit RISC-V support, enhanced Linux compatibility, and a MICROVM kernel capable of booting in mere milliseconds. The project, known for its stability and minimalist approach, offers a refreshing contrast to the rapidly evolving Linux landscape.
With support for 64 platforms, including x86-32, x86-64, Arm32, Arm64, MIPS, and PowerPC, NetBSD 11.0 also boasts 52 platforms with Tier II support. The new kernel enables 32-bit and 64-bit x86 guests to boot in approximately 10 milliseconds on 2020-era processors.
RISC-V support extends to QEMU, while the virt68k port allows the Motorola 68000 version of NetBSD to run under QEMU with paravirtualized devices. Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite systems are now supported, and the npf firewall has been improved. NetBSD remains a versatile operating system, suitable for functioning as a Xen host or guest, and it can run as a server or support Linux binaries.
NetBSD offers a range of desktop environments, from LXDE to GNOME, and presents numerous minimal window managers. Although it requires more manual configuration than typical Linux distributions, NetBSD provides the SDF public-access Unix system and packages many FOSS applications. Its community is welcoming and supportive of newcomers interested in contributing code and learning Unix skills.
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- NetBSD 11 lands with RISC-V support and lightning-fast VM boots theregister.com
