Arnd Bergmann's new patch lets the Linux kernel default to the GNU11 dialect, enabling modern C99/C11 features, with Linus Torvalds' backing, and the change is set to be tested in the upcoming v5.18 release.
The Linux kernel community announced an upgrade from the decades‑old C89 standard to C11 after a subtle bug in the list_for_each_entry macro, exposed by a speculative‑execution vulnerability study, convinced Linus Torvalds to modernize the kernel’s C language version.
The Linux kernel, long stuck on the 1989 C89 standard, will upgrade to C11 starting with the 5.18 release, a change driven by a subtle bug in list traversal macros and Linus Torvalds' decision after community discussion.
The Linux kernel community is debating moving from the outdated C89 standard to a modern C standard—likely C11—for the upcoming 5.18 release, driven by bug fixes, macro safety concerns, and support from key developers.
