Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9.5 is officially available, and this release brings a suite of enhancements tailored to make developers’ lives easier. With a focus on simplicity and efficiency, RHEL 9.5 is designed to reduce complexities, letting developers focus on building robust applications across multiple deployment environments, including physical, virtual, cloud, and edge infrastructures. RHEL 9.5 offers various updated languages, databases, tools, and security measures, ensuring developers have everything they need to create high-performing applications.
Key Enhancements in RHEL 9.5 for Developers
Latest Language Runtimes, Databases, and Tools
RHEL 9.5 introduces several updated programming languages and database versions, optimized for application development. This release includes PostgreSQL 16, Node.js 22, JDK 17, and other valuable updates, making it easier for developers to work with advanced features and improved performance.
PostgreSQL 16 with pgvector Extension
RHEL 9.5 brings PostgreSQL 16 to the table, with the inclusion of the pgvector extension. This enhancement allows PostgreSQL to handle AI-driven tasks efficiently, leveraging vector search capabilities within databases. This feature is valuable for developers working on AI workloads.
Node.js 22
The latest version of Node.js, Node.js 22, is now included. With an upgraded V8 JavaScript engine (v12.4), developers can expect enhanced performance and new JavaScript features that facilitate application scalability and optimization.
JDK 17 as the Default Java Version
Java JDK 17 has become the new default for RHEL 9.5, although JDK 11 remains available for those who need it. JDK 17 supports newer language features and performance optimizations, helping developers work with the latest Java standards.
HTTPD 2.4.62
RHEL 9.5 includes HTTPD 2.4.62, bringing enhancements such as:
- The ability to reuse LDAP connections for error-free performance.
- Improved log rotation with the
-Toption. - Enhanced SSL support for better configuration in MariaDB.
.NET 9
The latest .NET 9 version is also integrated into RHEL 9.5, providing upgraded SDKs (C# 13, F# 8), OpenAPI support, improved JSON handling, and other tools that improve .NET development workflows.
Upgraded Toolsets and Compilers
RHEL 9.5 supports the latest versions of key toolsets and compilers, helping developers optimize their code and streamline processes.
Rust 1.79
Rust 1.79 in RHEL 9.5 introduces inline constant expressions, enhanced lifetime management, and other features, making Rust development more efficient and secure.
GCC 14
GCC-toolset 14 in RHEL 9.5 comes with many new capabilities for Intel and ARM architecture support, improved linker syntax, and partial support for C23 and C++26 features.
LLVM 18
LLVM 18 supports multiple architectures and includes a new code model attribute, which enhances performance across AMDGPU, PowerPC, and other hardware.
Go 1.22
Go 1.22 introduces improvements in loop variable handling, optimized inlining, and profile-guided optimization support. Additionally, go get no longer supports GOPATH mode, aligning with modern Go project structures.
Security and Compliance Enhancements
Security is a top priority in RHEL 9.5, and this release introduces features to help developers secure applications and data.
SSH Key Size Customization
Developers can now control SSH key sizes using SSH_RSA_BITS and SSH_ECDSA_BITS, enhancing customizability and security during deployments.
Pre-Hardened RHEL Images
RHEL 9.5 enables pre-hardened image configurations, allowing developers to deploy Zero Trust-based environments right out of the box.
Confidential Computing for AI Workloads
With the rise of AI, RHEL 9.5 now supports confidential computing, isolating sensitive AI workload data from other system data, ensuring secure data handling across development pipelines.
Enhanced Workload Support
RHEL 9.5 is built to support high-performance workloads, particularly for applications like SAP HANA and cloud-based services.
SAP HANA Index Server Crash Detection
RHEL 9.5 can now detect SAP HANA index server crashes, improving reliability for scale-out and scale-in DBMS clusters. This functionality helps to minimize downtime by automating failovers in SAP HANA environments.
High Availability (HA) on Azure Government Cloud
RHEL 9.5 now supports HA clusters on Azure Government Cloud, allowing developers to build secure, scalable applications in environments that meet stringent government compliance standards.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Containers
RHEL 9.5 enhances container management tools, notably with an update to Podman 5.0, which brings new options for creating multi-architecture images and improved systemd integration for container service management.
Podman 5.0
The Podman 5.0 update includes several useful features:
- Multi-architecture container images.
- Auto-generation of systemd service files via Quadlet.
- Enhanced support for zstdcompression, improving image transfer speeds.
- Support for FIPS mode, making it easier to create compliant container images for secure environments.
RHEL 10 Beta and Bootc-Image-Builder
RHEL 9.5 introduces the RHEL 10 beta image in the Red Hat Container Registry, allowing developers to test latency and other performance metrics in a containerized setup. Additionally, bootc-image-builder now supports custom kickstart files, enabling developers to customize and automate installation processes.
Identity Management (IdM) in RHEL 9.5
RHEL 9.5 strengthens Identity Management (IdM) with updates to the python-jwcrypto package and the introduction of the ipa-migrate command. The update enhances IdM-to-IdM migrations, making it easier for developers to move identity data between environments.
Ansible-FreeIPA Enhancements
With the updated ansible-freeipa package (v1.13.2), developers can now manage users, groups, and hosts more dynamically. This update allows multiple Identity Management operations in a single task, improving efficiency and reducing repetitive code.
System Roles and High Availability in RHEL 9.5
RHEL 9.5 simplifies system roles with a new ha_cluster role and improved storage role for Stratis pools. These updates make it easier for developers to configure and manage highly available systems.
ha_cluster System Role
This system role allows developers to configure HA attributes, such as node addresses, node utilization, and SBD options, enhancing cluster management capabilities.
Storage Role for Stratis Pools
With added support for Stratis pools, developers can now automate storage configurations in RHEL HA clusters, making storage management more streamlined and integrated within the system role framework.
