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RAKUOS CHANGELOG: RakuOS 45 "Chojiro"

November 3, 2026 · Announcements

Period: 2026-10-17 → 2026-11-04

Commits: 161 across 18 repositories

This is everything RakuOS 45 brings over RakuOS 44, which stable users get when they move to RakuOS 45: every commit on the staging branches in the RakuOS GitLab group (https://gitlab.com/rakuos) that isn't also on main, plus the commits that landed on main since the last changelog, grouped by component. Merge commits, generated "Initial commit"s and website commits are left out, and a change applied to both branches is left out too (RakuOS 44 already has it). Some of these were listed under staging in the changelogs from 2026.10.17 on; they're repeated here so RakuOS 45 has one complete list.

For what these changes mean for you, read the RakuOS 45 release notes and rum in RakuOS 45. The highlights:

  • Package layers: rum installs into versioned, read-only layers over the image (system, local, local-rpm, override, user, devel, drivers), through a private transaction namespace, and swaps the new /usr in live. Each package layer has its own rpmdb.
  • Updates are prepared before the reboot (rum layer-prepare), with repo metadata refreshed first, a new desktop or RakuOS release included (packages reinstalled from its repos), and every deployment keeps its own layers. The boot only runs hard resets and the one-time move to package layers.
  • History and rollback: rum layer-history, rum layer-rollback, a "Package layer history" section in RakuOS System, a "previous package layers" GRUB submenu and an automatic fallback after two unfinished boots.
  • Live soft resets: rum layer-reset <layer>…|--all and rum layers; rakuos reset-overlay --soft [--layer NAME] runs live with package layers, and RakuOS System's reset dialog resets all layers or one.
  • rum override replaces or hides image packages; rum check-image checks installed packages against another image; the layers are read-only outside rum.
  • oo7 replaces GNOME Keyring as the Secret Service on every image: it starts at login, follows password changes, backs KWallet and the Secret portal on KDE (existing wallets migrated), and OpenSSH's ssh-agent starts at login in its place.
  • kmscon on text consoles tty2 to tty6, and KDE's About page shows "45 (Chojiro)". Chojiro is the new default wallpaper, with five more added.
  • Niri: Dux 2.0, a graphical shell switcher, Blueman removed. Hyprland: a greeter picker, GloView, a preview share picker, screenshots and lock in Noctalia, vertical workspace presets. COSMIC: the COSMIC Software Center frontend in place of the Qt one, RakuOS System Settings in the logo menu, cosmic-tasks removed.
  • The Software Center hides package updates that a waiting image update covers. Installer: the RakuOS Secure Boot key is enrolled reliably again on new installs.
  • Staging builds: rum, rakuos-core, RakuOS System, the Software Center and Welcome build -staging packages from their staging branches, the staging images install them, and image CI jobs got 24-hour timeouts.

Package manager & core

rum (package manager)

packages/rakuos/rakuos-rum · 29 commits

  • 2026-10-31 — Install into a package layer through a transaction namespace [12715b5]
  • 2026-10-31 — Put local RPM installs in their own layer, and record its own files [1328653]
  • 2026-10-31 — Add rum check-image: check the overlay against another image before booting it [5bd0084]
  • 2026-10-31 — Check upgrades against the running image instead of locking multilib [614c8dc]
  • 2026-10-31 — Handle relocated /opt installs with package layers [62db0d1]
  • 2026-10-31 — Keep package layers per deployment, refresh repos before layer-prepare [8c2733d]
  • 2026-10-31 — Build -staging rum packages from the staging branch [9058320]
  • 2026-10-31 — Prepare package layers for a staged image before rebooting into it [a8727df]
  • 2026-10-31 — Keep earlier package layer sets: rum layer-history and layer-rollback [cfae9a1]
  • 2026-10-31 — Package layers: live merge, generations, system/devel/drivers layers [e30d66f]
  • 2026-10-31 — Keep the booted deployment's layers.json current [ef0b15a]
  • 2026-10-31 — Add rum override: replace or remove image packages [ef66c82]
  • 2026-10-31 — Correct the help and man pages for package layers [f23c9a5]
  • 2026-11-01 — Add the local-rpm layer, keep the layers read-only outside rum, rewrite the README [d3dfd4f]
  • 2026-11-01 — Give each package layer its own rpmdb [fc094e0]
  • 2026-11-01 — Make the layer rpmdbs readable through the read-only layers mount [b5f248f]
  • 2026-11-01 — Keep a combined rpmdb of the package layers for package counters [fefbb38]
  • 2026-11-01 — origin: show the layer a package or file is in, and take paths [089db05]
  • 2026-11-01 — layer-prepare: reinstall the packages for an image with another desktop [d491a36]
  • 2026-11-02 — download: accept dnf5's --arch [3adbd1f]
  • 2026-11-02 — Run rpm's daemon and cache triggers after the layer commit [bed89aa]
  • 2026-11-02 — countme: add a countme= opt-out, time the weekly ping by its stored time [348f147]
  • 2026-11-02 — Prepare a staged image's layers again after a live change drops them [ff12df0]
  • 2026-11-02 — layer-run: stage /opt in the layer and link it like RPM installs [d66d3f3]
  • 2026-11-02 — Remove kernel module trees the image doesn't ship from new layers [56d1f32]
  • 2026-11-02 — Add rum layer-reset: soft reset package layers live, one or all [93c9b4a]
  • 2026-11-03 — layer-prepare: reinstall packages from a new release before the reboot [98f9795]
  • 2026-11-03 — layer-run: default to the local layer [a87b5f5]
  • 2026-11-03 — install: skip obsoleted packages with --skip-unavailable [fd16187]
  • 2026-11-03 — kmods: install, swap and remove the build for the image's kernel [645cccb]

rakuos-core

packages/rakuos/rakuos-core · 23 commits

  • 2026-10-31 — Add the override layer for rum's package overrides [0073822]
  • 2026-10-31 — Record the booted deployment's layers in layers/deployments too [2916217]
  • 2026-10-31 — Remove /opt links into /usr/lib/opt on resets the initrd runs [34fac28]
  • 2026-10-31 — Switch to package layers prepared for a staged image at its first boot [5141fc4]
  • 2026-10-31 — Build rakuos-core-staging from the staging branch [68b4fa7]
  • 2026-10-31 — Mount the local layer and keep its own files through soft resets [7828a48]
  • 2026-10-31 — Mount package layers read-only over /usr instead of a writable overlay [7bd7dfe]
  • 2026-10-31 — Boot each deployment with its own package layers [934d364]
  • 2026-10-31 — Fall back to the previous package layer set when a change breaks booting [bfb45cc]
  • 2026-11-01 — spec: fix %install broken by the layers mount unit [1a22463]
  • 2026-11-01 — initrd: package layers with their own rpmdb each [618e4df]
  • 2026-11-01 — initrd: tell rum's combined rpmdb from the old single rpmdb [88739f6]
  • 2026-11-01 — Keep rum's combined rpmdb through soft resets [2b112dd]
  • 2026-11-01 — Leave preparing the package layers to the bootc wrapper [97a0750]
  • 2026-11-01 — initrd: keep the desktop a deployment's layers were built for [976106e]
  • 2026-11-01 — Add the local-rpm layer and keep the package layers read-only outside rum [c84a3f2]
  • 2026-11-02 — after-image-staged: don't refresh the font cache with package layers [b438747]
  • 2026-11-02 — Add rakuos setup-davinci-resolve [10a0d05]
  • 2026-11-02 — reset-overlay: run soft resets live with package layers, per layer [7a5424d]
  • 2026-11-03 — Remove rakuos setup-lsfg-vk and the setup-stoat usage line [abb266c]
  • 2026-11-03 — Boot only runs hard resets and the move to package layers [52c251d]
  • 2026-11-03 — overlay-sync: reinstall with --skip-unavailable [a86ecc6]
  • 2026-11-03 — system-setup: move RPM Fusion off -updates-testing once [9813ace]

rakuos-release

packages/rakuos/rakuos-release · 1 commit

  • 2026-11-01 — Show the version and code name in PRETTY_NAME [559c076]

rakuos-settings

packages/rakuos/rakuos-settings · 1 commit

  • 2026-10-31 — sudoers: let wheel run rum layer-prepare without a password [a1b370d]

rakuos-wallpapers

packages/rakuos/rakuos-wallpapers · 4 commits

  • 2026-11-03 — Add the RakuOS 45 wallpapers and store the images in Git LFS [f6d27f2]
  • 2026-11-03 — Remove default.jpg, a duplicate of a named wallpaper [09a3afe]
  • 2026-11-03 — Add RakuOS-Linus, a river at dusk photographed by Linus Torvalds [af1c02b]
  • 2026-11-03 — RakuOS-Linus: use the original 2752x1536 image [22f8952]

Kernel

kernel

packages/rakuos/kernel · 1 commit

  • 2026-11-02 — Bump to CachyOS 7.3.1-1 [3f1dbdb]

kernel-deck

packages/rakuos/kernel-deck · 1 commit

  • 2026-11-02 — Bump to CachyOS 7.3.1-1 [a08f2fb]

RakuOS Apps

RakuOS System

packages/rakuos/rakuos-system · 8 commits

  • 2026-11-01 — Leave preparing the package layers to the bootc wrapper [69c26bf]
  • 2026-10-31 — Follow detached image updates through start-post [5f1a377]
  • 2026-10-31 — Prepare package layers after updating or switching the image [a3485c1]
  • 2026-10-31 — Deployments: package layer history with "Go Back to This" [b0f77cf]
  • 2026-10-31 — Build -staging rakuos-system packages from the staging branch [f8e84ce]
  • 2026-11-02 — COSMIC: size the window for the screen [94bbc1a]
  • 2026-11-02 — Reset dialog: live soft reset of every package layer or one [d3e2546]
  • 2026-11-03 — Image switch and overlay on/off: nothing waits for the next boot [b953a9d]
  • 2026-11-03 — Boot This Next: only warn about reinstalls that really happen [11138fd]

RakuOS Software (software center)

packages/rakuos/rakuos-software · 9 commits

  • 2026-10-31 — Build -staging rakuos-software packages from the staging branch [15553f2]
  • 2026-10-31 — Image updates with package layers: no kmod pre-step, wait for start-post [a7b325c]
  • 2026-10-31 — Hide package updates the image update takes care of, with layers [b99134f]
  • 2026-11-01 — Say the bootc wrapper prepares the package layers [36c703b]
  • 2026-11-01 — Read the local-rpm layer's rpmdb [a0395e4]
  • 2026-11-01 — Read the package layers' own rpmdbs [e518f67]
  • 2026-11-02 — COSMIC: open the tray window transparent and size windows for the screen [393db53]
  • 2026-11-02 — COSMIC: keep the app and its tray running when the window closes [033da35]
  • 2026-11-03 — Updates: no boot-time overlay resets with package layers [f3124d8]

RakuOS Welcome

packages/rakuos/rakuos-welcome · 5 commits

  • 2026-10-31 — Build -staging rakuos-welcome packages from the staging branch [9295032]
  • 2026-11-01 — Read the local-rpm layer's rpmdb for installed apps [1bb7fd4]
  • 2026-11-01 — Read the package layers' own rpmdbs for installed apps [1fba63f]
  • 2026-11-02 — COSMIC: size the window for the screen [7687be4]
  • 2026-11-03 — RPM Fusion toggle: never turn on the testing repos [f30873e]
  • 2026-11-03 — AppImages from download links, LM Studio as an AppImage [a5ee6b7]
  • 2026-11-03 — LM Studio: use LM Studio's own AppImage link [b1b11c5]
  • 2026-11-03 — Add Bionic, LM Studio's local AI agent, as an AppImage [ba165e2]
  • 2026-11-03 — Hide apps whose only repos are switched off [81a83db]

Installer

RakuOS Installer

packages/rakuos/rakuos-installer · 1 commit

  • 2026-10-31 — Secure Boot: drop --ignore-keyring from the installer's MOK import [4693378]

Images

rakuos-base

images/rakuos-base · 18 commits

  • 2026-10-17 — CI: run staging jobs on the RakuOS homelab runners [3a7b550]
  • 2026-10-18 — Ship oo7 as the Secret Service [0507885]
  • 2026-10-18 — CI: set the 24-hour timeout on every job [8f08e46]
  • 2026-10-18 — CI: give every job a 24-hour timeout [950080a]
  • 2026-10-18 — CI: run staging jobs on GitLab's SaaS runners again [cbb4538]
  • 2026-10-19 — Update the oo7 keyring on password changes, use kmscon on tty2-6 [15944ef]
  • 2026-10-19 — Start oo7-daemon at login for every user [5350546]
  • 2026-10-20 — Keep oo7-daemon-login's log lines off the login console [a4f87cc]
  • 2026-10-28 — Start OpenSSH's ssh-agent at login now that oo7 replaced GNOME Keyring [e9d5ecd]
  • 2026-10-31 — Install rakuos-core-staging on staging images [1f01468]
  • 2026-10-31 — Enable rakuos-layers-boot-ok.service on staging images [5500c65]
  • 2026-10-31 — Install the staging rum on staging images [c00beb8]
  • 2026-11-01 — Enable var-lib-rakuos-layers.mount on staging images [845e6c6]
  • 2026-11-01 — Enable rum-layer-repair.service on staging images [fce5e87]
  • 2026-11-01 — Wrap bootc so upgrade and switch prepare the package layers [ae4fd6a]
  • 2026-11-03 — Record only RPM Fusion's package repos, never -updates-testing [3c6c727]
  • 2026-11-04 — Install openssl3-libs alongside OpenSSL 4 [9711e5d]
  • 2026-11-04 — Link the legacy CA bundle paths Fedora 45 dropped [d2e040a]

rakuos-kde

images/rakuos-kde · 10 commits

  • 2026-10-17 — CI: run staging jobs on the RakuOS homelab runners [a15bf4f]
  • 2026-10-18 — CI: run staging jobs on GitLab's SaaS runners again [6a8ef8b]
  • 2026-10-18 — Store KDE secrets in oo7 instead of KWallet's own provider [828f16d]
  • 2026-10-19 — Use oo7 for the Secret portal on KDE [009135a]
  • 2026-10-19 — Show "45 (Chojiro)" on the KDE About page [ac94cb6]
  • 2026-10-19 — Name the oo7 Secret portal backend oo7-portal [c797ff4]
  • 2026-10-19 — Run KWallet on top of oo7 and migrate existing wallets [eb7c570]
  • 2026-10-31 — Install the staging RakuOS System on staging images [7d1ab53]
  • 2026-10-31 — Install the staging Software Center and Welcome app on staging images [8c2c51c]
  • 2026-11-03 — Default to the RakuOS 45 Chojiro wallpaper [8b181eb]

rakuos-gnome

images/rakuos-gnome · 6 commits

  • 2026-10-17 — CI: run staging jobs on the RakuOS homelab runners [6a852b5]
  • 2026-10-18 — CI: run staging jobs on GitLab's SaaS runners again [ec51235]
  • 2026-10-31 — Install the staging Software Center and Welcome app on staging images [10a3247]
  • 2026-10-31 — Install the staging RakuOS System on staging images [220ee17]
  • 2026-11-03 — Default to the RakuOS 45 Chojiro wallpaper [7fa5d5f]
  • 2026-11-03 — Ship the libreswan VPN plugin instead of the retired vpnc one [41fbd7f]

rakuos-cosmic

images/rakuos-cosmic · 11 commits

  • 2026-10-17 — CI: run staging jobs on the RakuOS homelab runners [241edcb]
  • 2026-10-18 — CI: run staging jobs on GitLab's SaaS runners again [1907226]
  • 2026-10-18 — Drop GNOME Keyring in favour of oo7 [24eace2]
  • 2026-10-18 — Remove cosmic-tasks application [53db2d9]
  • 2026-10-19 — Only import SSH_AUTH_SOCK in start-cosmic when it's set [5ba7991]
  • 2026-10-19 — Ship the COSMIC Software Center frontend instead of the Qt one [ca55f70]
  • 2026-10-21 — Drop the start-cosmic patch from the image build [928fe79]
  • 2026-10-25 — add RakuOS System Settings to the CosmicExtAppletLogoMenu [17d58a9]
  • 2026-10-31 — Install the staging Software Center and Welcome app on staging images [7acb793]
  • 2026-10-31 — Install the staging RakuOS System on staging images [d2e1404]
  • 2026-11-03 — Default to the RakuOS 45 Chojiro wallpaper [cda4480]

rakuos-niri

images/rakuos-niri · 14 commits

  • 2026-10-17 — CI: run staging jobs on the RakuOS homelab runners [48857fd]
  • 2026-10-18 — Drop GNOME Keyring in favour of oo7 [2d3db8f]
  • 2026-10-18 — CI: run staging jobs on GitLab's SaaS runners again [3c1ccf0]
  • 2026-10-18 — Fix: replace xwayland-sattelite [42b16fe]
  • 2026-10-18 — Remove xwayland-satellite [5ab2dfc]
  • 2026-10-18 — Revert xwayland changes [611db85]
  • 2026-10-18 — Fix: remove comment [f8b02bc]
  • 2026-10-19 — Add new gui shell switcher [5c718f5]
  • 2026-10-21 — Update to dms 2.0 [07a9cef]
  • 2026-10-24 — Remove blueman [5dff692]
  • 2026-10-24 — Fix config conflicts [fce7b26]
  • 2026-10-31 — Install the staging Software Center and Welcome app on staging images [68402a7]
  • 2026-10-31 — Install the staging RakuOS System on staging images [a8f95a4]
  • 2026-11-03 — Default to the RakuOS 45 Chojiro wallpaper [db7cbea]

rakuos-hyprland

images/rakuos-hyprland · 9 commits

  • 2026-10-17 — CI: run staging jobs on the RakuOS homelab runners [241ad58]
  • 2026-10-18 — CI: run staging jobs on GitLab's SaaS runners again [fa643d6]
  • 2026-10-20 — Add greeter picker, float both pickers, space selects in prune [595a77f]
  • 2026-10-20 — Pin quickshell-git for DMS, keep runtime on prune, fix SDDM cursor and keyboard [a76c4f1]
  • 2026-10-21 — Enable GloView, use preview share picker, move screenshots and lock to Noctalia, drop cliphist watcher, fix rules and wallpaper folder [d8aba6a]
  • 2026-10-24 — Add vertical workspace presets and update monitor, window sizing, and Dux greeter labels [bd82d4a]
  • 2026-10-31 — Install the staging Software Center and Welcome app on staging images [5f62501]
  • 2026-10-31 — Install the staging RakuOS System on staging images [ba07156]
  • 2026-11-03 — Default to the RakuOS 45 Chojiro wallpaper [be796ab]

rakuos-gamescope

images/rakuos-gamescope · 4 commits

  • 2026-10-17 — CI: run staging jobs on the RakuOS homelab runners [4b0a38b]
  • 2026-10-18 — CI: run staging jobs on GitLab's SaaS runners again [2925fb2]
  • 2026-10-18 — CI: set the 24-hour timeout on every job [387854f]
  • 2026-10-18 — CI: give every job a 24-hour timeout [fc04178]

Thanks

To the staging testers who booted every one of these images and told us what broke, and to the Fedora Project for Fedora 45.