Linus Torvalds, the visionary behind the Linux kernel, has officially closed the merge window for the upcoming Linux 6.16 kernel, signaling the commencement of the release candidate phase. Traditionally, this window served as a pivotal period for integrating significant new features into the kernel. Following the release of Linux 6.15 just two weeks ago, developers were afforded the chance to enrich the Linux 6.16 kernel with additional innovations. The inaugural release candidate, designated as Linux 6.16-rc1, is now available.