5 Reasons Why You Should Update Your Kernel Often

If you’re using a Linux distribution like Ubuntu or Fedora, you’re also using the Linux kernel, the core that actually makes your distribution a Linux distribution. Windows also has its own kernel that its operating systems use, but Linux is highly modular and therefore the kernel is more commonly discussed as a lot can be done with it. For example, you could take the kernel, patch it up with lots of fixes, tweak other settings, strip out everything you won’t need, and then replace your original kernel with your final product, and it will run just fine (assuming it was done right). Being able to simply replace a part with something else without issue is what makes Linux great.

But your distribution constantly asks you to update your kernel. Why should you do this when it’s been running just fine?

Security Fixes

Virtually every single kernel update will have some sort of security fixes that close up holes that have been discovered. This is probably one of the most important reasons to update your kernel, as you’ll always be safer with a patched kernel. If a hacker manages to get into the kernel, a lot of damage can be done or the system simply crashes. Those are inconveniences that are easily avoided with up-to-date kernels.

Stability Improvements

Not only do kernel updates bring with it security fixes, but it can fix other issues that could possibly make the system crash through regular use. Some people argue that constantly updating the kernel actually decreases the overall system stability because you’ll be running on a kernel that you’ve never used, so you cannot assume that it will work as well as the kernel you were previously running on. While this is also true, that margin is rather slim, and only people who run servers or other important systems really need to be cautious. For most normal consumer-type users, updating your kernel outweighs those issues by a lot.

Updated Drivers

While those were the updates you get with minor kernel updates (say 3.2.0 to 3.2.1), let’s check out some improvements you can commonly see with major updates (think 3.2 to 3.3). First of all, every major kernel update is guaranteed to include the latest open source drivers for all of your devices. Out of all the drivers being updated, the graphics drivers are probably those that you’ll notice the most, as every refresh usually adds a bit more performance. While it’s always possible to go the proprietary route, knowing that the open source drivers keep getting better and better is good too.

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