NixOS 26.05 Released With 20,442 New Packages, Stage 1 Now Based On systemd By Default
NixOS 26.05 has been released, introducing significant updates to the Linux distribution. This version includes over 20,000 new packages and has transitioned to using systemd by default for its stage one initrd. Additionally, it features updates to popular software such as the GNOME desktop and GCC compiler.
- ▪NixOS 26.05 added 20,442 new packages and updated 20,641 existing ones.
- ▪The release removed 17,532 outdated packages and introduced 85 new modules.
- ▪NixOS 26.05 now uses systemd by default for its stage one initrd.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
NixOS 26.05 Released With 20,442 New Packages, Stage 1 Now Based On systemd By Default Written by Michael Larabel in Operating Systems on 30 May 2026 at 10:05 AM EDT. 1 Comment NixOS 26.05 is out today as the latest version of this Linux distribution built around the Nix package manager. NixOS 26.05 with Nixpkgs added 20,442 new packages, updated 20,641 existing packages, and removed 17,532 outdated packages. NixOS 26.05 also saw 85 new modules and 1,547 configuration options added. Among the package updates are the likes of the GNOME 50 desktop and GCC 15 compiler. Beyond the many package updates, NixOS 26.05 switches its stage one initrd to using systemd by default rather than its former scripted implementation. Downloads and more details on today's NixOS 26.05 release via NixOS.org.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Phoronix.