Fedora is calling for community testing ahead of the Fedora 45 release, highlighting major system-level changes that need real-hardware validation: RPM 6.1 (with enforced signature checking and DNF configs moving to /usr), a major OpenSSL 4.0 version bump, boot/live media rebuilt from scratch with image-builder, kmscon replacing fbcon as the default kernel VT console, and Python 3.15. A schedule of test days is planned, starting with GNOME 51 Desktop (August 17-21), followed by an i18n test week, RPM 6.1, installation media, KDE, Cockpit, and GRUB EFI/Confidential Computing events. Instructions are given for participating via a Fedora Account, the test day app, and Matrix chat, plus how to propose new test days or contribute ongoing testing through the fedora-easy-karma CLI tool.
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Why we need community testingWhat we’re planning for F45What kind of testing helps mostPropose a test dayTesting beyond test daysLinksQuestions this post answers
What changes in RPM 6.1 for Fedora 45 that I should test before upgrading?
RPM 6.1 in Fedora 45 enforces signature checking and relocates DNF repo configs to /usr. It also restores NSS support for user/group lookups, fixes queries during transactions, adds new macro modifiers for packagers, and improves rpmkeys verification output. Since RPM touches nearly everything, Fedora QA is running a dedicated test day to catch regressions before general release. Track packaging-level changes like this RPM update on daily.dev before they hit your Fedora upgrade.
When is the GNOME 51 test day for Fedora 45?
The GNOME 51 Desktop test day for Fedora 45 runs from August 17 to August 21, covering desktop, graphics, peripherals, and core applications. It is the first scheduled test day in the Fedora 45 cycle, with participation open to anyone using a virtual machine or physical hardware, no QA expertise required. Follow Fedora release testing milestones like this on daily.dev to time your own upgrade.
What replaces fbcon as the default kernel VT console in Fedora 45?
kmscon replaces fbcon as the default kernel virtual terminal console in Fedora 45. This change is among several system-level updates planned for the release, alongside RPM 6.1, OpenSSL 4.0, Python 3.15, and boot/live media rebuilt with image-builder, all of which are undergoing dedicated community test days before launch. Keep tabs on low-level Fedora console and boot changes like this on daily.dev before you upgrade.