New features

There are two major new APIs around configuring mutability and persistence of the root filesystem.

First, OSTree gained support for a new root.transient flag that makes / an overlayfs that is persistent across reboots but not across upgrades. This makes the system behave a bit more similarly to e.g. Docker and following tools such as podman and Kubernetes.

• prepare-root: Add support for root.transient by @cgwalters in #3114
• Doc root transient by @cgwalters in #3117

There is a different approach in the (still classified as experimental) ostree-state-overlay@.service unit:

• Add concept of state overlays by @jlebon in #3120

This approach instead allows operating systems or downstream builders to choose to apply persistent merge semantics to specific targeted directories (e.g. /opt).

Notable bugfixes

• prepare-root: Fix composefs + ostree admin unlock --hotfix compat by @cgwalters in #3129
• lib/deploy: Round to block size in early prune space check by @jlebon in #3130
• • status: Pass correct remote name when verifying by @cgwalters in #3131

Other misc changes

• Release 2023.8 by @cgwalters in #3111

• Update Torizon information by @leonheldattoradex in #3112

• doc: Add section about ostree and bootloaders by @jmarrero in #3116

• Link to gardenlinux/ostree-image-builder in README by @fwilhe in #3121

• deploy: Log calculated needed space by @cgwalters in #3123

• rust: Add missing feature versions by @cgwalters in #3124

• switchroot: Be explicit about what could cause /sysroot to be ro by @ericcurtin in #3125

• zipl: A few fixes by @cgwalters in #3119

• docs/composefs: Add note about toplevel dirs by @cgwalters in #3127

• switchroot: use shared constant for unlock --hotfix by @cgwalters in #3128

• status: Fix build without GPGME by @ericcurtin in #3132

• systemd/ostree-boot-complete: Start earlier by @cgwalters in #3133

• status: Introduce tool to quickly check if we are booted as default by @ericcurtin in #3134

• status: Rename query-booted to is-default by @ericcurtin in #3136

• doc: Add section about ostree and aboot by @ericcurtin in #3135

New Contributors

• @leonheldattoradex made their first contribution in #3112
• @fwilhe made their first contribution in #3121

Full Changelog: v2023.8...v2024.1