Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8.1.0 includes updates to our llvm-toolset, go-toolset, and rust-toolset application streams, which provide developers with up-to-date versions of these compiler toolchains. The upstream projects for these streams move very quickly with new feature releases every six months for LLVM and Go, and every six weeks (!) for Rust. The communities around these toolchains encourage users to users to always stay up-to-date with the latest releases, which is why we try to get new versions into Red Hat Enterprise Linux as quickly as we can.
From a support perspective, we will continue to support these application streams for the entire life of RHEL 8. We will provide new features and bug fixes within the stream by updating to newer upstream releases on a regular basis. For llvm-toolset and go-toolset, you can expect stream updates every six months, and for rust-toolset you can expect updates every three months.
The Go and Rust languages continue to evolve and add new features with each compiler update, which is why so many users are interested in getting the latest versions of the compilers. At the same time, these compilers are designed to remain compatible with older code. So, even as we advance to newer versions of Go and Rust within the RHEL 8 application streams, you should not need to update your codebase to keep it compilable. Once you've compiled your valid code using the Go or Rust application stream, you can make the assumption that it will continue to compile with that stream for the full life of RHEL 8.
We are excited to continue to bring you the latest and greatest in new compiler technologies. Stay tuned to the Red Hat Developer blog to learn more about what you can do with LLVM, Go, and Rust.
Last updated: July 1, 2020