[News from Armbian] - Github Highlights

This week's work centers on release pipeline modernization, desktop and userland refinements, and board and kernel platform maintenance.

On the release and CI side, the build matrix gained codename parameterisation with Ubuntu 26.04 "resolute" set as default, a dedicated Bianbu target, and exposed map overrides, while standard-support targets now include UEFI desktops and a plain cloud variant. The KDE fast-HDMI matrix was switched from kde-neon to kde-plasma, mesa-vpu was dropped from auto-attached extensions, and external CI now skips slots with a warning when upstream sources break. Supporting fixes route forky/loong64 base-files lookups to the main archive and add AI cover image generation to the blog workflow.

Desktop and userland changes focus on the Bianbu environment, where PVR DRI was enabled, detection corrected, menu entries added, systemd suspend re-enabled on K1, and gnome-initial-setup purged post-install. Broader fixes pass --allow-downgrades on pinned package installs, align LAN/WAN labels across IPv4 and IPv6 rows in the MOTD, harden console-width handling against invalid COLUMNS values, and correct output to /etc/armbian-image-release.

Platform support sees explicit ARCH=arm64 declarations on five inheriting boards, validate-board-config now following inheritance from ${SRC}/config/boards, and targeted fixes for imx8m binman hooks and rockchip family tweaks under forky (addgroup → groupadd). Kernel and DTS work restores 6.18.y on sm8550, syncs CAINIAO CNIoT-CORE DTS from 6.18 to 6.12, disables broken drm/xe patches under uefi-loong64-7.0, and improves the SMART AM40 and Retroid Pocket board definitions. AX210 firmware lands for mainline, and Seeed Studio reComputer images join the catalogue.

#Armbian #EmbeddedLinux #ARM64 #Rockchip #Ubuntu #KDE #Mainline

Changes

• Add AX210 firmware for mainline kernel. by @ginkage in armbian/firmware#126
• Add Seeed Studio reComputer board images and vendor logo. by @baorepo in armbian/armbian.github.io#297
• boards: declare ARCH=arm64 explicitly on five inheriting boards. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/build#9747
• ci/external: skip slot with warning when upstream source breaks. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/armbian.github.io#301
• ci/maintenance-unit-tests: list docker state on the runner. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/configng#903
• desktops/bianbu: enable PVR DRI, fix detection, add menu entries. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/configng#897
• desktops/bianbu: purge gnome-initial-setup after install. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/configng#902
• desktops/bianbu: re-enable systemd suspend on K1. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/configng#900
• desktops: pass --allow-downgrades on pinned package install. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/configng#899
• DTS: Sync CAINIAO CNIoT-CORE from 6.18 to 6.12. by @retro98boy in armbian/build#9736
• Fix workflow bugs and add AI cover image generation. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/armbian.github.io#298
• fix: rename imx8m bare hook so binman pkg_resources patch can run. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/build#9752
• fix: rockchip family_tweaks fails on forky — addgroup → groupadd. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/build#9753
• fix: route forky/loong64 base-files lookups to the main archive. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/armbian.github.io#299
• fixing output to /etc/armbian-image-release. by @dittodhole in armbian/build#9729
• Handle invalid data in COLUMNS env var when determining console width. by @scollinson in armbian/build#9631
• kernel: add linux-initramfs-tool as dep of linux-image package. by @amazingfate in armbian/build#9731
• motd/20-ip-info: align (LAN)/(WAN) labels across IPv4 + IPv6 rows. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/build#9728
• os-info: add Ubuntu 26.04 (resolute). by @igorpecovnik in armbian/imager#134
• patch: disable broken drm/xe patches under uefi-loong64-7.0. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/build#9745
• release-targets/standard-support.manual: add UEFI desktops + plain cloud. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/armbian.github.io#304
• release-targets: codename parameterisation, resolute default, Bianbu target, exposed.map overrides. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/armbian.github.io#295
• release-targets: drop mesa-vpu from auto-attached extensions. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/armbian.github.io#302
• release-targets: switch fast-HDMI KDE matrix from kde-neon to kde-plasma. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/armbian.github.io#303
• Retroidpocket: fix current and add edge as target. by @EvilOlaf in armbian/build#9724
• sm8550: Restore kernel 6.18.y for current and edge branch. by @kasimling in armbian/build#9737
• SMART AM40 improve. by @retro98boy in armbian/build#9735
• userpatches: skip jammy in items-from-inventory. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/os#460
• validate-board-config: follow source ${SRC}/config/boards inheritance. by @igorpecovnik in armbian/build#9748

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