We’ve all grown so used to Linus Torvalds being there for every new Linux kernel release that it almost feels like a permanent, unchanging fact. But as you know, life is unpredictable, and having a plan for every scenario is simply the sensible thing to do, especially in a project as important as this.
With that said, the Linux kernel has quietly gained a new piece of documentation that answers a very interesting question most people never ask out loud: what happens if Linus Torvalds can no longer continue his role in kernel development?
The continuity document was authored by Dan Williams, a longtime Linux kernel maintainer at Intel, involved in Linux ecosystem coordination through the Linux Foundation’s Technical Advisory Board for years.
The change does not touch any code. Instead, it adds a short document describing how the project would handle leadership and decision-making in an exceptional situation where its long-time lead maintainer becomes unavailable. In other words, the goal is continuity, not reform.
As you know, for decades Linus Torvalds has acted as the final authority on the Linux kernel changes, while hundreds of maintainers oversee individual subsystems. That model has worked largely on trust, custom, and long-standing practice, with very little written down about what happens at the top.
The newly added text puts that implicit understanding into words. It makes clear that the kernel is not meant to stall or fracture if one person steps away. Responsibility would remain with the existing maintainer community, using the same processes that already govern development today.
Additionally, the document outlines a concrete response process for exceptional incidents. It calls for a meeting to be convened within 72 hours, involving maintainers who participated in the most recent Kernel Maintainers Summit. If no such summit has taken place in the past 15 months, responsibility for convening the meeting falls to the Linux Foundation’s Technical Advisory Board.
The change was merged directly by Linus into the main kernel tree without fanfare or comment, as it is now part of the official Linux kernel documentation.
Finally, just to recall, if such a situation arises, it would not be unprecedented, as there has already been a similar case. In 2018, Linux 4.18 was released with Greg Kroah-Hartman listed as the author, while Linus Torvalds temporarily stepped away as development continued without disruption.
