The NixOS project has released version 25.11, codenamed Xantusia, featuring the Linux 6.12 LTS kernel and GNOME 49 desktop environment. This update, arriving six months after NixOS 25.05, adds 7,002 new packages and introduces support for COSMIC Beta and FirewallD. It also includes various toolchain updates and new services for users.
NixOS 25.11 became available for download on November 30, 2025, as a major update to the independent GNU/Linux distribution. Powered by the long-term supported Linux 6.12 LTS kernel series, the release introduces the latest GNOME 49 desktop environment and support for System76’s Rust-based COSMIC Beta desktop environment.
Key additions include support for the FirewallD firewall, configurable as a standalone service or backend to existing networking.firewall options. The update also brings rEFInd graphical boot manager support for UEFI systems and Secure Boot for the Limine bootloader. Developers introduced nixos-rebuild-ng, a full Python rewrite of nixos-rebuild, along with a new backend option for networking.firewall.
The release removes all Qt 5-based versions of KDE Gear, Plasma, Maui, and Deepin, urging migration to KDE Plasma 6 and KDE Gear 25.08. It features nixos-init, a Rust-based bashless initialization system for systemd initrd, enabling builds without interpreters. Toolchain updates encompass LLVM 21, GCC 14, and CMake 4, with Syncthing 2.0.0 and PostgreSQL 17 included.
Starting with NixOS 25.11, the NetworkManager module omits default VPN plugins, requiring explicit configuration in networking.networkmanager.plugins. The release adds 7,002 new packages and numerous services. Live ISO images with GNOME are available for x86_64 and AArch64 systems, alongside a Minimal ISO flavor, downloadable from the official website.