Fedora 42 On 64-bit ARM Might Make It Seamless To Run x86/x86_64 Programs

Fedora 42 is considering a proposal to enhance the experience of running x86/x86_64 applications on AArch64 systems by integrating the FEX emulator. This initiative aims to provide a seamless out-of-the-box experience for users who want to run existing x86 binaries on Fedora 42 AArch64 hosts, similar to the compatibility seen in macOS on Apple Silicon. The FEX emulator allows for the execution of x86/x86_64 Linux binaries on AArch64 hardware, facilitating the use of software that may not have native AArch64 versions. The proposal includes packaging FEX and creating a compatible root filesystem to support the emulation process. However, FEX requires a 4k page-size kernel, which is standard in Fedora but poses challenges for systems like Apple Silicon Macs that use a 16k page-size. To address this, the proposal suggests using krun to run FEX in a microVM with a 4k page-size kernel. The change proposal is pending approval from the Fedora Engineering and Steering Committee (FESCo) and could significantly improve usability for users wanting to run x86 applications on various ARM environments.

- Fedora 42 may include the FEX emulator for running x86 applications on AArch64 systems.

- The proposal aims to provide a seamless experience similar to macOS on Apple Silicon.

- FEX allows execution of x86 binaries without needing native AArch64 versions.

- The implementation will require packaging FEX and creating a compatible root filesystem.

- The proposal is awaiting approval from the Fedora Engineering and Steering Committee.