DNF 5.4 Released With New Download Options and AI Policy

DNF 5.4 is out today as the latest release for this next-generation RPM package management solution used by Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and various other RPM-based Linux distributions.

New Download Options for Debug Packages

The most practical additions in DNF 5.4 are the new command-line flags for downloading debug packages. The --debugsource flag allows users to download debug source packages rather than the regular packages, while --debuginfo downloads debuginfo packages instead of the standard binaries. These additions streamline the workflow for developers and system administrators who need to analyze crashes or debug applications, eliminating the need for separate package searches or manual configuration.

Local Repository Plugin

A new "local" plugin has been introduced that automatically copies all downloaded packages to a local repository. This feature is particularly useful for system administrators managing multiple machines or creating offline installation environments. The plugin simplifies the process of maintaining local package mirrors and can significantly reduce bandwidth usage when deploying updates across several systems.

Enhanced Plugin Architecture

The libdnf5 plugins code now supports loading plugins from multiple configuration directories. This architectural improvement provides greater flexibility for system administrators and distribution maintainers who need to manage plugins across different environments or organizational requirements.

Musl Libc Support

DNF 5.4 adds support for musl libc as an alternative to glibc. This is a significant development for distributions targeting embedded systems, containers, or security-conscious environments where musl's smaller footprint and different security model are advantageous. The inclusion of musl support demonstrates DNF's commitment to serving diverse Linux ecosystems beyond traditional desktop and server deployments.

AI Contributions Policy

An AI contributions policy has been adopted from Fedora's guidelines. The policy allows AI assistance in development as long as there is accountability and transparency. This measured approach acknowledges the growing role of AI tools in software development while maintaining human oversight and responsibility for code quality and security.

Availability

Downloads and more details on DNF 5.4 are available via GitHub.

The release represents a balanced update that addresses both practical system administration needs and modern development practices, while maintaining DNF's core mission of reliable package management for RPM-based distributions.