There has been discussions with-in the development circles regarding a potential integration of Web3 functionalities into the mainline kernel. Exploring the feasibility of incorporating features like decentralised application (dApp) support and smart contract execution directly into the kernel.

Early proposals suggest leveraging the NPUs in new processor families for secure on chain data validation within the kernel space. This means better fraud protection by validating signatures while booting up using the zk-SNARK cryptographic proof.

The developers at Linux Fundaytion notes that this plan requires extensive re-architecture of the codebase. They say that after this, Linux would only run supported systems with dedicated NPU and will simply refuse to boot on other systems, making a significant breakthrough in system security.

The timeline for the proposed changes have already been laid out. With chip manufactures already including dedicated NPUs, developers now have more freedom than ever. Linux communities have always welcomed Web3 technologies like NFT, dApp games etc. and with the kernel integration, Linux will be making a huge leap into the future. One developer put it aptly, “Imagine running my own ETH node directly within Linux kernel.”

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