Skip to content

blog: add PR links to Agama 19 release post #155

New issue

Have a question about this project? Sign up for a free GitHub account to open an issue and contact its maintainers and the community.

Sign up for GitHub

By clicking “Sign up for GitHub”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy statement. We’ll occasionally send you account related emails.

Already on GitHub? Sign in to your account

Merged
mvidner merged 3 commits into from
Mar 23, 2026
Merged

blog: add PR links to Agama 19 release post #155

Changes from all commits
Commits
Show all changes
3 commits
Select commit Hold shift + click to select a range
b93d9fc
blog: add PR links to Agama 19 release post
mvidner Mar 20, 2026
aef6ee8
fix link of network UI: the previous one pointed to the unfinished ag…
mvidner Mar 20, 2026
e8fe67a
improved hyperlinks
mvidner Mar 22, 2026
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension
Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
80 changes: 51 additions & 29 deletions blog/2026-03-20-agama-19.mdx
View file
Open in desktop
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -28,7 +28,10 @@ installation are built on top of that generic API.
But previous versions of Agama were full of quirks that didn't allow us to define an API that
would match our quality standards as a solid foundation to build a simple but comprehensive
installer. Agama 19 represents a quite significant architectural overhaul, needed to leave all those
quirks behind and to define mechanisms that can be the cornerstone for any future development.
quirks behind and to define mechanisms that can be the cornerstone for any future development
(see
[#2951](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/2951) and
[#2998](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/2998)).

Of course, such a drastic change opens the door for potential bugs. Your testing, feedback and kind
bug reports will help us to consolidate the new mechanisms in upcoming Agama versions.
Expand All @@ -46,28 +49,38 @@ interface or the Agama command-line tools.
Having a better API enabled us to adjust the web user interface to be closer to our original vision.
We still have a long way to go in our road to a fully usable interface but the new navigation
experience, based on a better overview page and a more useful confirmation dialog, sets the direction
to follow.
to follow
(see
[#2988](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/2988),
[#3009](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3009) and
[#3025](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3025)).

![Agama overview page](../static/img/blog/2026-03-20/overview.png)

Although most configuration sections remain similar to previous versions of Agama, we plan to revamp
some of them. The process has already started for the sections to configure iSCSI, DASD, zFCP and
network.
some of them. The process has already started for the sections to configure
[iSCSI](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3064),
[DASD](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3128),
[zFCP](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3235) and
[network](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/2900).

Regarding network, there are two important changes. On the one hand, now the user interface
dynamicaly reacts to changes in the underlying system. For instance, when a new cable is plugged in
or when a new WiFi adapter is connected. On the other hand, now it is possible to define new
dynamicaly reacts to changes in the underlying system.
For instance, when a new cable is plugged in or when a new WiFi adapter is connected
(see [#3285](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3285)).
On the other hand,
now it is possible to define new
ethernet connections. That is very relevant in installation scenarios with several network adapters
that need to be configured in different ways. For example, where one network is used to access
storage devices and another one is used to reach the installation repositories.

![New network section](../static/img/blog/2026-03-20/network.png)

The web user interface also got a new option to download the current installer configuration in the
JSON format used by the Agama command line tools and for unattended installation. That is the first
step to turn the web interface into a useful learning and prototyping tool for more advanced
scenarios, although this new functionality could benefit from several usability improvements. Stay
tuned.
The web user interface also got a [new option to download](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3256)
the current installer configuration in the JSON format used by the Agama command line tools and for
unattended installation. That is the first step to turn the web interface into a useful learning
and prototyping tool for more advanced scenarios, although this new functionality could benefit from
several usability improvements. Stay tuned.

![Downloading Agama configuration](../static/img/blog/2026-03-20/config.png)

Expand All @@ -90,18 +103,22 @@ that is out of the scope of Agama.

Thus, we decided to use the architectural revamp as an opportunity to replace those YaST parts with
simpler implementations that will allow us to evolve faster in the future. Agama 19 includes its own
management of users and, even more important and ambitious, its own management of software including
the registration of SUSE Linux Enterprise and associated products and extensions.
management of [users](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/2937) and, even more important and
ambitious, its own management of [software](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/1829) including
the registration of SUSE Linux Enterprise and associated products and extensions (see
[#2915](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/2915),
[#2978](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/2978) and
[#2982](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/2982)).

## Installation modes {#modes}

But Agama 19 does not only bring restructuring and rewrites, it also comes with a bunch of new
functionality, like the new ability to install some distributions in different so-called
installation modes.
[installation modes](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3086).

When installing the experimental pre-releases of SLES 16.1 or the corresponding version of SLES for
SAP Applications, now it is possible to select between the Standard and the Immutable modes. See the
following screenshot for details.
SAP Applications, now it is possible
to select between the Standard and the Immutable modes. See the following screenshot for details.

![Installation modes for SLES 16.1](../static/img/blog/2026-03-20/modes.png)

Expand All @@ -117,29 +134,34 @@ Agama that are, at least for now, only accessible using the JSON configuration.
features available for users of the command-line interface and of unattended installations.

Probably, the most awaited of those new features is the ability to install into an existing LVM
volume group. When doing so, it is possible to create new logical volumes within the pre-existing
volume group and it is also possible to reuse, delete or resize the existing logical volumes. Agama
19 even allows to add new physical volumes to an existing volume group as part of the process. Most
of those capabilities will soon be added to the web user interface.
volume group (see [#3210](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3210)). When doing so, it is
possible to create new logical volumes within the pre-existing volume group and it is also possible
to reuse, delete or resize the existing logical volumes. Agama 19 even allows to add new physical
volumes to an existing volume group as part of the process. Most of those capabilities will soon be
added to the web user interface.

We also extended the configuration of the boot loader with a new setting `updateNvram` that, when
disabled, prevents the boot loader updates of the persistent RAM (NVRAM). That is an expert feature
that was requested by several users to handle broken firmwares or network setups.
We also extended the configuration of the boot loader with a new setting `updateNvram` (see
[#3185](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3185)) that, when disabled, prevents the boot
loader updates of the persistent RAM (NVRAM). That is an expert feature that was requested by
several users to handle broken firmwares or network setups.

Last but not least, now it is possible to specify several SSH public keys to authenticate the root
user and also to use SSH keys as authentication mechanism for the non-root user created by Agama.
Last but not least, now it is possible to specify [several SSH public keys](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3274)
to authenticate the root user and also to use SSH keys as authentication mechanism for the non-root
user created by Agama.

## Many changes in the installation media {#media}

As you can see, Agama 19 is quite a significant release. But there is room for many things in four
months, even to work beyond Agama itself. During this time we also incorporated several changes to
the live ISO that most of you use to execute Agama.

@ancorgs ancorgs Mar 20, 2026 •
edited
Loading

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Contributor

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

NP: I would not put the link in this first paragraph (that is kind of an introduction) but in the next one that lists the concrete changes.

Having said so, it is true this section is based on agama-project/agama#3210 and agama-project/agama#2923. But also on agama-project/agama#3185, which was not referenced.


Those changes include several improvements in the boot menu (like better support for serial
console or adapted timeouts), dropping the "Boot from Disk" option in most architectures,
Those changes include several improvements in the boot menu (like better support for [serial
console](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3192)
or [adapted timeouts](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/3185)),
dropping the "Boot from Disk" option in most architectures,
unifying the location of kernel and initramfs between the different architectures and a new boot
argument `live.net_config_tui=1` to trigger `nmtui` (an interactive network configuration tool) before
Agama starts.
argument `live.net_config_tui=1` (see [#2923](https://github.com/agama-project/agama/pull/2923)) to trigger
`nmtui` (an interactive network configuration tool) before Agama starts.

## Back to regular speed {#conclusion}

Expand Down
Loading