Hi, I did the following: - checked the signatures and checksums - built from source - ran the tests - Tested Docker Images: -- can start -- can create topics - ran quickstart - ran sample apps with consumer groups - checked Java client interaction from artifacts (admin, producer, consumer and streams) - checked Tiered Storage offloads to remote storage (with Aiven's plugin) - checked Kafka Connect
Verified on Linux with JDK 21 +1 (binding) On Tue, May 12, 2026 at 5:31 PM Lucas Brutschy via dev <[email protected]> wrote: > +1 (non-binding) > > Verified on macOS arm64, JDK 17: > > * GPG signatures and SHA512 checksums for source, binary, and > site-docs tarballs > * LICENSE/NOTICE present > * Built source with ./gradlew jar — BUILD SUCCESSFUL > * git tag 4.2.1-rc4 commit matches the shipped jar's > kafka-version.properties commitId > * KRaft quickstart: format --standalone, broker start, > topic/produce/consume > * KIP-1071 streams group: ran WordCountDemo with > group.protocol=streams; logs show StreamsGroupHeartbeatRequestManager > and counts aggregate correctly across rounds. Exercised > kafka-streams-groups.sh --list/--describe/--members/--state/--offsets/ > --verbose; --reset-offsets correctly rejected while Stable, accepted > once Empty > * Docker images apache/kafka and apache/kafka-native: both start, > produce/consume works against each, commitId matches the tag > * Documentation, javadoc, protocol, release-notes, and GitHub tag URLs > all reachable > * Maven staging artifacts present with Last-Modified matching the rc4 > tag date > * Did not rerun the full test suite locally; relied on the linked > Apache CI run > > Thanks PoAn for running the release! > > On Tue, May 12, 2026 at 2:14 PM PoAn Yang <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Hello Kafka users, developers and client-developers, > > > > This is the second candidate for release of Apache Kafka 4.2.1. > > > > This is the first bug fix release for Apache Kafka 4.2 with fixes as > described in the release notes. In the second candidate, it adds > KAFKA-19851 and KAFKA-20380. > > > > Release notes for the 4.2.1 release: > > > https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.2.1-rc4/RELEASE_NOTES.html > > > > Please download, test and vote by Tuesday, May 19, 9pm PT. > > > > Kafka's KEYS file containing PGP keys we use to sign the release: > > https://kafka.apache.org/KEYS > > > > * Release artifacts to be voted upon (source and binary): > > https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.2.1-rc4/ > > > > * Docker release artifacts to be voted upon: > > apache/kafka:4.2.1-rc4 > > apache/kafka-native:4.2.1-rc4 > > > > * Maven artifacts to be voted upon: > > https://repository.apache.org/content/groups/staging/org/apache/kafka/ > > > > * Javadoc: > > > https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.2.1-rc4/javadoc/index.html > > > > * Tag to be voted upon (off 4.2 branch) is the 4.2.1 tag: > > https://github.com/apache/kafka/releases/tag/4.2.1-rc4 > > > > * Documentation: > > https://kafka.apache.org/42/documentation.html > > > > * Protocol: > > https://kafka.apache.org/42/design/protocol/ > > > > * Successful CI builds for the 4.2 branch: > > Unit/integration tests: > https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/25717277218 > > System tests: https://jenkins.opensource4you.tw/job/kafka-e2e/746/, > https://jenkins.opensource4you.tw/job/kafka-e2e/747/, > https://jenkins.opensource4you.tw/job/kafka-e2e/748/ > > > > * Successful Docker Image Github Actions Pipeline for 4.2 branch: > > Docker Build Test Pipeline (JVM): > https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/25728469988 > > Docker Build Test Pipeline (Native): > https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/25728486740 > > > > Thanks, > > PoAn > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "kafka-clients" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send > an email to [email protected]. > > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/kafka-clients/CAL6fUMRTp3Y7%2BEsbZftMQJQvotbSXop-DohkxN4h_di%2B7tSAQQ%40mail.gmail.com > . > -- [image: Aiven] <https://www.aiven.io> *Josep Prat* Sr Engineering Director, Streaming Services, *Aiven* [email protected] | +491715557497 aiven.io <https://www.aiven.io/> [image: LinkedIn] <https://www.linkedin.com/company/aiven/posts/?feedView=all> [image: X] <https://x.com/aiven_io> [image: GitHub] <https://github.com/aiven> [image: YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/@Aiven_io> [image: Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/aivencloud> *Aiven Deutschland GmbH* Rosenthaler Straße 43-45, 10178 Berlin Geschäftsführer: Oskari Saarenmaa, Kenneth Chen Amtsgericht Charlottenburg, HRB 209739 B
