Hi Mickael,

I did the following:
- checked the signatures and checksums
- build from source
- ran the test locally
- 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

+1 (binding for me)

Thanks for running the release!

Best,

On Fri, May 15, 2026 at 3:52 PM Lianet Magrans <[email protected]> wrote:

>  Hi Mickael,
>
> I did the following on RC2:
> - verified the checksums and signature
> - downloaded and build from source (java 21) + run quickstart
> - played with basic produce/consume, classic and consumer groups, mixed
> groups, online upgrade/downgrade
> - downloaded docker images & run quick start with both
> - browsed the docs
>
> +1 (binding)
>
> Thanks for running the release!
> Lianet
>
> On Fri, May 15, 2026 at 9:17 AM Jakub Scholz <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I did the same tests as with the previous RCs, all using the staged
> > binaries and everything seems to work fine. +1 (non-binding) from me.
> >
> > Thanks for running the release Mickael.
> >
> > Jakub
> >
> > On Wed, May 13, 2026 at 2:15 PM Mickael Maison <[email protected]
> >
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Hello Kafka users, developers and client-developers,
> > >
> > > This is the 3rd candidate for release of Apache Kafka 4.3.0.
> > >
> > > Since RC2, we've added fixes for:
> > > - https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/KAFKA-20380
> > > - https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/KAFKA-20571
> > > - https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/KAFKA-20572
> > >
> > > Release notes for the 4.3.0 release:
> > >
> >
> https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.3.0-rc2/RELEASE_NOTES.html
> > >
> > > *** Please download, test and vote by May 20, 5pm CEST
> > >
> > > Kafka's KEYS file containing PGP keys we use to sign the release:
> > > https://downloads.apache.org/kafka/KEYS
> > >
> > > * Release artifacts to be voted upon (source and binary):
> > > https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.3.0-rc2/
> > >
> > > * Docker release artifacts to be voted upon:
> > > apache/kafka:4.3.0-rc2
> > > apache/kafka-native:4.3.0-rc2
> > >
> > > * 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/4.3.0-rc2/javadoc/index.html
> > >
> > > * Tag to be voted upon (off 4.3 branch) is the 4.3.0 tag:
> > > https://github.com/apache/kafka/releases/tag/4.3.0-rc2
> > >
> > > * Documentation:
> > > PR: https://github.com/apache/kafka-site/pull/853
> > >
> > > * Protocol:
> > > PR: https://github.com/apache/kafka-site/pull/853
> > >
> > > * Successful CI builds for the 4.3 branch:
> > > Unit/integration tests:
> > > https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/25797645206
> > > System tests: Build is running
> > >
> > > * Successful Docker Image Github Actions Pipeline for 4.3 branch:
> > > Docker Build Test Pipeline (JVM):
> > > https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/25790809579
> > > Docker Build Test Pipeline (Native):
> > > https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/25790821471
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Mickael
> > >
> >
>


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