Hello Kafka users, developers and client-developers, This is the second (RC1) candidate for release of Apache Kafka 4.2.2.
This is a bug fix release in the 4.2 line. Release notes for the 4.2.2 release: https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.2.2-rc1/RELEASE_NOTES.html Please download, test and vote by *24 September, Monday 5PM PST* Kafka's KEYS file containing PGP keys we use to sign the release: https://downloads.apache.org/kafka/KEYS <https://kafka.apache.org/KEYS> * Release artifacts to be voted upon (source and binary): https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.2.2-rc1/ * Docker release artifacts to be voted upon: apache/kafka:4.2.2-rc1 <https://hub.docker.com/layers/apache/kafka/4.2.2-rc1/images/sha256-daa39dc85acd37b148fad74d6b22b60fa5f7fa05048a5c8aa3b654140c63dd58> apache/kafka-native:4.2.2-rc1 <https://hub.docker.com/layers/apache/kafka-native/4.2.2-rc1/images/sha256-eae4a5c3675030bb3c854eb89fab50bbb75fd2f7800d4385b0b3fda642852d2b> * 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/4.2.2-rc1/javadoc/index.html * Tag to be voted upon (off 4.2 branch) is the 4.2.2 tag: https://github.com/apache/kafka/releases/tag/4.2.2-rc1 * 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/35636810731 System tests: Before Test Only fix - https://confluent-open-source-kafka-system-test-results.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/4.2/2026-09-20--002.7c3ba21d-079a-4799-8f1e-1f798f499541--1789972353--confluentinc--4.2--0fbf14c557/report.html I have retriggered system tests though; will update the thread. * Successful Docker Image Github Actions Pipeline for 4.2 branch: Docker Build Test Pipeline (JVM): https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/35637052515 Docker Build Test Pipeline (Native): https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/35637084838 Regards, Apoorv Mittal
