Here is the report for system testing https://confluent-open-source-kafka-branch-builder-system-test-results.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/trunk/2026-09-22--001.1442301f-18b4-4a90-a790-4f8550f93d20--1790111851--apache--4.4--812f9108eb/report.html The two failed test cases are same as the one mentioned in 4.3.1 RC2 so not new issue
> On 22 Sep 2026, at 15:09, Omnia Ibrahim <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hello Kafka users, developers and client-developers, > > This is the 2nd candidate for release of Apache Kafka 4.4.0. > > Apache Kafka 4.4.0 is a minor release that includes 26 KIPs spanning > improvements to all components. > > Release notes for the 4.4.0 release: > https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.4.0-rc1/RELEASE_NOTES.html > > Please download, test and vote by Friday, September 25, 2026, 12:30pm BST > (4:30am PT) > > 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/4.4.0-rc1/ > > * Docker release artifacts to be voted upon: > apache/kafka:4.4.0-rc1 > apache/kafka-native:4.4.0-rc1 > > * 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/4.4.0-rc1/javadoc/index.html > > * Tag to be voted upon (off 4.4 branch) is the 4.4.0 tag: > https://github.com/apache/kafka/releases/tag/4.4.0-rc1 > > * Documentation: > https://github.com/apache/kafka-site/pull/905 > * Protocol: > https://github.com/apache/kafka-site/pull/905 > > * Successful CI builds for the 4.4 branch: > Unit/integration tests: > https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/35717651111 > > System tests: [will provide it soon] > * Documentation: > PR: https://github.com/apache/kafka-site/pull/905 > > * Protocol: > PR: https://github.com/apache/kafka-site/pull/905 > > * Successful Docker Image Github Actions Pipeline for 4.4 branch: > Docker Build Test Pipeline (JVM): > https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/35720261595 > Docker Build Test Pipeline (Native): > https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/35720261595 > > Thanks, > Omnia
