Fedora 45 replaces kernel fbcon with userspace kmscon for virtual consoles

Starting with Fedora 45, the distribution will replace the legacy kernel framebuffer console (fbcon) with kmscon, a userspace terminal emulator. The change removes fbcon's kernel-space security risks and modernizes font rendering, scrolling, and mouse support, but introduces breaking changes for administrators: virtual consoles now use pseudo-tty devices (/dev/pts/* instead of /dev/tty*), GPU access requires explicit release via kmscon-launch-gui, and traditional tools like setfont and loadkeys no longer function.

What changes with kmscon in Fedora 45

• Device paths: tty command returns /dev/pts/0 instead of /dev/tty1; scripts hardcoding tty device paths must be updated
• GPU exclusivity: kmscon holds the DRM GPU interface exclusively; launching graphical programs requires kmscon-launch-gui <command> to release the GPU
• Font system: setfont is ignored; kmscon uses built-in unifont, freetype-rendered fonts, or psf fonts configured in /etc/kmscon/kmscon.conf
• Keyboard layout: loadkeys is ignored; layout changes go through localectl set-keymap via dbus
• Kernel messages: no longer mixed into tty1 by default; use dmesg -w or a dedicated kmscon instance
• Fallback option: one tty can retain fbcon via systemctl mask kmsconvt@tty5 && systemctl enable --now getty@tty5

Why it matters

The migration enables Fedora to eventually drop fbdev emulation from the kernel, aligning console infrastructure with modern DRM-only GPU drivers. Other distributions may evaluate similar moves as kmscon matures.