# Linux 7.4 removes C Binder driver, Rust Binder ready for Android fleet

> **Key takeaway:** The Rust-based Binder driver is now the sole implementation for Android's core IPC mechanism, marking one of the largest production Rust adoptions in the Linux kernel.

**Published:** 2026-10-26T08:14:15Z 
**Source:** Phoronix Benchmarks & Drivers 
**Category:** kernel-os 
**Canonical URL:** https://fosswire.org/news/linux-74-removes-c-binder-driver-rust-binder-ready-for-andro.html 

## Summary
Linus Torvalds merged the char/misc pull request for Linux 7.4, which removes Google's original C-written Binder driver from the kernel tree. The Rust-based Binder driver, developed over multiple kernel cycles, is now positioned to handle inter-process communication for all future Android devices. Binder serves as the foundational IPC mechanism for Android, used by system services, applications, and the Android framework to communicate across process boundaries.

The removal of the C implementation represents a significant milestone for Rust in the Linux kernel ecosystem. Google's Android team has been driving this transition as part of broader memory-safety initiatives. The Rust Binder driver must now support the full range of Android hardware, from phones to embedded devices, that the C driver previously handled.

## What changes in Linux 7.4 char/misc
- **Driver removal:** The C-based Binder IPC driver has been completely removed from the kernel source tree, not merely deprecated or disabled by default.
- **Rust successor:** The Rust Binder driver assumes sole responsibility for Android inter-process communication, inheriting all production use cases.
- **Merge timing:** The change arrived through the standard char/misc subsystem pull request merged by Linus Torvalds during the Linux 7.4 development window.
- **Scale implication:** The driver is explicitly intended for deployment across what Google describes as "a few billion devices" in the Android ecosystem.

## Why it matters
This transition provides a high-visibility validation point for Rust as a systems language in the Linux kernel, potentially accelerating adoption in other driver subsystems where memory safety vulnerabilities are prevalent. For Android OEMs and custom ROM distributors, the change means validating their hardware abstraction layers and vendor extensions against a new implementation, though the userspace ABI should remain stable.