PHP/Ubuntu release-to-distribution cycle breaking
PHP 8.5 was released about 6 months ago. Usually, we see full module parity in major repositories (like Ondrej’s PPA) within a few weeks. This time, 6 months later, several key modules are still missing or in a broken state.
Ubuntu 26.04 (Resolute) dropped 3 weeks ago. Historically, core packages like PHP, MariaDB, and Redis have (official) stable builds ready almost on day one. This year, there’s a noticeable silence. Many official repos haven't even pushed initial builds for the new LTS.
What’s happening under the hood?
And please, spare me the "just wait for 26.04.1" advice. I'm not talking about migrating mission-critical production servers today. I’m talking about availability. Historically, these packages are ready on Day 1 to allow for testing, CI/CD prep, and development environments. That window is usually measured in days, not weeks or months.