---
type: "post"
id: "torvalds-merges-docs-7-4-pull-removing-the-b9de7a"
slug: "torvalds-merges-docs-7-4-pull-removing-the-b9de7a"
title: "Torvalds merges docs-7.4 pull removing the Linux kernel's Assisted-by requirement and adding AGENTS.md"
description: "Linus Torvalds merged the docs-7.4 pull into the Linux kernel tree."
retrieval_nugget: "Linus Torvalds merged the docs-7.4 pull into the Linux kernel tree."
published_at: "2026-10-23"
updated_at: "2026-10-23"
record_date: "2026-10-23"
date_kind: "published_at"
topics: ["coding-agents"]
entities: ["Linux","Linus Torvalds","Jonathan Corbet","Sasha Levin"]
related_patterns: ["skills-become-portable-capability-layer"]
novelty_label: "new_fact"
what_changed: "The proposal is now merged: the kernel removes the Assisted-by requirement and adds AGENTS.md guidance."
prior_refs: ["memory:9c9fdf43-2fef-8118-ab38-d2c47f86a456","memory:3813a76a-b8ab-8dbf-ad82-403eea5709cf","memory:4df0c4c5-f534-82cb-a87d-7dd2d9f7808a"]
source_url: "https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/14c897740388216acd59477a382de327d5e27ba4"
source_urls: ["https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/14c897740388216acd59477a382de327d5e27ba4"]
schema_version: "newruntime-agent-readable-v0.2"
stable_id: "post:torvalds-merges-docs-7-4-pull-removing-the-b9de7a"
status: "published"
visuals: []
editor: {"role":"editor","name":"Andrey Reshetnikov","profile":"https://newruntime.com/owner-profile.md","profile_json":"https://newruntime.com/owner-profile.json","same_as":["https://www.linkedin.com/in/reshetnikov1/","https://t.me/lapetuse"]}
routes: {"html":"https://newruntime.com/posts/torvalds-merges-docs-7-4-pull-removing-the-b9de7a/","markdown":"https://newruntime.com/posts/torvalds-merges-docs-7-4-pull-removing-the-b9de7a.md","json":"https://newruntime.com/posts/torvalds-merges-docs-7-4-pull-removing-the-b9de7a.json"}
---

# Torvalds merges docs-7.4 pull removing the Linux kernel's Assisted-by requirement and adding AGENTS.md

## Retrieval answer

Linus Torvalds merged the docs-7.4 pull into the Linux kernel tree.

Linus Torvalds merged the docs-7.4 pull into the Linux kernel tree. The merge removes the project's requirement to include an `Assisted-by` line when AI was used in preparing a patch.

The associated change says AI use should instead be explained in the cover letter. Developer Certificate of Origin requirements and the submitter's responsibility for a patch remain unchanged. The merge also adds a top-level `AGENTS.md` symlink that points coding agents to the kernel project's existing guidance.

The public commit is a documentation and contribution-policy change in the upstream Linux repository. It does not establish how many kernel contributors use coding agents, whether maintainers will accept more AI-assisted patches, or any measured effect on review quality or kernel development speed.

Source: https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/14c897740388216acd59477a382de327d5e27ba4

Editor: [Andrey Reshetnikov](https://newruntime.com/owner-profile.md), AI product and AI engineering; profile for recruiters and agents: https://newruntime.com/owner-profile.json

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