Hi Mickael, while this was going on I was doing some validation and I did: - checked the signatures and checksums - Tested Docker Images: -- can start -- can create topics - ran quickstart - ran sample apps with consumer groups - checked Java client interaction from artifacts (admin, producer, consumer and streams) - check Tiered Storage offloads to remote storage (with Aiven's plugin) - check Kafka Connect
+1 (binding). Regarding whether to make another RC or not. I don't see these issues as blockers and if really needed they will definitely land in 4.3.1. Best, On Tue, May 12, 2026 at 3:08 PM Mickael Maison <[email protected]> wrote: > Slight correction: > > KAFKA-19851 is in 4.3.0 RC1: > > https://github.com/apache/kafka/commit/4e823a07a3ef366768e967148a11b39c3759d318 > KAFKA-20380 > <https://github.com/apache/kafka/commit/4e823a07a3ef366768e967148a11b39c3759d318KAFKA-20380> > is in the 4.3 branch but not in RC1 > > Thanks, > Mickael > > On Tue, May 12, 2026 at 2:58 PM Mickael Maison <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > So we've technically passed the vote. > > > > However I just noticed that we're doing another 4.2.1 release > > candidate (even though RC3 had also passed the vote) to include fixes > > for KAFKA-19851 and KAFKA-20380. > > These fixes are not included in 4.3.0 RC1. > > > > It's not clear to me that these are high importance fixes (opened for > > several versions, not marked as blockers) needed for 4.3.0. > > If people want to make a case for including these in 4.3.0, please let > me know. > > Otherwise I'll proceed with the release of 4.3.0 using RC1. > > > > - https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/KAFKA-19851 > > - https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/KAFKA-20380 > > > > Thanks, > > Mickael > > > > On Tue, May 12, 2026 at 1:35 PM Luke Chen <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Hi Mickael, > > > > > > I found a non-blocking doc issue KAFKA-20569 > > > <https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/KAFKA-20569> that might also > affect > > > v4.3.0. > > > We might need to fix it for v4.3.0. > > > > > > Thanks, > > > Luke > > > > > > On Tue, May 12, 2026 at 8:00 PM Federico Valeri <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > Hi Mickael, > > > > > > > > - built from source using Java 21 > > > > - tested KAFKA-19655 > > > > - ran various test client applications > > > > - browsed Javadoc > > > > > > > > +1 non binding > > > > > > > > Thanks for running the release. > > > > Fede > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Tue, May 12, 2026 at 9:09 AM Maroš Orsák < > [email protected]> > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Hi Mickael, > > > > > > > > > > I have run the Strimzi test container tests on Aarch64 image build > from > > > > > > > > > > https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.3.0-rc1/kafka_2.13-4.3.0.tgz > > > > , > > > > > all tests passed without issues. > > > > > > > > > > +1 (non-binding) > > > > > > > > > > Cheers, > > > > > Maros > > > > > > > > > > po 11. 5. 2026 o 23:54 Lianet Magrans <[email protected]> > napísal(a): > > > > > > > > > > > Hi Mickael, > > > > > > > > > > > > I did the following: > > > > > > - verified the checksums and signatures > > > > > > - build from source (java 21) -> run quickstart, basic > produce/consume > > > > with > > > > > > Classic and Consumer groups > > > > > > - run basic consume/produce on both docker images > > > > > > - run the network degrade sys test that was failing on your > side. I > > > > got a > > > > > > green run for the test_rate on 4.3 after some retries > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > https://confluent-open-source-kafka-branch-builder-system-test-results.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/trunk/2026-05-11--001.f3134388-b3df-48e5-ae8b-98d07ddfff55--1778526564--apache--4.3--84b51283d6/report.html > > > > > > > > > > > > +1 (binding) > > > > > > > > > > > > Best! > > > > > > Lianet > > > > > > > > > > > > On Mon, May 11, 2026 at 2:51 PM Jakub Scholz <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > @Maciej: You mean within Strimzi? The system tests we have > covering > > > > OAuth > > > > > > > passed. But I have not done any special testing for that as > OAuth is > > > > not > > > > > > > really my specialty. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Jakub > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Mon, May 11, 2026 at 5:36 PM Maciej Malecki < > [email protected]> > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Does this version work with strimzi oauth 0.17.1? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > *__________________* > > > > > > > > *Regards,* > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > *Maciej Małecki* > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > pon., 11 maj 2026, 16:58 użytkownik Jakub Scholz < > [email protected]> > > > > > > > > napisał: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I used the staged binaries and Maven artifacts, and: > > > > > > > > > * did some manual smoke testing > > > > > > > > > * Run it within Strimzi and its system tests > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > All seems to work fine, so +1 (non-binding). > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks & Regards > > > > > > > > > Jakub > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Tue, May 5, 2026 at 1:41 PM Mickael Maison < > > > > > > > [email protected]> > > > > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hello Kafka users, developers and client-developers, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > This is the 2nd candidate for release of Apache Kafka > 4.3.0. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > This release includes 25 KIPs bringing improvements to > all > > > > > > > components. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Release notes for the 4.3.0 release: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.3.0-rc1/RELEASE_NOTES.html > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > *** Please download, test and vote by May 11, 5pm CEST > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > 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/4.3.0-rc1/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > * Docker release artifacts to be voted upon: > > > > > > > > > > apache/kafka:4.3.0-rc1 > > > > > > > > > > apache/kafka-native:4.3.0-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/4.3.0-rc1/javadoc/index.html > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > * Tag to be voted upon (off 4.3 branch) is the 4.3.0 tag: > > > > > > > > > > https://github.com/apache/kafka/releases/tag/4.3.0-rc1 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > * Documentation: > > > > > > > > > > PR: https://github.com/apache/kafka-site/pull/853 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > * Protocol: > > > > > > > > > > PR: https://github.com/apache/kafka-site/pull/853 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > * Successful CI builds for the 4.3 branch: > > > > > > > > > > Unit/integration tests: > > > > > > > > > > https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/25372903952 > > > > > > > > > > System tests: Tests are currently running > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > * Successful Docker Image Github Actions Pipeline for 4.3 > > > > branch: > > > > > > > > > > Docker Build Test Pipeline (JVM): > > > > > > > > > > https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/25367577186 > > > > > > > > > > Docker Build Test Pipeline (Native): > > > > > > > > > > https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/25367591295 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > > > > > Mickael > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- [image: Aiven] <https://www.aiven.io> *Josep Prat* Sr Engineering Director, Streaming Services, *Aiven* [email protected] | +491715557497 aiven.io <https://www.aiven.io/> [image: LinkedIn] <https://www.linkedin.com/company/aiven/posts/?feedView=all> [image: X] <https://x.com/aiven_io> [image: GitHub] <https://github.com/aiven> [image: YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/@Aiven_io> [image: Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/aivencloud> *Aiven Deutschland GmbH* Rosenthaler Straße 43-45, 10178 Berlin Geschäftsführer: Oskari Saarenmaa, Kenneth Chen Amtsgericht Charlottenburg, HRB 209739 B
