# What’s New in Redpanda > For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/llms.txt). Component-specific: [streaming-full.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming-full.txt) --- title: What’s New in Redpanda latest-redpanda-tag: v26.2.1 latest-console-tag: v3.9.0 latest-operator-version: v26.2.1 # EOL = End-of-Life (support lifecycle status) page-is-nearing-eol: "false" page-is-past-eol: "false" page-eol-date: July 28, 2027 latest-connect-version: 4.104.0 docname: release-notes/redpanda page-component-name: streaming page-version: "26.2" page-component-version: "26.2" page-component-title: Streaming page-relative-src-path: release-notes/redpanda.adoc page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/docs/edit/main/modules/get-started/pages/release-notes/redpanda.adoc description: Summary of new features and updates in this Redpanda release. page-git-created-date: "2025-04-07" page-git-modified-date: "2026-08-03" support-status: supported --- This topic includes new content added in version 26.2. For a complete list of all product updates, see the [Redpanda release notes](https://github.com/redpanda-data/redpanda/releases/). See also: - [What’s New in Redpanda Cloud](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/get-started/whats-new-cloud/) - [Redpanda Cloud vs Self-Managed feature compatibility](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/get-started/cloud-overview/#redpanda-cloud-vs-self-managed-feature-compatibility) ## [](#shadowing-migrate-schemas-from-confluent-schema-registry)Shadowing: migrate schemas from Confluent Schema Registry Shadowing can now replicate schemas over the Schema Registry HTTP API, including from a Confluent Schema Registry. Both Confluent Cloud and Confluent Platform are supported. A shadow link continuously replicates subjects, versions, and compatibility settings into the shadow cluster’s Schema Registry, so your applications keep working after cutover without a separate schema migration step. You can also replicate only selected contexts or subjects, and map source contexts to different destination contexts. See [Migrate Schemas from Confluent](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/disaster-recovery/shadowing/migrate-schemas-confluent/). ## [](#shadowing-role-synchronization)Shadowing: role synchronization Shadow links can now replicate cluster roles from the source cluster to the shadow cluster, alongside topics, ACLs, consumer group offsets, and Schema Registry data. This ensures equivalent RBAC is in place on the shadow cluster prior to failover. Configure role filters to select which roles to sync. See [Configure Shadowing](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/disaster-recovery/shadowing/setup/#role-filtering). ## [](#shadowing-support-for-cloud-topics)Shadowing support for Cloud Topics Shadow links now support Cloud Topics, so you can include Cloud Topics in disaster recovery replication alongside standard topics. See [Configure Shadowing](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/disaster-recovery/shadowing/setup/). ## [](#kafka-4-x-client-compatibility)Kafka 4.x client compatibility Redpanda version 26.2 validates a broader set of non-Java Apache Kafka® clients at their current versions that support Kafka 4.x, in addition to the Apache Kafka Java client. Newly validated clients include `confluent-kafka-go` and Sarama for Go, and `kafka-python` and `confluent-kafka-python` for Python. Validation confirms connectivity and correctness across core Kafka APIs, such as produce, consume, and transaction operations. See [Kafka Compatibility](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/develop/kafka-clients/) for the full list of validated clients and known exceptions. ## [](#deferred-upgrade-finalization)Deferred upgrade finalization You can now keep a feature-release upgrade open, soak testing the new version with a guaranteed rollback path, and finalize the upgrade when you are ready. For clusters in a Shadowing topology, new guidance covers upgrade order: upgrade the shadow cluster before the source cluster, and use deferred finalization for bidirectional topologies. See [Defer Upgrade Finalization](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/upgrade/deferred-finalization/) and [Upgrade Clusters in a Shadowing Topology](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/disaster-recovery/shadowing/upgrade/). ## [](#fetch-read-coalescing)Fetch read coalescing When many consumers fetch the same partitions, each broker repeats the same read work for every consumer. Fetch read coalescing merges these redundant reads on each shard, reducing read CPU and memory consumption under high consumer fan-out. This Enterprise feature is disabled by default: enable it with the `kafka_fetch_read_coalescing_enabled` cluster property. See [Fetch Read Coalescing](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/cluster-maintenance/fetch-read-coalescing/). ## [](#per-entity-client-quota-metrics)Per-entity client quota metrics Aggregate quota metrics can confirm that throttling is happening at a broker level, but don’t reveal which user, client, or group of clients is _utilizing_ a quota, or being throttled. Redpanda can now label throttle-time and throughput metrics with the identity of the throttled entity, so you can identify throttled users and clients by name and right-size quota values based on observed use. These metrics are disabled by default: enable them with the `kafka_per_entity_quota_metrics` cluster property. See [Manage Throughput](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/cluster-maintenance/manage-throughput/#track-quota-use-per-entity). ## [](#cloud-topics-enabled-by-default)Cloud Topics enabled by default Cloud Topics no longer require a separate cluster property. When cloud storage is enabled for your cluster ([`cloud_storage_enabled`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/object-storage-properties/#cloud_storage_enabled) set to `true`), you can create Cloud Topics immediately by setting the storage mode during topic creation. The `cloud_topics_enabled` cluster property is deprecated. See [Manage Cloud Topics](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/develop/manage-topics/cloud-topics/). ## [](#schema-registry-context-for-iceberg-translation)Schema Registry context for Iceberg translation Bind a topic’s Iceberg translation to a specific [Schema Registry context](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/schema-reg/schema-reg-contexts/) using the new `redpanda.schema.registry.context` topic property, instead of always using the default context. This is useful for multi-tenant or per-environment schema isolation. See [Resolve schemas within a Schema Registry context](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/iceberg/specify-iceberg-schema/#resolve-schemas-within-a-context). ## [](#schema-registry-contexts-serdes-client-support)Schema Registry contexts: SerDes client support Any SerDes client, in any language, can now target a [Schema Registry context](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/schema-reg/schema-reg-contexts/) through its base URL alone: point the client’s `schema.registry.url` at `http://:8081/contexts/{context}`. All endpoints that SerDes clients use are available under the `/contexts/{context}/` prefix, and schema ID lookups are scoped to the context automatically. Previously, only the Java Confluent SerDes could target non-default contexts. Schema Registry contexts are also enabled by default in this release: `schema_registry_enable_qualified_subjects` now defaults to `true`. This applies to existing clusters when they upgrade, unless the property was explicitly set to `false` before the upgrade. If any of your subject names start with `:.`, review the [upgrade considerations](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/schema-reg/schema-reg-contexts/#upgrade-considerations) before upgrading. See [Use contexts with SerDes clients](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/schema-reg/schema-reg-contexts/#serdes-clients). ## [](#iceberg-key-and-header-translation)Iceberg key and header translation Independently control how Redpanda translates a record’s key, value, and headers into the Iceberg table with a new section-based syntax for the `redpanda.iceberg.mode` topic property. You can decode keys and values using a schema registered in the Schema Registry, store keys or values as UTF-8 strings, or decode header values from raw bytes to strings. The `key_value`, `value_schema_id_prefix`, and `value_schema_latest` modes continue to work as shorthand for common combinations. See [Specify Iceberg Schema](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/iceberg/specify-iceberg-schema/#configure-key-value-and-header-translation). ## [](#iceberg-health-monitoring)Iceberg health monitoring Monitor the health of Iceberg topics with a new Admin API endpoint, including connectivity to the external REST catalog and per-partition commit lag. Use it to test the catalog connection and find the partitions with the highest commit lag. See [Monitor Iceberg health](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/iceberg/about-iceberg-topics/#monitor-iceberg-health). ## [](#cluster-health-metrics)Cluster health metrics Redpanda can now export a cluster health summary as Prometheus metrics, so you can alert on overall cluster health, such as brokers down, leaderless partitions, or a missing controller, directly from your metrics system instead of polling [`rpk cluster health`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-health/). The metrics mirror the output of `rpk cluster health` and are disabled by default. To enable them, set [`health_monitor_metrics_enabled`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#health_monitor_metrics_enabled) to `true` and restart your brokers. See [Cluster health](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/monitoring/#cluster-health) for the available metrics and query patterns. ## [](#tiered-storage-v2-beta)Tiered Storage v2 (beta) Tiered Storage v2 is a beta feature. It is not supported for production deployments. Beta features are available for users to test and [provide feedback](https://redpandacommunity.slack.com/). Tiered Storage is now available in two versions. Tiered Storage v2 (`tiered_v2`) adds full compaction support for topics stored in object storage: compaction runs on the data in object storage rather than on local data only, eventually retains only the latest value for each key across the entire partition, and removes tombstone records after the retention period configured by `delete.retention.ms`. Topics using Tiered Storage v2 can also be converted to and from Cloud Topics. You enable both versions the same way, by setting `redpanda.storage.mode=tiered` on a topic. The [`default_redpanda_storage_mode_tiered_impl`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/object-storage-properties/#default_redpanda_storage_mode_tiered_impl) cluster property selects the version for new topics (`tiered_v1` remains the default), and existing topics keep the version they were created with. See [Choose a Tiered Storage version](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/tiered-storage/#tiered-storage-versions). ## [](#redpanda-cli-rpk)Redpanda CLI (rpk) Redpanda 26.2 introduces the following rpk changes: - **Deferred upgrade finalization commands**: The new [`rpk cluster upgrade`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-upgrade/) command group adds `status` and `finalize`, so you can check whether an upgrade is pending finalization and finalize it when you are ready. See [Defer Upgrade Finalization](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/upgrade/deferred-finalization/). - **`rpk redpanda admin` commands moved to `rpk cluster`**: The old commands keep working in this release as deprecated aliases, and each prints its replacement when you run it. See [Deprecated Features](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/upgrade/deprecated/) for the full command migration table. - **New `k8s` managed plugin**: The [`rpk k8s`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-k8s/rpk-k8s/) plugin adds the [`rpk k8s multicluster`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-k8s/rpk-k8s-multicluster/) commands to bootstrap TLS certificates and peer configuration, check deployment health, and collect diagnostics bundles for [Stretch Clusters](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/deploy/redpanda/kubernetes/k-stretch-clusters/). Install it with `rpk k8s install`. - **New `check` managed plugin**: The [`rpk check`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-check/rpk-check/) plugin runs production readiness checks for a Redpanda deployment. Install it with [`rpk check install`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-check/rpk-check-install/). ### [](#v26-2-1)v26.2.1 #### [](#new-commands)New commands - [`rpk check`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-check/rpk-check/) - Run production readiness checks for a Redpanda deployment - [`rpk check install`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-check/rpk-check-install/) - Install Redpanda Check - [`rpk check uninstall`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-check/rpk-check-uninstall/) - Uninstall the Redpanda Check plugin - [`rpk check upgrade`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-check/rpk-check-upgrade/) - Upgrade to the latest Redpanda Check version - [`rpk cluster brokers`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-brokers/) - Manage Redpanda cluster brokers - [`rpk cluster brokers decommission`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-brokers-decommission/) - Decommission the given broker. - [`rpk cluster brokers decommission-status`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-brokers-decommission-status/) - Show the progress of a node decommissioning. - [`rpk cluster brokers recommission`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-brokers-recommission/) - Recommission the given broker if it is still decommissioning. - [`rpk cluster loggers`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-loggers/) - List and configure Redpanda broker loggers - [`rpk cluster loggers list`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-loggers-list/) - List loggers available on a Redpanda broker. - [`rpk cluster loggers set`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-loggers-set/) - Set broker logger’s log level. - [`rpk cluster upgrade`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-upgrade/) - Check and finalize major-version upgrades. - [`rpk cluster upgrade finalize`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-upgrade-finalize/) - Finalize a deferred cluster upgrade. - [`rpk cluster upgrade status`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-upgrade-status/) - Show the cluster upgrade finalization status. - [`rpk k8s`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-k8s/rpk-k8s/) - Interact with Redpanda clusters running on Kubernetes - [`rpk k8s install`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-k8s/rpk-k8s-install/) - Install the Redpanda Kubernetes plugin. - [`rpk k8s multicluster`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-k8s/rpk-k8s-multicluster/) - Commands for bootstrapping and managing the multicluster operators that run a Redpanda Stretch Cluster: a single logical Redpanda cluster distributed across multiple Kubernetes clusters. - [`rpk k8s multicluster bootstrap`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-k8s/rpk-k8s-multicluster-bootstrap/) - Bootstrap the TLS certificates and kubeconfig secrets that the multicluster operators of a Redpanda Stretch Cluster need to communicate across Kubernetes clusters. - [`rpk k8s multicluster bundle`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-k8s/rpk-k8s-multicluster-bundle/) - Collects environment data from each Kubernetes cluster in a Redpanda Stretch Cluster deployment and packages it into a ZIP file for support. - [`rpk k8s multicluster status`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-k8s/rpk-k8s-multicluster-status/) - Checks the health of the multicluster operators that run a Redpanda Stretch Cluster: each cluster’s operator pod health, raft consensus state, TLS certificate validity, and cross-cluster consistency. - [`rpk k8s uninstall`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-k8s/rpk-k8s-uninstall/) - Uninstall the Redpanda Kubernetes plugin. - [`rpk k8s upgrade`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-k8s/rpk-k8s-upgrade/) - Upgrade to the latest Redpanda Kubernetes plugin version - [`rpk k8s version`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-k8s/rpk-k8s-version/) - Print build information #### [](#new-flags)New flags - `rpk cloud auth list`: Added `--format` - [`rpk cluster config list`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-config-list/): Added `--node-id` - [`rpk cluster config status`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-config-status/): Added `--format` - [`rpk cluster info`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-info/): Added `--detailed`, `--include-decommissioned` - [`rpk cluster logdirs describe`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-logdirs-describe/): Added `--format` - [`rpk cluster maintenance status`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-maintenance-status/): Added `--format` - [`rpk cluster partitions balancer-status`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-partitions-balancer-status/): Added `--format` - [`rpk cluster partitions move-cancel`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-partitions-move-cancel/): Added `--format` - [`rpk cluster partitions move-status`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster-partitions-move-status/): Added `--format` - [`rpk group delete`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-group/rpk-group-delete/): Added `--format` - [`rpk group list`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-group/rpk-group-list/): Added `--format` - [`rpk group offset-delete`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-group/rpk-group-offset-delete/): Added `--format` - [`rpk group seek`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-group/rpk-group-seek/): Added `--format` - [`rpk plugin list`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-plugin/rpk-plugin-list/): Added `--format` - [`rpk profile list`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-profile/rpk-profile-list/): Added `--format` - [`rpk security acl delete`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-security/rpk-security-acl-delete/): Added `--format` - `rpk security secret list`: Added `--format` - [`rpk shadow describe`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-shadow/rpk-shadow-describe/): Added `--print-role` - [`rpk shadow status`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-shadow/rpk-shadow-status/): Added `--print-registry` - [`rpk topic add-partitions`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-topic/rpk-topic-add-partitions/): Added `--format` - [`rpk topic alter-config`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-topic/rpk-topic-alter-config/): Added `--format` - [`rpk topic delete`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-topic/rpk-topic-delete/): Added `--format` #### [](#changed-defaults)Changed defaults - [`rpk container start`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-container/rpk-container-start/): `--console-image` default changed from `redpandadata/console:v3.7.1` to `redpandadata/console:v3.8.0` #### [](#deprecated-commands)Deprecated commands - `rpk redpanda admin`: Use [`rpk cluster`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/rpk/rpk-cluster/rpk-cluster/) instead. Includes its subcommands: `rpk redpanda admin brokers`, `rpk redpanda admin brokers decommission`, `rpk redpanda admin brokers decommission-status`, `rpk redpanda admin brokers list`, `rpk redpanda admin brokers recommission`, `rpk redpanda admin config`, `rpk redpanda admin config log-level`, `rpk redpanda admin config log-level set`, `rpk redpanda admin config print`, `rpk redpanda admin partitions`, `rpk redpanda admin partitions list`. == New configuration properties **Shadowing:** - [`schema_registry_sync_memory_bytes`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#schema_registry_sync_memory_bytes): Maximum bytes of schema bodies held in memory while a schema registry link reconciles from the source - [`schema_registry_sync_parallelism`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#schema_registry_sync_parallelism): Maximum number of schemas imported concurrently while a schema registry link reconciles from the source - [`shadow_link_failover_batch_size`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#shadow_link_failover_batch_size): Maximum number of mirror topics in a single batched failover controller command **Schema Registry:** - [`schema_registry_use_rpc`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#schema_registry_use_rpc): Use internal Redpanda RPCs for Schema Registry internal topic I/O **Metrics and monitoring:** - [`health_monitor_metrics_enabled`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#health_monitor_metrics_enabled): Export the cluster health summary as `cluster_health_*` metrics - [`kafka_per_entity_quota_metrics`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#kafka_per_entity_quota_metrics): Label quota throttle-time and throughput metrics with the identity of the throttled entity - [`kafka_handler_latency_all`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#kafka_handler_latency_all): Enable latency histograms for all Kafka API handlers, instead of only the most important ones **Performance:** - [`kafka_fetch_read_coalescing_enabled`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#kafka_fetch_read_coalescing_enabled): Coalesce concurrent fetches of the same partition offset into one shared read - [`code_hugepages_enabled`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#code_hugepages_enabled): Map the Redpanda binary into hugepages **Tiered Storage:** - [`default_redpanda_storage_mode_tiered_impl`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/object-storage-properties/#default_redpanda_storage_mode_tiered_impl): Select Tiered Storage v1 or v2 for new topics that use the `tiered` storage mode - [`redpanda.storage.mode.impl`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/topic-properties/#redpanda-storage-mode-impl): Report the Tiered Storage version of a topic, and optionally select it at topic creation **Iceberg:** - [`redpanda.schema.registry.context`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/topic-properties/#redpanda-schema-registry-context): Bind a topic’s Iceberg translation to a specific Schema Registry context **Cloud Topics:** > 📝 **NOTE** > > Cloud Topics requires an Enterprise license. For more information, contact [Redpanda sales](https://redpanda.com/try-redpanda?section=enterprise). - [`cloud_topics_compaction_disabled`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_compaction_disabled): Disable compaction of cloud topics - [`cloud_topics_l1_reader_cache_eviction_timeout_ms`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_l1_reader_cache_eviction_timeout_ms): Time after which idle L1 readers are evicted from the per-shard reader cache - [`cloud_topics_l1_reader_cache_max_size`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_l1_reader_cache_max_size): Maximum number of L1 readers cached per shard - [`cloud_topics_l1_streaming_read_chunk_size`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_l1_streaming_read_chunk_size): Maximum bytes buffered in memory by a cache-bypassing L1 streaming read - [`cloud_topics_leveling_disabled`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_leveling_disabled): Disable leveling of cloud topics - [`cloud_topics_leveling_interval_ms`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_leveling_interval_ms): How often to scan managed cloud-topic partitions for leveling work - [`cloud_topics_leveling_max_range_bytes`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_leveling_max_range_bytes): Maximum total bytes per leveling job - [`cloud_topics_leveling_min_extent_size_ratio`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_leveling_min_extent_size_ratio): Size ratio below which an L1 extent is considered undersized and eligible for leveling - [`cloud_topics_max_concurrent_leveling_jobs_per_shard`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_max_concurrent_leveling_jobs_per_shard): Maximum number of leveling jobs that may run concurrently on a single shard - [`cloud_topics_metastore_block_cache_size`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_metastore_block_cache_size): Size of the per-database uncompressed-block cache for the L1 metastore LSM database - [`cloud_topics_metastore_max_pre_open_fibers`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_metastore_max_pre_open_fibers): Number of fibers used to pre-open metastore SST files at database open time - [`cloud_topics_metastore_retry_timeout_ms`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_metastore_retry_timeout_ms): Overall deadline for retrying an L1 metastore operation on transport errors - [`cloud_topics_metastore_rpc_timeout_ms`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_metastore_rpc_timeout_ms): Timeout for a single L1 metastore RPC to the metastore partition leader - [`cloud_topics_metastore_sst_chunk_size`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_metastore_sst_chunk_size): Size of the byte ranges used to read metastore SST files from object storage - [`cloud_topics_metastore_write_buffer_size`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_topics_metastore_write_buffer_size): Memtable size for the L1 metastore LSM database **Object storage I/O:** - [`cloud_io_admission_control_policy`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_io_admission_control_policy): Admission policy for object storage I/O - [`cloud_io_admission_control_reservation`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#cloud_io_admission_control_reservation): Per-group reserved slots for the `reservation` admission control policy ## [](#changed-property-defaults)Changed property defaults - [`min_cleanable_dirty_ratio`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#min_cleanable_dirty_ratio) and the equivalent [`min.cleanable.dirty.ratio`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/topic-properties/#min-cleanable-dirty-ratio) topic property: the default increased from `0.2` to `0.5`. Compaction now waits for a higher proportion of dirty bytes before a partition becomes eligible, reducing background compaction work on write-heavy clusters. - [`schema_registry_enable_qualified_subjects`](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/reference/properties/cluster-properties/#schema_registry_enable_qualified_subjects): the default changed from `false` to `true`. Schema Registry now accepts context-qualified subject names by default. The new default applies to existing clusters when they upgrade, unless the property was explicitly set to `false` before the upgrade. See the [upgrade considerations](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/schema-reg/schema-reg-contexts/#upgrade-considerations). ## [](#deprecated-properties)Deprecated properties - `cloud_topics_enabled`: Cloud Topics no longer require a separate enablement property and can be created whenever object storage is enabled for the cluster. - `space_management_enable_override`: now formally deprecated. This property has been ignored since v23.3. See [Deprecated features](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/upgrade/deprecated/) for the complete list of deprecated properties. ## [](#properties-not-available-in-this-release)Properties not available in this release The following cluster properties were introduced in Redpanda v26.1.14 but are not included in v26.2.1. They are available starting in v26.2.2: - `log_eviction_exempt_topics` - `schema_registry_deferred_recovery` - `schema_registry_replay_on_startup` If you upgrade from v26.1.14 to v26.2.1, any values you set for these properties are not honored until you upgrade to v26.2.2. ## [](#simplified-cluster-administration-commands-rpk-redpanda-admin-deprecated)Simplified cluster administration commands: `rpk redpanda admin` deprecated Cluster administration moves fully under `rpk cluster`: broker decommissioning, recommissioning, logger control, and per-broker configuration and partition listings now live alongside the other cluster commands, and `rpk cluster info -b --detailed` reports broker membership, liveness, and versions. The `rpk redpanda admin` command tree is deprecated and hidden from help output. The old commands still work and print a pointer to their replacements, but they are planned for removal in a future major release. See [Deprecated Features](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/upgrade/deprecated/) for the full command migration table.