- Fixes regression in CPUManager that caused freeing of exclusive CPUs at incorrect times ([#90377](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/90377), [@cbf123](https://github.com/cbf123)) [SIG Cloud Provider and Node]

### API Change

- '`kube-apiserver`: adds `--authentication-config` flag for reading `AuthenticationConfiguration`
  files. `--authentication-config` flag is mutually exclusive with the existing `--oidc-*`
  flags.' ([#119142](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/119142), [@aramase](https://github.com/aramase))

- Fixed a bug in the exclusive assignment availability check for the `InPlacePodVerticalScalingExclusiveCPUs` feature gate. ([#130559](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/130559), [@esotsal](https://github.com/esotsal))

* The CRD OpenAPI v3 specification for validation now allows `additionalProperties`, which are mutually exclusive to properties. ([#62333](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/62333), [@sttts](https://github.com/sttts))

  2. The `--node-cidr-mask-size` flag is mutually exclusive with `--node-cidr-mask-size-ipv4` and `--node-cidr-mask-size-ipv6`.

- Very large patches may now be specified to `kubectl patch` with the `--patch-file` flag instead of including them directly on the command line. The `--patch` and `--patch-file` flags are mutually exclusive. ([#93548](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/93548), [@smarterclayton](https://github.com/smarterclayton)) [SIG CLI]

  Server-side apply now considers `.spec.defaultBackend` to be an atomic struct.  This means that any field-owner who sets values in that struct (they are mutually exclusive) owns the whole struct. For almost all users this change has no impact; for controllers that want to change the default backend port from number to name (or vice-versa), this makes it easier. ([#126207](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/126207),...

- Fixed regression in CPUManager that it will release exclusive CPUs in app containers inherited from init containers when the init containers were removed. ([#104837](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/104837), [@eggiter](https://github.com/eggiter))

    * Implements subPathExpr field for expanding environment variables into a subPath
    * The fields subPathExpr and subPath are mutually exclusive
    * Note: This is a breaking change from the previous version of this alpha feature

- Kube-apiserver: fixes a 1.32+ regression validating OIDC and anonymous authentication flags are mutually exclusive to authentication configuration. Fixes an issue where the kube-apiserver `/flagz` endpoint would not respond correctly with parsed flags value. ([#130332](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/130332), [@richabanker](https://github.com/richabanker))...