- The list-type of the alpha `resourceClaims` field introduced to `Pods` in `1.26.0` was modified from `set` to `map`, resolving an incompatibility with use of this schema in `CustomResourceDefinitions` and with server-side apply. ([#114585](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/114585), [@JoelSpeed](https://github.com/JoelSpeed))

- Removed deprecated command `kubectl stop`.

- Kubectl can now use http caching for the OpenAPI schema. The cache
  directory can be configured by passing the `--cache-dir` command line flag to kubectl.
  If set to an empty string, caching is disabled.

- Kubectl now performs validation against OpenAPI schema instead of Swagger 1.2. If
  OpenAPI is not available on the server, it falls back to the old Swagger 1.2.

- Added new `CRDValidationRatcheting` alpha feature. During a PATCH or UPDATE Validation Ratcheting discards errors thrown by unchanged portions of the resource from most OpenAPI schema validations. ([#118990](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/118990), [@alexzielenski](https://github.com/alexzielenski))

### Promoted Server Side Unknown Field Validation to Beta

- Fixed bug where providing a FieldPath to a CRD Validation Rule would erroneously affect the reported field path of other unrelated CRD Validation Rules on the same schema. ([#123475](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/123475), [@alexzielenski](https://github.com/alexzielenski))

- 'Container `preStop` and `postStart` lifecycle handlers using `httpGet` now
  honor the specified `scheme` and `headers` fields. This enables setting custom
  headers and changing the scheme to `HTTPS`, consistent with container
  startup/readiness/liveness probe capabilities. Lifecycle handlers configured
  with `scheme: HTTPS` that encounter errors indicating the endpoint is actually

- Added `optionalOldSelf` to `x-kubernetes-validations` to support ratcheting CRD schema constraints. ([#121034](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/121034), [@alexzielenski](https://github.com/alexzielenski))