What is AlmaLinux / Rocky Linux

AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux are two free, open-source, enterprise-grade Linux distributions that are fully compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). They were created to replace the original CentOS after it changed direction, and both give you the stability and long support of RHEL without any licensing cost, which makes them extremely popular for servers.

Both are built to be drop-in alternatives to RHEL, meaning software made for Red Hat runs on them without changes. They share the same goal and quality, and the main difference comes down to who governs each project and a few technical details.

Quick Facts

Type	Free, RHEL-compatible server distributions
AlmaLinux developer	AlmaLinux OS Foundation
Rocky developer	Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation
Latest versions	AlmaLinux 10.2 and 9.8, Rocky Linux 10.2
Package manager	DNF (.rpm packages)
Cost	Free and open source

The CentOS Story

For years, CentOS was the free, community version of RHEL and a default choice for servers. In late 2020, Red Hat shifted CentOS to "CentOS Stream", an upstream preview of RHEL rather than a stable rebuild. That left many users without a free, stable, RHEL-identical option. AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux were created in direct response, and both quickly became the standard free successors to CentOS.

What RHEL-Compatible Means

Being RHEL-compatible means these systems are rebuilt to match Red Hat Enterprise Linux closely, so they behave the same way. Applications, control panels, and documentation written for RHEL or CentOS work without modification. You get the same enterprise stability, the same DNF package management, and roughly 10 years of support per major version, all without a subscription.

Both keep their version numbers in step with RHEL, which is why the current releases are AlmaLinux 10.2 / 9.8 and Rocky Linux 10.2, tracking RHEL's 10.2 and 9.x series.

AlmaLinux vs Rocky Linux

Aspect	AlmaLinux	Rocky Linux
Governance	AlmaLinux OS Foundation (non-profit)	Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation
RHEL compatibility	Binary compatible (ABI focused)	Bug-for-bug 1:1 with RHEL
Origin	Started by CloudLinux	Started by a CentOS co-founder
Support length	About 10 years per release	About 10 years per release

In practice, both are excellent and very similar. Choose Rocky if you want the closest possible 1:1 rebuild of RHEL, or AlmaLinux if you value its foundation model and quick release cadence. Either is a safe, free server foundation.

Key Features

• Free and enterprise-grade: RHEL-level stability with no license fee.
• Long lifecycle: Around 10 years of updates per major version.
• RHEL compatibility: Run software and control panels built for Red Hat unchanged.
• Easy migration: Tools exist to convert CentOS or other RHEL clones in place.
• Wide platform support: Official cloud, container, WSL, and multiple architecture images.

How You Manage Them

Both use the DNF package manager, exactly like RHEL. Keeping the system updated is a single command:

sudo dnf upgrade

What AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux Are Used For

• Web and application servers that need long-term, stable support.
• VPS and cloud hosting: both are popular, dependable choices for a Linux VPS.
• Hosting environments with control panels like cPanel that target RHEL systems.
• Enterprise workloads and databases where reliability is essential.
• CentOS replacements for organizations migrating away from it.

Closing Thoughts

AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux give you everything that made CentOS great: free, stable, enterprise Linux that is fully compatible with RHEL and supported for years. With both projects now at version 10.2, either one is a rock-solid foundation for servers, hosting, and any workload that needs RHEL compatibility without the cost.