ROCKY LINUX VS. ALMALINUX: COMPREHENDING THE KEY DIFFERENCES
Following CentOS's strategic realignment from a free, community-supported alternative to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to CentOS Stream, two prominent contenders have emerged to fill its market position. CentOS has been replaced by two delightful distributions, which are Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux. Both operating systems are centred on the RHEL model and deliver the best scaled-up operating system services. Each of them has its own approaches and organizations for this procedure.
The purpose of this article is to analyse both Rocky and AlmaLinux and decide which of these fits better in terms of the considerations mentioned above.
ROCKY LINUX VS. ALMALINUX: KEY DIFFERENCES
A comparison of Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux reveals some significant differences:
● Origins and community involvement. Rocky was started by Gregory Kurtzer, one of the founding members of CentOS. AlmaLinux, a spin-off of CloudLinux, tries to position itself as a community-driven project with corporate backing.
● Governance and sponsorship. Both operating systems are open-source and have their own legal backing. Rocky Linux is under the Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation (RESF), and AlmaLinux is under the AlmaLinux OS Foundation.
● Update and release cycles. These two distributions are very much in synchronization with the RHEL release schedule. They differ in terms of updates and product support.
● Performance and enterprise readiness. Both strive for stable enterprise-grade, but the underlying support mechanisms and performance optimization may differ.
ALMALINUX: KEY FEATURES AND ORIGINS
AlmaLinux was developed out of the CloudLinux company’s ambition to bring a CentOS clone that is entirely free and open source. Revealed in February 2021, AlmaLinux is a community distribution with significant support from CloudLinux Ltd., which makes financial and organizational contributions.
Key Features:
● RHEL compatibility. AlmaLinux seeks to be a direct substitute for RHEL, which makes it compatible with RHEL’s binary packages.
● Long-term support. AlmaLinux presents a successful long-term support model with frequent updates and security fixes.
● Community-driven. After getting steered and supported by CloudLinux, AlmaLinux has a transparent structure and its governance is quite open.
● Security enhancements. CloudLinux helps to get new kernel security patches and system hardening improvements.
ROCKY LINUX: KEY FEATURES AND ORIGINS
Rocky was created after CentOS switched to CentOS Stream. Rocky Linux was created by Gregory Kurtzer, a member of the CentOS developer team, and is run by the Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation today. The model of governance and development of the project is based on the concept of community governance.
Key Features:
● RHEL binary compatibility. Similar to AlmaLinux, the major focus of Rocky Linux is complete compatibility with RHEL binary packages.
● Community governance. The RESF manages the project’s implementation and pays significant attention to the community orientation of the model and the interests of the communities involved in overseeing all the decision-making processes in the project.
● Stable releases. Rocky Linux has specifically targeted stability and should give users migrating from CentOS a similar experience.
● Support and updates. The updates are consistent, as is the frequency of their releases in RHEL.
ALMALINUX VS ROCKY LINUX: COMPARISON TABLE
AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux are both relatively new products on the market and to help you define differences and similarities, we’ve presented the below table of comparisons. This table is clear and outlines each distribution’s performance in the different aspects of governance, support, security and community involvement.
With the help of the outlined elements, you will be ready to identify which distribution is preferable based on your requirements and preferences.
| Feature | AlmaLinux | Rocky Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Origins | CloudLinux-backed, community-driven | Created by CentOS co-founder, community-driven |
| Governance | AlmaLinux OS Foundation | Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation (RESF) |
| RHEL Compatibility | Full compatibility | Full compatibility |
| Support | Long-term support from CloudLinux | Community support via RESF |
| Release Cycle | Aligns with RHEL, regular updates | Aligns with RHEL, regular updates |
| Security | Enhanced by CloudLinux | Standard security updates |
| Community Involvement | Strong, with corporate backing | Strong, with a community focus |
ARCHITECTURE: SUPPORTED SYSTEMS
AlmaLinux and Rocky are compatible with multiple architectures, enabling them to work well on various hardware systems.
● x86_64. Both distributions provide a solid foundation for the 64-bit X86 architecture that is used in the majority of servers and workstations.
● ARM. Both projects are involved in ARM support. The level of support for this option is less comprehensive than that provided for x86_64.
● PowerPC and s390x. There are activities and proposed strategies for supporting these architectures in both distributions for communities.
UPDATES AND RELEASE CYCLE: STABILITY FOCUS
ALMALINUX
This project's open code is regularly released, with a preference for synchronizing with RHELs. New versions are released more frequently, supporting function, compatibility, and stability with the RHEL release cycle. This model provides the best for AL users, providing timely security patches and system updates.
ROCKY LINUX
Like RHEL, the Rocky Linux release cycle is consistent and offers users a reliable Linux flavor. The project commits to releasing new versions at specific intervals, which permits users to be in contact with fewer interferences, ensuring that updates have been tested before their release.
PERFORMANCE: ENTERPRISE READINESS
Both are aimed at enterprise infrastructure. Which of these specific performance characteristics is realized may depend on the application's focus and the base used when developing it.
ALMALINUX
Thanks to the presence of CloudLinux, AlmaLinux has some built-in improvements in performance tuning. The experience of CloudLinux in optimised enterprise environments plays a valuable role in enhancing the efficiency of AlmaLinux, so today’s programming tasks will not be a problem for them.
ROCKY LINUX
Rocky Linux, guided by RESF, is known for its high performance and reliability. It especially targets RHEL and hence will have the performance factor of RHEL along with added features on top of community developments.
STABILITY: ENSURING RELIABILITY
ALMALINUX
The distribution kit prioritizes stability as its CentOS codebase stays very close to RHEL, and release schedules are synchronized. AlmaLinux leverages the basic framework created by RHEL (reliability and robustness) that comes with RHEL but with an added advantage.
Distributions like CloudLinux come with further security enhancements like KernelCare, which results in better system stability by patching and updating without causing disruptions. The distribution kit gives long-term support guarantees and a stable update frequency.
ROCKY LINUX
Rocky Linux sustains stability. Being an open-source project, it retains all the fundamentals of RHEL’s extensive testing and quality assurance frameworks. Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation (RESF) reviews all updates before releasing them into the market.
Solid validation of such a project with open code by involving the community and following the formal validation process reinforces its security. It makes it suitable for organizations and critical-use applications.
SUPPORT: OPTIONS AND COMPATIBILITY
ALMALINUX
A company offers various support packages, starting with individual services, consulting, and enterprise support. This backing guarantees that users of AlmaLinux have a place with specialists for help and far-reaching assets.
ROCKY LINUX
In the case of Rocky Linux, it uses the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Support Fund for community support. There are no official support options, but the community and available resources offer substantial support for users. There may be other third-party types of services that can assist in some cases.
COMMUNITY: USER AND DEVELOPER SUPPORT
ALMALINUX
AlmaLinux has a powerful and well-developed community thanks to the CloudLinux team’s backing. There is the AlmaLinux community, which involves users and developers and is available in the forum, mailing lists, social networks, and groups. The activity level of this dynamic community encompasses discussions, users’ troubleshooting, and information sharing concerning the conditions of best practices.
AlmaLinux content contains a separate documentation section that will provide both ordinary users and programmers with the necessary information and opportunities, backed up by CloudLinux’s experience.
ROCKY LINUX
Rocky Linux has strong and enthusiastic backing from the community, including the Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation (RESF). This community is made up of former CentOS users, developers, and enthusiasts who engage in forums, Github repositories, and mailing lists, among others.
The RESF brings transparency and inclusiveness to the system by coordinating with the actual community, with inputs coming from the community. Rocky Linux has rich documentation and rich material that includes the opportunity to find the necessary information or consult with like-minded individuals.
PACKAGE MANAGERS: DNF AND RPM
Both AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux utilize the same package management tools:
● DNF (Dandified YUM). Applicability for both distributions: DNF is the default package manager that is capable of keeping up the pace in terms of dependency resolution and management.
● RPM (Red Hat Package Manager). Behind DNF, RPM manages packages, their installation and removal, and checks if all components are compatible with each other and the distribution.
REPOSITORIES: DEFAULT AND EXTRA
ALMALINUX
AlmaLinux provides a range of repositories designed to supply a set of software packages expected to meet all the requirements of users. The default repositories include:
● BaseOS. Contains the fundamental system packages and structures.
● AppStream. Offers more programs and applications, such as development tools and server functions.
AlmaLinux supports extra repositories that can be added as needed, such as:
● EPEL (Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux). This is a special repository offered by the community that contains more packages that are not available in the main repositories.
● CloudLinux. Additional repositories contain additional software and tools from CloudLinux, optimizing its security and performance.
ROCKY LINUX
Similarly to AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux provides a similar repository structure for applications, and this results in the wide availability of software:
● BaseOS. The installation of this variety of core system packages is necessary for a computer to operate.
● AppStream. Offering different types of additional software products involving applications and tools.
Rocky Linux supports additional repositories, like:
● EPEL (Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux). Managed by the Fedora project, adding additional software packages to it.
● Third-party repositories. Custom sources can be added when necessary for specific software or update requirements.
SECURITY: FEATURES AND TOOLS
ALMALINUX
Security is improved with timely updates. AlmaLinux features offer a high level of security. Built on CloudLinux’s insight, it provides extra security solutions, including KernelCare for online kernel updates, ensuring a secure CentOS with small disruptions. AlmaLinux has SELinux to secure restricted access to the system, following system hardening techniques to safeguard against threats.
AlmaLinux supports the secure boot feature, which is an additional guarantee that only verified applications are launched and all the protected walls are activated immediately after the system is booted.
ROCKY LINUX
Rocky Linux provides a stable security model related to RHEL. This includes periodic security updates and patches, through which all flaws are fixed as soon as possible.
SELinux is completely utilised to maintain the security policies and to lock down purposeful access and the users’ vulnerabilities are managed by the community. All extracted system integrity tools and compliance measures are available on Rocky Linux, which can be recommended for safe and commercial use.
USE CASES: PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
ALMALINUX
AlmaLinux is a general-purpose OS that can work effectively in different environments due to its robust base on RHEL. They are experts in hosting solutions, database services, business applications, and virtualization solutions. Its stability makes it appropriate for cloud configurations, load sharing, and educational experiences. Use cases showcase the versatility of AlmaLinux and its ability to work in any IT environment.
ROCKY LINUX
Rocky Linux is aimed at end-users migrating from CentOS and other Linux operating systems, as well as Linux enthusiasts who want a substitute. It can be used for development environments and production servers, maintaining good compatibility and reliability rates.
LEARNING CURVE: USER ADAPTATION
ALMALINUX
AlmaLinux is easy to learn for people who have previous experience with RHEL or CentOS since the learning process will only involve transitioning from one distribution to another. You will find lots of documentation and helpful communities for CentOS on the web.
ROCKY LINUX
In the case of relatively younger users migrating from CentOS to Rocky Linux, they will find it easier to work with. This functionality is community-driven, making it easy for users to leverage huge resources and get help from other users to address any possible methods of ease.
CORPORATE BACKING: SPONSORSHIP
ALMALINUX
AlmaLinux is sponsored by CloudLinux and receives financial backing. Such backing guarantees the project’s sustainability and development; users receive extra materials and different choices of support.
ROCKY LINUX
Being a community distribution, Rocky Linux is backed by the RESF, a non-profit organization whose mandate is to support distribution. The concept of community-led development that it employs is rather stable and resourceful.
FINAL DECISION
The decision of which one to go for, whether AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux, depends on the requirements that one has for their CentOS. Both are friendly with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, are backed up by active communities, and provide stable versions.
One advantage goes to AlmaLinux, which is the CloudLinux Company’s backup and additional security and corporate layers, and another to Rocky Linux, which is still community-based and originates from the CentOS lineage. Evaluate the needs of your business, look at the options provided in the support, and choose the distribution that will work well for your operation.