For years CentOS Linux was the free, stable way to run Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) software on a server. Red Hat ended it, and AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux took its place. This article explains what happened to CentOS, how the two replacements differ in 2026, and which to choose for a server.
CentOS Linux 8 ended in December 2021 and CentOS Linux 7 on 30 June 2024; neither gets security updates any more. CentOS Stream continues, but as a preview of the next RHEL release rather than a stable rebuild. AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux are free, community-run RHEL-compatible distributions with about ten years of support per major version (8, 9 and 10). Either is a sound choice for a server; pick the one your control panel or software vendor supports best.
1. What happened to CentOS
CentOS Linux was a free rebuild of RHEL: the same packages, released shortly after each RHEL update, with long support. Hosting companies and businesses used it for exactly that predictability.
In December 2020 Red Hat announced that CentOS Linux would end and that the project would focus on CentOS Stream. Stream sits just ahead of RHEL: it shows what the next RHEL minor release will contain. That suits developers and testers, but many server owners wanted a system that changes only when RHEL does.
| Release | What happened |
|---|---|
| CentOS Linux 8 | End of life 31 December 2021, years earlier than first planned |
| CentOS Linux 7 | End of life 30 June 2024 |
| CentOS Stream 8 | Ended 31 May 2024 |
| CentOS Stream 9 and 10 | Continue, as the development preview of RHEL 9 and 10 |
Neither gets security updates any more, so every newly discovered vulnerability stays open. Move to AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux. Both offer in-place migration tools, but for a production server, a fresh install and a data migration is usually the safer route. Take a full backup first either way.
2. AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux
Both projects appeared in 2021 to fill the gap, and both are free to use with no subscription.
- AlmaLinux was started by CloudLinux, the company behind the CloudLinux hosting OS, and is now run by the non-profit AlmaLinux OS Foundation.
- Rocky Linux was started by Gregory Kurtzer, a co-founder of the original CentOS project, and is run by the Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation.
Both follow RHEL's major versions, 8, 9 and 10, and both released version 10 in 2025, soon after RHEL 10.
3. How they differ in 2026
In 2023 Red Hat stopped publishing RHEL's source code on its public git server, making CentOS Stream the main public source. The two projects responded differently:
| Point | AlmaLinux | Rocky Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Compatibility goal | Application-binary compatible with RHEL (ABI), built largely from CentOS Stream | Bug-for-bug compatible with RHEL, using other legal sources of RHEL code |
| Governance | AlmaLinux OS Foundation (non-profit) | Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation |
| Version 10 hardware | Also offers builds for older x86-64-v2 CPUs | Follows RHEL 10's x86-64-v3 baseline |
| Support per major version | About ten years | About ten years |
| Migration from CentOS | almalinux-deploy | migrate2rocky |
In practice, software certified for RHEL runs on both, and most administrators could not tell them apart day to day. AlmaLinux's approach also lets it ship some fixes before RHEL does.
4. Why they have overtaken CentOS
- Stability. They change only when RHEL does, which is what CentOS Linux used to offer and CentOS Stream doesn't.
- Long support. Version 8 is supported until 2029, version 9 until 2032 and version 10 until 2035.
- Vendor support. Hosting control panels, security tools and commercial software list AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux as supported platforms.
- Easy migration. Each provides a script that converts an existing CentOS, Oracle Linux or other EL server.
- Community ownership. Both are run by foundations rather than a single company's product plan.
5. Which should you choose?
Three rules decide it more than the name:
- Check your software's supported list first, especially your control panel, and install a version it supports.
- Install the newest major version your software supports, so you get the most years of updates.
- Plan the next upgrade before the end-of-support date, not after it.
For the wider picture of Debian, Red Hat, Arch and other families, read an overview of popular Linux distributions.
6. Linux at Domain India
Our cPanel and DirectAdmin shared hosting servers run CloudLinux 8, a RHEL-compatible distribution that isolates each hosting account (measured on our servers, September 2026). On shared hosting you don't choose or manage the operating system.
On a Domain India VPS you choose the distribution. The VPS page lists Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux and Fedora; pick a supported AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux release rather than CentOS Linux 7 or 8. The VPS is self-managed with full root access, so updates and security are yours to run. If you want a control panel, the VPS page offers none, CyberPanel, Webuzo or DirectAdmin at checkout; check which distributions your panel supports before you install. Prices on the card are live, per month, excluding 18% GST.
- 1 vCPU
- 2 GB DDR4 RAM
- 64 GB NVMe SSD Storage
- 2 TB Monthly Bandwidth
Is CentOS dead?
CentOS Linux is. CentOS Linux 8 reached end of life in December 2021 and CentOS Linux 7 on 30 June 2024, and neither receives security updates. CentOS Stream continues, but as a preview of the next RHEL release, not a stable rebuild.
What is the difference between AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux?
Both are free, community-run RHEL-compatible distributions with about ten years of support per major version. AlmaLinux aims for application-binary compatibility and builds largely from CentOS Stream; Rocky Linux aims for bug-for-bug compatibility with RHEL. For most servers either works.
How long are AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux supported?
They follow RHEL's lifecycle: version 8 until 2029, version 9 until 2032 and version 10 until 2035.
Can I migrate a CentOS server to AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux?
Yes. AlmaLinux provides almalinux-deploy and Rocky Linux provides migrate2rocky to convert a server in place. For production, a fresh install with a data migration is usually safer. Take a full backup first either way.
Is CentOS Stream a good choice for a web server?
Usually not for production. It receives changes before RHEL does, which suits testing and development. For a server you want to keep stable for years, choose AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux.
Which Linux does Domain India shared hosting use?
The cPanel and DirectAdmin shared hosting servers run CloudLinux 8, which isolates each account. Customers don't choose the OS on shared hosting; on a VPS you choose it yourself.
Ready to choose your own Linux? Compare VPS plans, and before you go live, work through the SSH security hardening checklist.
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