EL Distribution Overview
Enterprise Linux (EL) is a family of distributions based on or highly compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) source code. This article helps you understand their relationships and make the right choice for your needs.
Understanding the Relationships
Section titled “Understanding the Relationships”RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) | +-- CentOS Stream <- RHEL upstream development branch | +--- 1:1 Compatible Rebuilds ---+ | Rocky Linux | Founded by CentOS creator | +--- Binary / ABI Compatible ---+ | AlmaLinux | Community-driven, sponsored by CloudLinux | Oracle Linux | Published by Oracle, includes UEK kernel | +--- Compatible Derivatives ----+ | OpenAnolis (Anolis OS) | Initiated by Alibaba, domestic ecosystem | OpenCloudOS | Initiated by Tencent; 8 compatible line, 9 self-developed | Anolis OS | Anolis community edition | TencentOS Server | Open-source version of Tencent's internal build | +--- Upstream -------------------+ Fedora | Technical upstream for RHELDistribution Introductions
Section titled “Distribution Introductions”CentOS Stream
Section titled “CentOS Stream”CentOS Stream is the upstream (rolling-ahead) development branch of RHEL. Package versions are slightly ahead of the same RHEL version.
- Best for: Development and testing environments, early access to RHEL features
- Note: No longer a 1:1 binary-compatible rebuild of RHEL
- Maintained by: Red Hat
AlmaLinux
Section titled “AlmaLinux”Initiated and funded by CloudLinux, aiming to provide a community-driven RHEL-compatible distribution.
- Best for: Stable production environments, CentOS replacement
- Compatibility strategy: On 2023-07-13 AlmaLinux adjusted its goal from a “1:1 rebuild” to ABI / binary compatibility (official announcement); this is a target, not a per-package certification
- Features: Corporate backing + community governance, mature migration tools
- Maintained by: AlmaLinux OS Foundation
Rocky Linux
Section titled “Rocky Linux”Founded by CentOS project co-founder Gregory Kurtzer.
- Best for: Those who value community independence, need RHEL-compatible environments
- Features: Emphasis on community ownership, corporate sponsors but not controlled by a single company
- Maintained by: Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation
Oracle Linux
Section titled “Oracle Linux”An RHEL-compatible distribution published by Oracle, offering the proprietary UEK (Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel).
- Best for: Oracle database users, those needing Ksplice zero-downtime patching
- Features: Choice of RHCK (RHEL Compatible Kernel) or UEK kernel, free to use with paid support available
- Maintained by: Oracle
OpenAnolis / Anolis OS
Section titled “OpenAnolis / Anolis OS”A distribution initiated by Alibaba and maintained by the Anolis community, focused on cloud computing and data center scenarios in China (the 7/8 series is RHEL/CentOS-compatible; the 23 series evolves independently).
- Best for: Alibaba Cloud users, scenarios requiring domestic platform support
- Features: Domestic hardware support (ARM, RISC-V, LoongArch), deep integration with Alibaba Cloud
- Maintained by: OpenAnolis Community (led by Alibaba)
OpenCloudOS / TencentOS Server
Section titled “OpenCloudOS / TencentOS Server”Initiated by Tencent and maintained by the OpenCloudOS community, designed for cloud computing and server scenarios.
- Best for: Tencent Cloud users, domestic compliance environments
- Features: Deeply optimized cloud performance, long-term support
- Maintained by: OpenCloudOS Community (led by Tencent)
Comprehensive Comparison
Section titled “Comprehensive Comparison”| Feature | CentOS Stream | AlmaLinux | Rocky Linux | Oracle Linux | Anolis OS | OpenCloudOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL Compatibility | Upstream | ABI Compatible | 1:1 | Binary Compatible | 7/8 compatible; 23 independent | 8 userspace-compatible; 9 self-developed |
| Rolling Updates | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Free to Use | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Commercial Support | Red Hat | CloudLinux | CIQ | Oracle | Alibaba Cloud | Tencent Cloud |
| Unique Kernel | No | No | No | UEK | Cloud Kernel | — |
| Domestic Platform Support | No | No | No | No | Strong | Strong |
| Domestic Compliance | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Production Recommended | With Caution | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended (China) | Recommended (China) |
| Migration Tool | — | almalinux-deploy | migrate2rocky | — | — | — |
| Community Governance | Red Hat | Foundation | Foundation | Oracle | Open-source Community | Open-source Community |
Note: On 2023-07-13 AlmaLinux adjusted its compatibility goal from a “1:1 rebuild” to ABI / binary compatibility — the official wording is a goal adjustment, not proof that packages are copied or certified one by one. Rocky Linux targets bug-for-bug compatibility, and its build system has been Koji since Rocky 10 (Peridot before that). Oracle Linux is application-binary compatible (with its own patches and the UEK kernel).
How to Choose?
Section titled “How to Choose?”- General production servers: AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux
- Development / testing environments: CentOS Stream
- Oracle database environments: Oracle Linux (UEK kernel optimization)
- Alibaba Cloud / domestic scenarios: Anolis OS
- Tencent Cloud / compliance scenarios: OpenCloudOS
- Migrating from CentOS 7/8: See the Migration Guide
Version Correspondence
Section titled “Version Correspondence”| RHEL | CentOS Stream | AlmaLinux | Rocky Linux | Oracle Linux | Anolis OS | OpenCloudOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.x | 8 (EOL) | 8.x | 8.x | 8.x | 8.x | 8.x |
| 9.x | 9 | 9.x | 9.x | 9.x | 23 (independent) | 9.x |
| 10.x | 10 | 10.x | 10.x | 10.x | — | — |