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

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, cloud-focused
  |    Anolis OS                   | Anolis community edition
  |    TencentOS Server            | Open-source version of Tencent's internal build
  |
  +--- Upstream -------------------+
       Fedora                      | Technical upstream for RHEL

Distribution Introductions

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

Initiated and funded by CloudLinux, aiming to provide a community-driven RHEL-compatible distribution.

• Best for: Stable production environments, CentOS replacement
• Compatibility strategy: Since July 2023, AlmaLinux no longer aims for a 1:1 rebuild and has moved to ABI / binary compatibility (official announcement)
• Features: Corporate backing + community governance, mature migration tools
• Maintained by: AlmaLinux OS Foundation

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

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

An EL-compatible distribution initiated by Alibaba and maintained by the Anolis community, focused on cloud computing and data center scenarios in China.

• 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

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

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	8/9 compatible
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: Since July 2023, AlmaLinux no longer aims for a 1:1 rebuild of RHEL and has moved to ABI / binary compatibility; Rocky Linux remains bug-for-bug compatible; Oracle Linux is application-binary compatible (with its own patches and the UEK kernel).

How to Choose?

Tip

If you are a beginner or need a general production environment, choosing AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux is the safest option. For cloud environments in China, Anolis OS and OpenCloudOS are also excellent choices.

• 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

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	—	—

Note

Most tutorials on this site apply to both EL 9.x and EL 10.x. The vast majority of commands and configurations work across all the above distributions. Differences are clearly noted when applicable.