AlmaLinux vs. Rocky Linux: Comparing RHEL-Compatible Linux Distributions for VPS Hosting

Selecting the right Linux distribution for VPS hosting is critical for ensuring stability, performance, and compatibility with enterprise applications. AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux have emerged as leading alternatives to CentOS following its transition to CentOS Stream. Both are open-source, community-driven, and designed to be binary-compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), making them ideal for VPS environments. This article explores their origins, governance, compatibility, performance, and use cases, highlighting how VPS.DO’s VPS hosting supports these distributions for various server needs.

Origins and Development of AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux

AlmaLinux

AlmaLinux is a free, open-source Linux distribution developed to fill the void left by CentOS’s shift to a rolling-release model. Launched in 2021, it is backed by CloudLinux, a company with expertise in Linux-based solutions for hosting and data centers. AlmaLinux aims to provide a stable, enterprise-grade platform with binary compatibility to RHEL, ensuring seamless integration for users migrating from CentOS or other RHEL-based systems.

Rocky Linux

Rocky Linux, also introduced in 2021, was created by Gregory Kurtzer, a co-founder of CentOS, to preserve the original vision of CentOS as a stable, RHEL-compatible distribution. Governed by the Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation (RESF), Rocky Linux emphasizes community-driven development and long-term reliability, making it a robust choice for enterprise and individual users.

Governance and Community Support

AlmaLinux

The AlmaLinux OS Foundation, a non-profit organization, oversees the distribution’s development, ensuring it remains free and open-source. The foundation fosters collaboration through community forums, mailing lists, and real-time chat channels. AlmaLinux benefits from commercial support provided by CloudLinux, offering enterprise-grade assistance for businesses deploying mission-critical applications on VPS.DO’s VPS hosting plans.

Rocky Linux

Rocky Linux is managed by the RESF, a community-driven entity that prioritizes transparency and user input. The project encourages active participation through forums, chat platforms, and comprehensive documentation. While community-focused, Rocky Linux also offers commercial support through partners like CIQ, catering to organizations requiring professional services for their VPS deployments.

Compatibility and Software Ecosystem

AlmaLinux

AlmaLinux maintains Application Binary Interface (ABI) compatibility with RHEL, allowing it to run software and applications designed for RHEL without modification. This compatibility simplifies migrations from CentOS or RHEL, requiring minimal configuration adjustments. AlmaLinux supports third-party repositories like EPEL, enhancing its versatility for web hosting, database management, and cloud deployments on VPS.DO’s high-capacity plans.

Rocky Linux

Rocky Linux strives for strict 1:1 binary compatibility with RHEL, mirroring its behavior down to the bug level. This ensures that applications developed for RHEL or CentOS run seamlessly. Rocky Linux’s compatibility makes it suitable for custom setups and production environments, supported by VPS.DO’s scalable VPS infrastructure with up to 600 GB SSD storage.

Performance and Stability

Both AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux are built on the RHEL 5.14 kernel, offering robust performance for enterprise workloads. Performance differences are minimal and typically arise from custom software or configurations rather than the distributions themselves. Both provide timely security patches and updates, ensuring stability for mission-critical applications.

• AlmaLinux: Known for consistent performance across diverse environments, including web servers, databases, and cloud platforms, with seamless operation on VPS.DO’s plans starting at 1 vCPU/2 GB RAM.
• Rocky Linux: Excels in high-performance computing and virtualized environments, delivering reliable operation for demanding workloads on VPS.DO’s high-bandwidth plans up to 10 TB.

Key Use Cases

AlmaLinux

• Web Hosting: Integrates with control panels like cPanel and Plesk, ideal for hosting providers using VPS.DO’s SSD-based plans.
• Database Management: Supports enterprise databases with predictable performance.
• Cloud Deployments: Compatible with major cloud providers, suitable for hybrid and multi-cloud setups.

Rocky Linux

• High-Performance Computing: Optimized for compute-intensive tasks like scientific simulations.
• Virtualized Environments: Reliable for KVM, VMware, and OpenStack deployments.
• Custom Server Setups: Appeals to users prioritizing community-driven flexibility.

Migration and Deployment

Both distributions simplify migration from CentOS, with tools to minimize downtime.

• AlmaLinux: The ELevate tool supports migrations from CentOS 7/8 to AlmaLinux and upgrades between major versions, with compatibility for third-party repositories.
• Rocky Linux: The migrate2rocky tool facilitates transitions from CentOS, requiring an update to CentOS 8.5 for optimal results.

VPS.DO’s VPS hosting supports easy installation of AlmaLinux via SolusVM’s Reinstall option, while Rocky Linux can be deployed using custom ISO images through the IPMI console for dedicated servers.

Comparison Table: AlmaLinux vs. Rocky Linux

Advantages and Disadvantages

AlmaLinux

Advantages:

• Strong commercial backing from CloudLinux, ensuring reliable support.
• Flexible ABI compatibility, supporting a wide range of RHEL applications.
• Integration with control panels, ideal for VPS.DO’s web hosting plans.

Disadvantages:

• Slightly smaller package selection compared to Rocky Linux.
• Commercial backing may concern open-source purists.

Rocky Linux

Advantages:

• Strict 1:1 RHEL compatibility, closely mirroring CentOS’s original model.
• Strong community-driven governance, appealing to open-source enthusiasts.
• Suitable for custom and high-performance computing environments.

Disadvantages:

• Relatively newer project, still building adoption.
• Migration tool requires specific CentOS versions for optimal performance.

Choosing Between AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux

The choice between AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux depends on your project’s priorities and hosting requirements.

• Choose AlmaLinux: For enterprise-grade stability, commercial support, and web hosting with control panel integration, hosted on VPS.DO’s plans starting at $4/month.
• Choose Rocky Linux: For strict RHEL compatibility, community-driven development, and custom or high-performance setups, supported by VPS.DO’s high-bandwidth VPS plans.

Conclusion

AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux are both robust, RHEL-compatible alternatives to CentOS, offering stability, security, and long-term support for VPS hosting. AlmaLinux excels in enterprise environments with commercial backing and web hosting compatibility, while Rocky Linux appeals to users valuing strict RHEL alignment and community governance. With VPS.DO’s VPS hosting, ranging from 1 vCPU/2 GB RAM to 14 vCPUs/600 GB SSD, developers can deploy either distribution to meet their performance, compatibility, and scalability needs effectively.