Alma Linux
AlmaLinux is a free, open-source, enterprise-grade Linux distribution designed to be a drop-in replacement for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). It was created after Red Hat announced the shift in CentOS Linux development (ending CentOS Linux in favor of CentOS Stream). It is an Open Source and forever-free enterprise Linux distribution, governed and driven by the community, focused on long-term stability and a robust production grade platform. AlmaLinux OS is binary compatible with RHEL®. The AlmaLinux OS Foundation was established as a 501(c)(6) non-profit to steward ownership and governance of the project. The foundation includes over 400 individual members, over 100 Mirror sponsors, and over 25 Corporate sponsors.
📌 Key Points about AlmaLinux
- Origin
- Developed and maintained by the AlmaLinux OS Foundation, a non-profit community-driven organization.
- First released in March 2021.
- Purpose
- Provides a 1:1 binary-compatible fork of RHEL.
- Offers stability and long-term support for enterprises, just like CentOS used to.
- License
- Completely free and open-source (GNU General Public License).
- Community & Governance
- Managed by the AlmaLinux OS Foundation, which is backed by sponsors, contributors, and the community.
- Not controlled by a single company (unlike RHEL by Red Hat).
- Support Cycle
- Each AlmaLinux release is supported for 10 years (with updates and patches).
- Security updates and bug fixes are community-driven.
- Compatibility
- Binary-compatible with RHEL.
- Supports applications, repositories, and tools built for RHEL.
- Use Cases
- Enterprise servers
- Web hosting (many hosting providers now offer AlmaLinux as a replacement for CentOS)
- Development and testing environments
- Cloud deployments
Here’s a clear and organized release table for AlmaLinux OS, based on reliable sources:
| Version | Codename | Release Date | Kernel Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.3 | Purple Manul | Mar 30, 2021 | 4.18.0-240 |
| 8.4 | Electric Cheetah | May 26, 2021 | 4.18.0-305 |
| 8.5 | Arctic Sphynx | Nov 12, 2021 | 4.18.0-348 |
| 8.6 | Sky Tiger | May 12, 2022 | 4.18.0-372 |
| 8.7 | Stone Smilodon | Nov 10, 2022 | 4.18.0-425 |
| 8.8 | Sapphire Caracal | May 18, 2023 | 4.18.0-477 |
| 8.9 | Midnight Oncilla | Nov 21, 2023 | 4.18.0-513.5.1 |
| 8.10 | Cerulean Leopard | May 28, 2024 | 4.18.0-553 |
| 9.0 | Emerald Puma | May 26, 2022 | 5.14.0-70.13.1 |
| 9.1 | Lime Lynx | Nov 17, 2022 | 5.14.0-162.6.1 |
| 9.2 | Turquoise Kodkod | May 10, 2023 | 5.14.0-284.11.1 |
| 9.3 | Shamrock Pampas Cat | Nov 13, 2023 | 5.14.0-362.8.1 |
| 9.4 | Seafoam Ocelot | May 6, 2024 | 5.14.0-427.13.1 |
| 9.5 | Teal Serval | Nov 18, 2024 | 5.14.0-503.11.1 |
| 9.6 | Sage Margay | May 20, 2025 | 5.14.0-570.12.1 |
| 10.0 | Purple Lion | May 27, 2025 | 6.12.0-55.9.1 |
Support Lifecycle Overview
- AlmaLinux 10.0: Released May 27, 2025, with active support until May 31, 2030, and security updates continuing until May 31, 2035 wiki.almalinux.orgendoflife.date.
- AlmaLinux 9: Initially released May 26, 2022, with support lasting until May 31, 2027 (active) and May 31, 2032 (security) endoflife.date.
- AlmaLinux 8: First released March 30, 2021; active support ended May 2024, with security support through March 2029 endoflife.date.
Additional context:
- AlmaLinux aligns its minor releases closely with RHEL, often within a few days