When Red Hat discontinued CentOS 8 in December 2021 and shifted focus to CentOS Stream, the enterprise Linux community needed stable alternatives. AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux are known as the two RHEL-compatible replacements, while CentOS Stream continues as an upstream development platform. This comprehensive guide from PerLod Hosting explores AlmaLinux vs Rocky vs CentOS Stream VPS to help you choose the best option for your VPS hosting needs.

CentOS Alternatives: AlmaLinux vs Rocky vs CentOS Stream VPS

At this point, we want to start by understanding CentOS alternatives and the key differences between AlmaLinux vs Rocky vs CentOS Stream VPS.

1. AlmaLinux: AlmaLinux is a free and reliable replacement for CentOS. It is built by a non-profit foundation but backed by CloudLinux, a major hosting company, making it very stable for business use.

Because it works exactly like Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), any app built for Red Hat will run perfectly on AlmaLinux. It offers 10 years of support for each version and is famous for releasing security updates faster than other options. It also uses the standard DNF tool for installing software, so the commands will feel familiar if you have used CentOS before.

2. Rocky Linux: Rocky Linux was started by Gregory Kurtzer, the founder of CentOS. Its goal is to be an exact copy of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and a replacement for CentOS. Rocky offers 10 years of support for each version and is known for being stable and reliable. Like AlmaLinux, it uses the standard DNF tool to install and manage software.

3. CentOS Stream: CentOS Stream operates as an upstream model that sits between Fedora and RHEL. This makes it great for developers who need to see what features are coming next.

However, it is not recommended for production servers. Because it gets updates constantly, things change frequently, and bugs can happen. If you need a server that stays the same and never breaks, CentOS Stream is too risky to use.

Key Differences Comparison for CentOS Alternatives: AlmaLinux vs Rocky vs CentOS Stream VPS

Feature	AlmaLinux	Rocky Linux	CentOS Stream
RHEL Compatibility	ABI is compatible with RHEL	1:1 binary compatible with RHEL​	Upstream development platform​
Release Model	Fixed release (stable)​	Fixed release (stable)​	Rolling release
Production Ready	Yes, enterprise-grade​	Yes, enterprise-grade​	Not recommended​
Support Duration	10 years per release​	10 years per release​	Continuous updates​
Update Speed	Faster release times	Standard release cycle​	Early access to RHEL changes​
Package Manager	DNF (default)​	DNF (default)​	DNF (default)​
Best For	Production VPS, faster updates	Production VPS, exact RHEL clone​	Development and testing​
Global Mirrors	302 mirrors​	165 mirrors​	Red Hat CDN​

Now that you have understood the key differences, you can proceed to the following steps to learn how to migrate from CentOS to these alternatives.

Migrating from CentOS to AlmaLinux

For the CentOS 8 to AlmaLinux migration, you must switch to the root user with the command below:

sudo -i

Update your current CentOS system with the following command:

dnf update -y

Reboot your system to apply the changes:

reboot

After reboot, switch to the root user again:

sudo -i

Download the AlmaLinux deployment script from GitHub with the command below:

curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AlmaLinux/almalinux-deploy/master/almalinux-deploy.sh

Make the script executable:

chmod +x almalinux-deploy.sh

Run the migration script with the command below:

./almalinux-deploy.sh

It will take some time to complete. Once it is completed, reboot your server:

reboot

After reboot, verify the CentOS to AlmaLinux migration by checking the OS version and AlmaLinux kernel:

cat /etc/os-release
uname -r

If you are using CentOS 7, you can use the ELevate tool for CentOS 7 to AlmaLinux 8 migration:

# Update CentOS 7 fully
sudo yum update -y
sudo reboot

# After reboot, install the elevate-release package
sudo yum install -y http://repo.almalinux.org/elevate/elevate-release-latest-el$(rpm --eval %rhel).noarch.rpm

# Install leapp upgrade tool and AlmaLinux data
sudo yum install -y leapp-upgrade leapp-data-almalinux

# Start the pre-upgrade check
sudo leapp preupgrade

# If pre-upgrade passes, start the upgrade
sudo leapp upgrade

# Reboot to complete the upgrade
sudo reboot

Migrating from CentOS to Rocky Linux

For CentOS 8 to Rocky Linux migration, same as AlmaLinux Linux:

# Become root user
sudo -i

# Update your CentOS system
dnf update -y

# Reboot to ensure latest kernel is loaded
reboot

After reboot, switch to root and download the migrate2rocky script from GitHub:

curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rocky-linux/rocky-tools/main/migrate2rocky/migrate2rocky.sh

Make the script executable and execute the migration script with the -r flag:

chmod +x migrate2rocky.sh
./migrate2rocky.sh -r

Reboot after successful migration:

reboot

If you are using CentOS 9 and want to migrate to Rocky Linux 9, you must download the Rocky Linux 9 migration script:

curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rocky-linux/rocky-tools/main/migrate2rocky/migrate2rocky9.sh

# Make executable
chmod +x migrate2rocky9.sh

# Run the migration
./migrate2rocky9.sh -r

# Reboot
reboot

Verify the migration with the commands below:

# Check OS release
cat /etc/os-release

# Check Rocky Linux version
cat /etc/rocky-release

# Verify kernel
uname -a

Migrating from CentOS to CentOS Stream

For CentOS 8 to CentOS Stream migration, switch to root, update your system, and install CentOS Stream release package with the commands below:

sudo -i
dnf update -y
dnf install centos-release-stream -y

Swap repositories from CentOS Linux to CentOS Stream:

dnf swap centos-linux-repos centos-stream-repos -y

Synchronize all packages to CentOS Stream versions:

dnf distro-sync -y

Reboot to complete migration:

reboot

After reboot, verify CentOS Stream installation:

# Check OS version
cat /etc/centos-release

# Verify Stream repositories
dnf repolist

# Check kernel version
uname -r

Which Distribution Should You Choose? AlmaLinux vs Rocky vs CentOS Stream VPS

Deciding between AlmaLinux vs Rocky vs CentOS Stream VPS can be tricky since they all come from the same Red Hat roots. Here is a simple recommendation to help you pick the best OS from these CentOS Alternatives for your Linux VPS:

Choose AlmaLinux If:

• You need faster access to security patches and updates.
• You want ABI compatibility with flexibility in update timing.
• You prioritize community-driven development backed by enterprise support.​
• You value the broader mirror network (302 global mirrors).​
• Your workload requires enterprise-grade stability with quicker update cycles.​

Choose Rocky Linux If:

• You need strict 1:1 binary compatibility with RHEL.
• You want the closest possible CentOS replacement.​
• You prefer a distribution founded by the original CentOS creator.​
• Your organization requires exact RHEL mirroring for compliance.​
• You prioritize predictable and tested releases over rapid updates.​

Choose CentOS Stream If:

• You’re developing or testing applications for RHEL environments.​
• You want early access to upcoming RHEL features.
• You’re running development servers, not production workloads.​
• You need continuous integration with the latest RHEL developments.​
• Your use case benefits from rolling release updates.​

FAQs

Conclusion

For VPS hosting, both AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux provide excellent RHEL-compatible alternatives to CentOS. AlmaLinux offers faster update cycles and broader mirror support, which makes it ideal for users who prioritize quick security patches. Rocky Linux provides strict 1:1 binary compatibility, perfect for organizations requiring exact RHEL mirroring. CentOS Stream serves development and testing needs but should be avoided for production VPS workloads.

Your choice depends on whether you value update speed (AlmaLinux) or absolute RHEL compatibility (Rocky Linux), but both distributions will provide a reliable and production-ready foundation for your Linux VPS infrastructure.

We hope you enjoy this guide on AlmaLinux vs Rocky vs CentOS Stream VPS.

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