CloudLinux announced the release of AlmaLinux Beta, a free 1:1 binary compatible fork of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8. According to the announcement, the company collected feedback from the community and built the beta release around the expectations from an enterprise-level Linux distribution.
1:1 binary compatible fork of RHEL 8
The AlmaLinux team also ask the community to be involved in the project to provide feedback. The team stated that they aim to build the distribution entirely from community contributions and feedback. During the beta, the company also ask for assistance in testing, documentation, support, and future direction for the operating system.
The team also stated that they set up all the infrastructure to make it convenient for contributors to provide input. According to the announcement, the public repository on Github is where the company will finalize the source code for the system, and any additional documentation will be also posted on the wiki page.
The AlmaLinux team also hosting a live Q&A to facilitate communication and help answer some of the common questions. The webinar will take place on February 10, 5 PM (UTC) / 9 AM (PST) and Igor Seletskiy, CEO of CloudLinux and Alexander Vinogradov, team lead of AlmaLinux will answer questions. You can sign up for our webinar here.
FAQ
What are the latest AlmaLinux versions?
The latest version in AlmaLinux 8 series is 8.7 "Stone Smilodon" which was released on 10 November 2022, and in 9 series is 9.1 "Lime Lynx" released on 16 November 2022.
How long will AlmaLinux be supported?
AlmaLinux 8.X versions will be supported until 2029 and AlmaLinux 9.X versions will be supported until 2032.
Is AlmaLinux free?
Yes, AlmaLinux is a completely free and open-source Linux distribution.
Is AlmaLinux lightweight?
Yes, AlmaLinux is a lightweight and strong enterprise-focused Linux distribution.
Who owns AlmaLinux?
AlmaLinux is a community-driven Linux operating system. The AlmaLinux OS Foundation is a non-profit organization created for the benefit of the AlmaLinux OS community.
Is AlmaLinux same as RHEL?
Yes, AlmaLinux is an RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) fork and is 1:1 binary compatible with it.
Is AlmaLinux same as CentOS?
Yes, AlmaLinux is one of the best CentOS alternatives and is 1:1 binary compatible with its pre-Stream version.
Is AlmaLinux good for servers?
AlmaLinux is an enterprise-focused Linux distribution that delivers a variety of tools for use on servers.
Does AlmaLinux have a desktop environment?
Yes, AlmaLinux has a desktop environment. It comes with GNOME by default. You can install any other desktop environments according to your needs.
Can AlmaLinux be installed on a virtual machine?
Yes, AlmaLinux can be installed on a virtual machine. A virtual machine (VM) allows you to run an operating system within another operating system. This means that you can install AlmaLinux on a virtual machine and run it on top of your current operating system, without the need to replace it or partition your hard drive. To install AlmaLinux on VMWare, you can refer to our article: How to create VM and install a Linux distro on VMWare Workstation