Rocky Linux 8.4 (Green Obsidian) has been released as the first stable release. It comes with new modules, such as Python 3.9, SWIG 4.0, Subversion 1.14, Redis 6, PostgreSQL 13, MariaDB 10.5. In addition, there are some significant changes. Rocky Linux is the latest option available to all the disenchanted CentOS users whose preferred distribution was abruptly terminated in December 2020.
Major changes and new modules
On the network side, network API for hosts Nmstate supports Rocky Linux 8.4. The Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) is also available for the latest stable release. Here are the changes on the security side:
- IPsec VPN provided by Libreswan now supports TCP encapsulation and security labels for IKEv2.
- The scap-security-guide packages have been rebased to version 0.1.54, and OpenSCAP has been rebased to version 1.3.4. These updates provide substantial improvements, including improved memory management,
- The fapolicyd framework now provides integrity checking, and the RPM plugin now registers any system update that is handled by either the YUM package manager or the RPM Package Manager.
Rocky Linux 8.4 supports the Error Detection and Correction (EDAC) kernel module set in 8th and 9th generation Intel Core Processors at the Kernel side. GCC Toolset 10, LLVM Toolset 11.0.0, Rust Toolset 1.49.0, and Go Toolset 1.15.7 have been updated.
FAQ
What is the latest version of Rocky Linux?
The latest version in Rocky Linux 8 series is 8.7 which was released on 14 November 2022, and in 9 series is 9.1 released on 26 November 2022.
How long will Rocky Linux be supported?
Rocky Linux 8.X versions will be supported until 2029 and Rocky Linux 9.X versions will be supported until 2032.
Is Rocky Linux free?
Yes, Rocky Linux is free and open-source software. It is released under the GNU General Public License.
Is Rocky Linux lightweight?
Rocky Linux is designed to be lightweight and minimalistic, it is built to be a drop-in replacement for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and it uses the same packaging, management, and update tools. It aims to be a fast, stable, and secure platform for enterprise use, so it is not as lightweight as other Linux distributions such as Arch Linux or Gentoo, but it is still considered a lightweight distribution when compared to others that are designed for enterprise use.
Who owns Rocky Linux?
Rocky Linux is owned and developed by the Rocky Linux Project, which is a community-driven and open-source project. The project is led by Gregory Kurtzer, who is also the founder of the CentOS project.
Is Rocky Linux same as RHEL?
Rocky Linux is similar to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in many ways, as it is designed to be a drop-in replacement for RHEL and uses the same packaging, management, and update tools. It aims to be fully compatible with RHEL and to provide the same level of performance, stability, and security as RHEL.
Is Rocky Linux same as CentOS?
Rocky Linux and CentOS are similar in many ways, but Rocky Linux is a new project that aims to fill the gap left by the discontinuation of CentOS and it has some different goals and directions.
Is Rocky Linux good for servers?
Rocky Linux is designed for enterprise use and as a drop-in replacement for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), so it can be a good choice for servers. It aims to provide the same level of performance, stability, and security as RHEL and uses the same packaging, management, and update tools.
Does Rocky Linux have a desktop environment?
Yes, Rocky Linux comes with a desktop environment, it ships with the KDE Plasma desktop environment by default, but it also provides other options like GNOME and Xfce that can be installed via the package manager. The desktop environment is just one of the many packages that can be installed on Rocky Linux, so users can choose to install a different desktop environment or none at all, depending on their needs.
Can Rocky Linux be installed on a virtual machine?
Yes, Rocky Linux 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 Rocky Linux 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 Rocky Linux on VMWare, you can refer to our article: How to create VM and install a Linux distro on VMWare Workstation