The Rocky Linux team announced the general availability of Rocky Linux 8.5 for x86_64 and aarch64 (ARM) architectures. The latest release is announced shortly after RHEL 8.5 was released. Rocky Linux 8.5 can now be downloaded from its official website.
What’s new
Users who want to upgrade from Rocky Linux 8.4 to Rocky Linux 8.5 can use the following command:
$ sudo dnf -y upgrade
Rocky Linux 8.5 also allows migrations from supported from various Enterprise Linux distributions including CentOS Linux and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
New Modules
- Ruby 3.0
- nginx 1.20
- Node.js 16
Updated Components
- PHP to version 7.4.19
- Squid to version 4.15
- Mutt to version 2.0.7
Compilers and Development tools
- GCC Toolset 11
- LLVM Toolset 12.0.1
- Rust Toolset 1.54.0
- Go Toolset 1.16.7
OpenJDK updates
- Open Java Development Kit 17 (OpenJDK 17) is now available. For more information about the features introduced in this release and changes in the existing functionality, see OpenJDK features.
- OpenJDK 11 has been updated to version 11.0.13. For more information about the features introduced in this release and changes in the existing functionality, see Release notes for OpenJDK 11.0.13.
- OpenJDK 8 has been updated to version 8.0.312. For more information about the features introduced in this release and changes in the existing functionality, see Release notes for OpenJDK 8.0.312.
Gregory Kurtzer, founder of Rocky Linux said,
«There was an amazing amount of work and collaboration that went into this release. The Rocky Release Engineering team went far and above the call of duty to make 8.5 a reality so quickly. Please send them gratitude, happy thoughts, and lotsa beers at our first available moment!»
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