Introduction
Rocky Linux is an open source distribution designed to provide binary compatibility with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). It emerged in 2021 in response to changes in CentOS and has quickly gained adoption in production environments thanks to its long-term stability and support.
History and origin
The project was initiated by Gregory Kurtzer, co-founder of CentOS, after Red Hat announced the change of focus of CentOS Stream. The name refers to the Rocky Mountains, symbolizing solidity and durability.
- Announced in April 2021.
- First stable version (8.4) released in June 2021.
- Objective: to be a 1: 1 replica of RHEL.
Main characteristics
Rocky Linux maintains the same base as RHEL, but under a fully open license. Its strengths include:
- Binary compatibility 1: 1 with RHEL.
- 10-year support cycles per major version.
- Family management tools (dnf, yum, SELinux).
- Timely security updates.
- Official images for cloud and containers.
Cases of use
Thanks to its fidelity to RHEL, Rocky Linux is ideal for:
- Web and high-availability application servers.
- Business databases (Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL).
- Environments of virtualization and Kubernetes.
- Development and testing that require replication of production.
- High-performance infrastructure (HPC).
Installation and configuration
Installing Rocky Linux is simple with the Anaconda installer. The basic steps are:
- Download ISO fromrockylinux.org.
- Create a USB boot medium or use a VM.
- Start the installer and choose language, keyboard and destination.
- Configure partitions (LVM is recommended).
- Define time zone, create root user and a regular account.
- Start the installation and restart at the end.
After installation, additional repositories such as EPEL or RPM Fusion can be enabled as necessary. In addition, it is recommended to set up the static network or DHCP according to the environment and enable the Cockpit service for a simple web administration.
Community and support
The Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation (RESF) supports the project, ensuring transparency and independence. The community communicates through:
- Official mailing lists and forums.
- Discord server and active IRC channels.
- Monthly meetings on YouTube.
- Complete documentation in the wiki and quick start guides.
In addition, annual events such as Rocky Linux Summit are organized and code contributions, documentation and translations are accepted. Several companies offer commercial support, which allows for professional assistance without relying solely on the community.
Future and roadmap
Rocky Linux follows the RHEL launch cycle, offering ten years of support per major version. The public roadmap includes:
- Always publish security updates and performance improvements.
- Expand the certified image catalogue for cloud and edge providers.
- Improve automation tools with integrated Ansible and Terraform.
- Promote certification and training programmes for managers.
Work is done on the integration of more recent versions of the kernel and on the emerging hardware support, such as GPU accelerators and latest-generation NVMe devices, ensuring that distribution is maintained at the forefront of business technology.
Conclusion
Rocky Linux has proved to be a robust and communitatively supported solution that covers the vacuum left by the changes in CentOS. Its compatibility with RHEL, its open development model and its growing support ecosystem make it an attractive option for companies, service providers and Linux enthusiasts who seek stability without commitments. If you are evaluating a platform for your critical workloads, it is worth considering Rocky Linux as your next choice distribution.
