As the name suggests, Red Hat Enterprise Linux is intended for businesses and organizations. If you want to run your own personal server, registering a copy of RHEL can feel excessive. Fortunately, there are a number of alternatives that use the exact same code and can run the same apps, as RHEL.
1. CentOS
CentOS stands for Community Enterprise OS. Launched in 2004 as a community-supported OS fully compatible with RHEL, it became a part of Red Hat years later. It has served as the most well-known way to use what is essentially RHEL without going through the financial hassle of actually using RHEL.
2020 saw the announcement that CentOS was going away in its current form by the end of 2021. Instead, Red Hat introduced CentOS Stream, a semi-rolling-release version that sees software updates slightly ahead of RHEL, instead of slightly behind.
This means that instead of being an identical copy of RHEL, CentOS Stream may contain newer versions of software. CentOS Stream releases share version numbers and support periods as their matching RHEL release.
Download: CentOS
2. Rocky Linux
Rocky Linux emerged in 2021 in the aftermath of the retirement of CentOS as we have traditionally known it and attempts to fill the shoes that CentOS previously wore. It functions as a downstream, binary-compatible version of RHEL. The name is a tribute to CentOS co-founder Rocky McGaugh.
For people looking for an upgrade path from CentOS 7 who have no interest in adopting CentOS Stream, or those looking for a way to stick with what feels like a longer supported version of CentOS 8, you do not need to start from scratch to switch to Rocky Linux. You can migrate over by running a single script.
Download: Rocky Linux
3. AlmaLinux
Rocky Linux was not the only RHEL-based alternative to rise from the end of CentOS. AlmaLinux launched in 2021 as another fully-compatible alternative to RHEL. The name comes from the Spanish word “Alma,” meaning “soul.”
Download: AlmaLinux
4. ClearOS
ClearOS derives its roots from CentOS and RHEL, but this distro has its own special purpose. It’s intended as an alternative to Windows Small Business Server for small and midsized companies, as well as home office use.
You use ClearOS not through a desktop but a web-based interface. This means you, your co-workers, or your clients can all utilize ClearOS without having to deploy it across numerous machines.
This web-based interface comes with a marketplace containing over 100 apps. HP has also collaborated with ClearCenter to provide servers that come with ClearOS and the ClearOS Marketplace.
Download: ClearOS
5. Oracle Linux
Oracle Linux is RHEL with the Red Hat branding swapped for Oracle’s. It powers Oracle Cloud and thousands of Oracle servers, but you can also use it as a desktop workstation. Like most RHEL-based distros, Oracle Linux utilizes the same tools, such as DNF and RPM.
Oracle Linux is a binary-compatible RHEL alternative that comes with corporate backing, unlike many of the community-run projects on this list. You have the option to pay for support directly from Oracle.
Oracle lets users keep the same kernel shipped as part of RHEL but also offers its own alternative, known as the Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel, which contains various tweaks from Oracle.
Download: Oracle Linux
6. Scientific Linux
Scientific Linux is a variant of RHEL targeting scientists working in experimental facilities, specifically research or work related to high energy and high-intensity physics. The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) sponsors the project.
The project began in 2003 as an effort to create a shared operating system for various labs to use, making it easier for them to share code and collaborate. Over the years, other labs such as CERN and DESY have also utilized Scientific Linux.
Going forward, many labs have decided to embrace CentOS, so currently, there are no more planned releases of Scientific Linux. Yet the latest release, based on RHEL 7, will continue to receive updates for the remainder of its life cycle, set to end in 2024.
Download: Scientific Linux
7. Fedora Linux
Fedora technically isn’t based on RHEL. The relationship is actually the other way around, with code going into Fedora first. When the time comes to start working on the next release of RHEL, Red Hat will take a version of Fedora, make that into CentOS Stream, and continue to crank away at it until it is an enterprise-ready product.
Does this mean Fedora is only a testbed? Not at all. The Fedora community strives to make Fedora a fully-functional, user-friendly workstation in its own right.
If you happen to be familiar with RHEL for your work, Fedora offers you the chance to utilize that same knowledge on your home computer. Or if you just want to use a general-purpose distro that is both dependable and up-to-date, that alone is reason to use Fedora, as Linux creator Linus Torvalds does.
Download: Fedora
Which RHEL Distro Is Right for You?
RHEL is one of the most stable, secure, and well-supported ways to run Linux. When you use one of the above alternatives, you get to use the exact same code. Most of these options intentionally do not try to do anything to differentiate themselves from RHEL. The goal is to be a drop-in replacement. So whichever one you pick, you should be just fine.
If you’re not working for a company and are looking for a great distribution to power your own server, you’re not limited to RHEL. There are other options, such as Debian and Ubuntu. But the choices are only just beginning.
