CentOS is a popular Linux distribution, derived from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), and often used in server environments. Here’s an overview of key features and history of CentOS:
- CentOS stands for Community ENTerprise Operating System.
- It is a free, open-source Linux distribution.
- CentOS is binary-compatible with RHEL, meaning that the software compiled for RHEL can typically be run on CentOS without modification.
- CentOS is popular in enterprise environments where users require the stability and reliability of RHEL but without the cost of a subscription.
- Stability: CentOS focuses on stability and long-term support, with releases supported for many years.
- Security: CentOS benefits from RHEL’s security features, offering frequent security updates and patches.
- Compatibility: Since it’s derived from RHEL, it maintains a high level of compatibility with RHEL software and repositories.
- Community-driven: Development and support are driven by the open-source community.
- CentOS 7: Released in 2014, it’s one of the most widely used versions and receives support until 2024.
- CentOS 8: Released in 2019, but the CentOS 8 stream was controversial. In 2020, Red Hat announced that CentOS 8 would be replaced by CentOS Stream.
- CentOS Stream: This is a rolling-release version, where new features and updates are provided before they are included in future RHEL releases. CentOS Stream is more upstream of RHEL than traditional CentOS, so it’s used more for development.
- CentOS Stream is a continuous delivery distribution that acts as a development branch between Fedora (upstream) and RHEL (downstream).
- CentOS Linux (the traditional model) was discontinued for CentOS 8 at the end of 2021, with CentOS 7 still receiving support.
- This shift from CentOS Linux to CentOS Stream caused some users to switch to alternatives like AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux, which continue to offer community-driven, stable versions closely mirroring RHEL.
- Web servers: CentOS is commonly used for hosting web servers using Apache, Nginx, or other web technologies.
- Databases: It’s often used in database environments with MySQL, PostgreSQL, and other database software.
- Virtualization: CentOS is frequently used as a base for virtualization platforms such as KVM or container orchestration with Docker and Kubernetes.
- Development environments: Many developers use CentOS for testing and development of enterprise applications.
- CentOS uses the yum (Yellowdog Updater, Modified) and dnf package managers to install, update, and remove software. It also relies on RPM (Red Hat Package Manager) files.
More about Package Management in CentOS