Rocky Linux

Rocky Linux

Rocky Linux is a free, open-source Linux distribution developed to be fully binary-compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). The project was founded in 2020 by Gregory Kurtzer—one of the original CentOS co-founders—and positions itself as the direct successor to classic CentOS Linux.

Background and Philosophy

Following the announcement to discontinue CentOS Linux, Rocky Linux emerged with the stated goal of fulfilling the original promise of CentOS: a robust, enterprise-grade operating system fully controlled by the community. Rocky Linux is managed by the Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation (RESF), which is committed to transparency, openness, and long-term stability.

RHEL Compatibility and Reproducibility

Rocky Linux is built directly from RHEL source packages and is binary-compatible with RHEL. A distinctive feature of the project is its focus on reproducible builds and maximum transparency in the development process. For organizations that prioritize traceability and community control, Rocky Linux is a compelling choice.

Use Cases

Rocky Linux is designed for professional server and data center operations and is suitable for diverse enterprise scenarios:

• Enterprise servers – stable, long-term supported platform for critical services
• Cloud and virtualization – official images available for all major cloud platforms
• Container infrastructure – proven as a foundation for Podman, Docker, and Kubernetes environments
• Science and research – widely adopted in HPC environments and universities
• Migration from CentOS – Rocky Linux provides an official migration script with migrate2rocky

Long-Term Support and Security

Rocky Linux follows the RHEL release cycle with a ten-year support period per major release. Security and bug fix updates are provided promptly following the RHEL upstream. The project also offers an active community as well as commercial support options through various partners in the ecosystem.

Professional Support for Rocky Linux

credativ® supports you in deploying Rocky Linux—from system planning and migration through hardening and configuration management to ongoing operations. Contact us if you are looking for an RHEL-compatible platform with professional support.

Further Information:

• Rocky Linux Wiki – documentation and guides
• Logo source: Josh Urbain and Hayden Young – Vectorized by Vulphere from official branding repository for Rocky Linux Foundation at https://github.com/rocky-linux/branding/blob/main/logo-text.svg, BSD, Link