CentOS

Changes to the production of CentOS Linux are causing many organizations to migrate to an alternate operating system. Find how Red Hat is making it easier for CentOS Linux users to migrate to RHEL with no-cost and low-cost subscriptions, and learn about the simplified process for contributing to RHEL development with CentOS Stream.

CentOS Linux

What is the status of CentOS Linux, and what are the options for migrating to another Linux distribution? Learn more so you can choose the distribution that best fits your needs.

Is CentOS the same as RHEL?

CentOS Linux has been used to run everything from small mail servers in at-home environments to datacenters in the world’s largest corporations. Despite being widely used, it is also widely misunderstood. Many people believe that CentOS Linux is the same as Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). In reality, there are many differences between the two:

CentOS Linux has no government or public security certifications. It is not certified by many hardware and software vendors, nor is it certified as a guest or host on Red Hat platforms.

CentOS Linux lacks some RHEL components, includes additional packages and capabilities, and is built and tested in a different environment.

CentOS Linux has no advanced automation or management tools, no certified live kernel patches available, and no in-place upgrade capabilities.

CentOS Linux has never been supported by Red Hat.

CentOS Linux end-of-builds

In December 2020, the CentOS Project announced that it would stop building and updating CentOS Linux and shift its focus to developing CentOS Stream. Follow along with this tutorial to migrate from CentOS Linux to RHEL in 7 easy steps or download a cheat sheet to guide you through a smooth migration.

To learn more about migrating to Red Hat Enterprise Linux, try this hands-on-lab.

If you're a CentOS Linux user, what are your options?

CentOS Stream

If you want to participate in future versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, check out CentOS Stream and explore what CentOS Stream means for developers.

Developer subscription

If you’re using CentOS Linux as an individual user for a small project, get a Red Hat Developer Subscription for Individuals at no cost. Learn more.

Team subscription

If you’re on a development team and your organization is already running other Red Hat technologies, you may qualify for a Red Hat Developer Subscription for Teams.

Production RHEL subscription

If you’re using CentOS Linux to run production workloads in your organization, get a Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscription for production.