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Rocky Linux Reviews

Vendor: Rocky Linux
4.3 out of 5
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What is Rocky Linux?

Rocky Linux is a robust and secure enterprise-grade operating system designed as a drop-in replacement for CentOS. Its primary use case is to provide a stable and reliable platform for organizations to run their critical workloads and applications.

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Rocky Linux is the #4 ranked solution in top Operating Systems for Business. PeerSpot users give Rocky Linux an average rating of 8.6 out of 10. Rocky Linux is most commonly compared to Ubuntu Linux: Rocky Linux vs Ubuntu Linux. Rocky Linux is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 54% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 14% of all views.
Buyer's Guide
Rocky Linux
September 2025
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Rocky Linux mindshare

As of October 2025, the mindshare of Rocky Linux in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category stands at 14.3%, up from 12.2% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Rocky Linux14.3%
Ubuntu Linux11.5%
Windows Server10.0%
Other64.2%
Operating Systems (OS) for Business

PeerResearch reports based on Rocky Linux reviews

TypeTitleDate
CategoryOperating Systems (OS) for BusinessOct 4, 2025Download
ProductReviews, tips, and advice from real usersOct 4, 2025Download
ComparisonRocky Linux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)Oct 4, 2025Download
ComparisonRocky Linux vs Ubuntu LinuxOct 4, 2025Download
ComparisonRocky Linux vs Oracle LinuxOct 4, 2025Download
Suggested products
TitleRatingMindshareRecommending
Ubuntu Linux4.311.5%95%149 interviewsAdd to research
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)4.48.6%97%364 interviewsAdd to research
 
 
Key learnings from peers

Valuable Features

Rocky Linux offers flexibility with extensive software package availability, efficient community support, and ease of setup. Its stability mirrors CentOS, with a user-friendly interface across GNOME and KDE platforms. Users appreciate its open-source nature, seamless integration, and streamlined patch management. Despite minimal need for technical support, organizations consider support contracts due to complex infrastructure. Its reliability and simplicity make it an adaptable choice for various workflows.
  • "Rocky Linux has impacted my organization very positively because we migrated everything from CentOS and Windows servers to Rocky Linux, everything is clear, with good packaging, and now it's version 9.6, which is very important for us due to security problems since we are in Europe."
  • "In my opinion, the best features Rocky Linux offers are stability, compatibility, and community support, all of which I think are extremely necessary and essential for the distribution, and I find that all three pillars are very supported by Rocky Linux."
  • "Rocky Linux provides us with extended maintenance, security patches, and support lifecycle aligned with RHEL, making it highly reliable for critical systems."

Room for Improvement

Rocky Linux faces challenges including missing software compared to CentOS 7, unclear identity and marketing, and older package versions. Users experience issues with DNS, audio integration in virtual machines, and compatibility with Windows, particularly Active Directory. The shift to Rocky Linux necessitates self-management without paid support and requires enhanced community engagement. Users aim to enhance skills for potential VMware migration, finding improved virtualization alternatives, and supporting developer teams.
  • "Rocky Linux could be improved by having more integration with Kubernetes."
  • "I see some performance-related issues, but we are still checking on that, and we don't know if it is related to the OS or the resource; that is something still to be checked from our end."
  • "The package versions can be quite older compared to other distributions such as Ubuntu."

ROI

Users have praised the stability, security, and reliability of the operating system, which has resulted in increased productivity and reduced downtime. The seamless transition from CentOS to Rocky Linux has also been appreciated, saving users time and resources. Additionally, the active community support and regular updates ensure that users have access to the latest features and security patches, further enhancing the ROI of using Rocky Linux.

Pricing

Rocky Linux is praised for its affordable pricing and minimal setup cost. Users appreciate the fact that the product is available for free, making it a cost-effective choice for businesses and individuals. Additionally, the setup process is reported to be straightforward and hassle-free, requiring minimal technical expertise. 

  • "The product is expensive. I rate the pricing a three."
  • "Compared to the market prices of other tools, the solution has a very competitive pricing."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations primarily use Rocky Linux for diverse tasks such as automation, system management, and high-performance computing. They experiment with various tools, replacing systems due to licensing issues, using it in virtualization, networking, and as a bastion host. It's favored for educational purposes at home, evaluated for older hardware alternatives, and utilized for building test infrastructures. Rocky Linux supports tools and environments with ongoing updates, allowing effective management of diverse server hardware configurations.

Service and Support

Users generally do not engage with customer service or support for Rocky Linux. Many rely on self-support and community resources, benefiting from reliable documentation and forums. The operating system's stability reduces the need for direct contact, as challenges typically involve third-party software or in-house applications. Security teams and users often conduct their research independently, suggesting that Rocky Linux effectively minimizes the need for external assistance, highlighting its reliability and ease of use.

Deployment

Rocky Linux's initial setup is straightforward and efficient, especially when cloning the repository for numerous workstations. It serves as a direct replacement for Red Hat Enterprise Linux or CentOS, requiring standard maintenance. Installation and deployment are easy to manage either on-premises or cloud-based systems, with a typical setup taking around an hour. Teams experience minimal manual intervention and use images for virtual components without encountering issues.

Scalability

Rocky Linux demonstrates strong scalability with widespread use among varying organization sizes, from 40 to hundreds of users. Many find its performance efficient in scaling scenarios, rating it highly. While some note issues, others report flawless initial setups, using images to efficiently manage virtual components. Optimal for on-premises servers, Rocky Linux effectively handles multiple instances. Most users express satisfaction with its scalability, emphasizing its capability to accommodate growing demands with ease.

Stability

Rocky Linux is acknowledged for its stability across various environments. Users appreciate its performance on systems with minimal resources, praising its efficiency with low memory and CPU requirements. Reports mention high stability ratings, often between eight to ten out of ten. While some users haven't encountered challenges due to simplicity in applications like DNS and DHCP, there is anticipation of potential future complexities, suggesting that support might be beneficial in those scenarios.
These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.
Download our Rocky Linux Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
By visitors reading reviews
Company SizeCount
Small Business487
Midsize Enterprise290
Large Enterprise914
By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Comms Service Provider
11%
University
11%
Educational Organization
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Retailer
4%
Media Company
3%
Healthcare Company
3%
Hospitality Company
3%
Insurance Company
2%
Non Profit
2%
Energy/Utilities Company
2%
Real Estate/Law Firm
2%
Outsourcing Company
2%
Aerospace/Defense Firm
1%
Construction Company
1%
Wholesaler/Distributor
1%
Performing Arts
1%
Pharma/Biotech Company
1%
Recreational Facilities/Services Company
1%
Transportation Company
1%
Legal Firm
1%
Consumer Goods Company
1%

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Learn more about Rocky Linux


The most valuable functionality of Rocky Linux lies in its compatibility with CentOS, ensuring a seamless transition for organizations already using CentOS. It offers long-term support, regular security updates, and a predictable release cycle, providing stability and reliability for mission-critical systems.

Rocky Linux helps organizations by offering a free and open-source alternative to CentOS, which was discontinued by Red Hat. It allows businesses to continue using their existing CentOS-based infrastructure without the need for costly migrations or vendor lock-in. With its strong community support and active development, Rocky Linux ensures a sustainable and community-driven future for CentOS users.

Moreover, Rocky Linux is built with security in mind, providing robust features like SELinux and secure defaults. This helps organizations protect their data and systems from potential threats and vulnerabilities.

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Rocky Linux Reviews Summary
Author infoRatingReview Summary
CloudOps Engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees4.5I've used Rocky Linux for over a year with AWS EC2 and find it stable, scalable, and cost-effective, especially for transitioning from CentOS, though we're still assessing performance issues unrelated to the OS.
Linux architect at European Commission4.5I've used Rocky Linux for two years in our big data environment after migrating from CentOS, and it’s been reliable, secure, and feature-rich, though I’d like to see better Kubernetes integration in future versions.
Network Infrastructure Manager at SAGEMCOM4.0We switched from Red Hat to Rocky Linux due to licensing costs, and it's met our experimental infrastructure needs well. It's stable, easy to set up, integrates smoothly, and serves as a reliable CentOS alternative for our Linux systems.
System Engineer at clusterkit4.0I have used Rocky Linux for high-performance computing, online assessments, and Ceph storage over the past few years. While it is free and open source, I find its package versions older than Ubuntu, which affects my project's adaptability to customer requirements.
IT / IAM Senior Specialist at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees5.0I migrated internal web servers from CentOS to Rocky Linux for better stability and compatibility, saving on licensing costs. It's been reliable, easy to implement, and well-supported by the community, making it my recommended CentOS replacement.
Linux Administrator at Magna International4.0I use Rocky Linux in my company for automation and managing on-premises machines, appreciating its stability akin to CentOS. However, I encounter issues with the DNS part. I've used CentOS, Red Hat, and Fedora as well.
Linux System Administrator at Adapt IT5.0I am using Rocky Linux at home to learn various Linux flavors, recommending it for users with older machines. Its user interface on GNOME and KDE is intuitive, though audio integration in virtual machines needs improvement, especially in Oracle Virtual Box.
System Administrator at Maxar Technologies4.0We use Rocky Linux for its flexibility and extensive community support, which aids our development with PostgreSQL databases. Though some software was initially missing, its alignment with Red Hat and community support influenced our choice over AlmaLinux.