Understanding OS Versions and Their Compatibility: A User’s Perspective

Posted on July 13, 2023 by Liquid Web

Category: Featured Articles | Tags: AlmaLinux, CloudLinux OS, cPanel, InterWorx, Plesk, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Rocky Linux

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Red Hat made a recent change that impacts Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), impacting OS distributions based on RHEL downstream.

cPanel will continue supporting AlmaLinux, RockyLinux, and CloudLinux OS versions. AlmaLinux, RockyLinux, and CloudLinux have pledged to keep those OS versions going after the Red Hat change.

Liquid Web recommends choosing the latest production-tested versions of those operating systems. Specifically those with at least one year or more of full support from their creators. This includes AlmaLinux 8, RockyLinux 8, and CloudLinux 8 as solid OS choices for your future VPS and Dedicated plan needs.

We do not recommend deploying new systems with CentOS 7 or similar operating systems that are soon-to-end support or have already ended support from their creators.

Control Panel Compatibility

Interworx

Currently supporting CentOS 7, Interworx is targeting AlmaLinux 9 support in the immediate future. Interworx is working to release this OS support as quickly as possible.

cPanel & WHM

Compatible with many operating systems. The most popular options are AlmaLinux, RockyLinux, and CloudLinux. cPanel has also committed to supporting Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, with future Ubuntu versions on the horizon.

Plesk

Compatible with many operating systems. The most popular are AlmaLinux, RockyLinux, and CloudLinux. Plesk also provides support for some versions of Debian and Ubuntu.

Once you have considered these factors, you can start to narrow down your choices. Here is a brief overview of the three most popular operating systems for cPanel.

Operating System Versions

AlmaLinux

AlmaLinux is a new operating system that is based on CentOS. It is a free and open-source operating system designed to be compatible with CentOS. Originally kickstarted by the CloudLinux team and released to the community, AlmaLinux is a good choice for those who want a stable and secure operating system for cPanel.

Rocky Linux

Rocky Linux is a new operating system based on CentOS. It is a free and open-source operating system designed to be compatible with CentOS. Rocky Linux is a good choice for those who want a stable and secure operating system for cPanel. While Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux are very similar, AlmaLinux tends to see more frequent usage with cPanel and Plesk systems.

CloudLinux

CloudLinux is a commercial operating system designed for running cPanel. It is based on CentOS but has many security features in the open-source version. CloudLinux is also a good choice for those who want to improve the performance of their cPanel server and add additional kernel-level features and protections. Something important to consider for the future is that CloudLinux plans to create its own distribution of Linux, starting with CloudLinux 10.

When selecting cPanel as your control panel of choice for your VPS or dedicated plan, you can rest assured that it will continue to have solid OS versions that it can run on.

cPanel currently supports many OS versions, such as AlmaLinux, RockyLinux, CloudLinux, and Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.

Ultimately, the best OS will depend on your needs and preferences. If you are still deciding which OS or control panel to choose, you can contact Liquid Web customer support for advice.