CentOS Stream as a server: What does the new rolling-release model offer?

CentOS Stream marks an evolutionary development of the traditional CentOS project. As a rolling-release model, the new Linux distribution aims to bridge community development and the stable Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). This enables continuous updates and provides insight into the future direction of RHEL, opening new opportunities and perspectives for businesses and developers. The following article takes a closer look at what CentOS Stream offers as a server operating system.

What characterises CentOS Stream?

CentOS Stream is a Linux distribution in which members of the open-source community collaborate with Red Hat developers. Unlike the traditional CentOS release, which was regarded as a downstream build of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and used exactly the same source code as a given RHEL version, CentOS Stream positions itself slightly differently in the RHEL development cycle. CentOS Stream is positioned as a middle ground between Fedora (an upstream project) and RHEL (a downstream product). It gives developers and users insight into what will appear in future RHEL releases.

CentOS Stream aims to create a closer link between the open-source community and RHEL. Through feedback and contributions from the community, changes and innovations can flow into CentOS Stream, which may then be included in future RHEL releases.

At the end of 2020, Red Hat announced that there would be no further traditional CentOS releases after CentOS 8 and that the focus would shift to CentOS Stream. This decision was controversial within the community, as many organisations had used CentOS in its traditional form for production systems.

CentOS Stream follows a rolling-release model. That means it is continuously updated, rather than being based on fixed, point releases. This enables faster innovation and the integration of new features.

What technical aspects make CentOS Stream servers stand out?

CentOS Stream combines the stability of RHEL with a rolling-release model, allowing users to benefit from continuous updates, advanced security features and active community support. It also brings a range of technical aspects and features:

• Continuous updates

Through the rolling-release model, users receive ongoing updates and improvements. This ensures you stay up to date with the latest technologies and security patches.

• Predictability and transparency

As CentOS Stream serves as a sort of "preview" for RHEL, companies and developers can see early which technical changes and innovations to expect in future RHEL releases.

• Stability

Despite its rolling-release nature, CentOS Stream is built on the proven foundation of RHEL, one of the most stable and widely used server operating systems.

• Optimised performance

CentOS Stream can benefit from the latest optimisations and performance improvements introduced into the kernel and other key components.

• Security features

CentOS Stream uses many of RHEL's security capabilities, including SELinux (Security-Enhanced Linux), an advanced mandatory access control system.

• DNF package manager

CentOS Stream uses DNF, an improved and modernised package manager that enables faster and more reliable software management.

• Interoperability

Like RHEL, CentOS Stream supports a wide range of hardware and software platforms, ensuring broad compatibility.

• Modular software streams

These allow users to select and use specific software versions that meet their requirements, rather than relying solely on the versions provided in the main repository.

• Innovative technologies

As a bridge between Fedora and RHEL, CentOS Stream has access to innovative technologies and experiments introduced in Fedora, while also benefiting from the stability and reliability of RHEL.

In summary, CentOS Stream servers offer a combination of stability, performance and innovative potential, making them an attractive option for many server environments.

Find suitable offers for CentOS Stream VPS hosting or CentOS Stream Dedicated Server as well as CentOS Stream Cloud Server in comparison.

CentOS Stream versions and lifecycle

As a kind of "preview" of RHEL, CentOS Stream follows a slightly different lifecycle and versioning approach than the traditional CentOS Linux distribution.

CentOS Stream is released in relation to RHEL versions. This means, for example, there is a "CentOS Stream 8" that precedes RHEL 8 and is continuously updated until RHEL 9 is released. Then there will be a transition to "CentOS Stream 9" and so on.

Because CentOS Stream follows a rolling release model , there are continuous updates and no fixed end-of-life date as with traditional versions of CentOS or RHEL. When a new major version of RHEL is expected (e.g. RHEL 9), CentOS Stream will prepare for it and begin to converge towards that new version. After the release of RHEL 9, CentOS Stream 9 will become the main CentOS Stream version.

At the end of 2020 Red Hat made changes to the CentOS project, shifting the focus to CentOS Stream and the traditional CentOS distribution was discontinued . Therefore, the lifecycle and versioning of CentOS Stream are of particular interest to those considering CentOS for production environments.

What weaknesses does CentOS Stream have as a server operating system?

While CentOS Stream offers many advantages, it also has some potential weaknesses, particularly when compared with traditional CentOS or other stable server operating systems:

• Reduced predictability: As CentOS Stream follows a rolling-release model, changes can occur more quickly than in traditional, point releases. This can be problematic for some production environments that place a high value on a very stable and predictable platform.

• Compatibility issues: The ongoing updates could potentially cause compatibility problems with third‑party software or specialised hardware configurations.

• Shorter testing period: New features and changes in CentOS Stream may have a shorter testing period than those introduced in traditional releases. That could increase the risk of bugs or other issues.

• Future concerns: Red Hat’s decision to discontinue traditional CentOS in favour of CentOS Stream has caused uncertainty for some in the community. There are concerns about future decisions Red Hat may make regarding the project.

• Migration challenges: For those migrating from traditional CentOS, challenges may arise in adapting to the rolling‑release model and other differences between the two distributions.

• Not ideal for all use cases: While some applications may benefit from the continuous updates in CentOS Stream, other use cases — particularly those that require an extremely stable environment — may be better served by an operating system that provides point releases and long support periods.

Despite these potential weaknesses, CentOS Stream also offers many advantages and is suitable for a wide range of use cases. As with any technology decision, organisations and individuals should carefully assess their specific needs and requirements before making a choice.

CentOS Stream compared to other server operating systems

When selecting the appropriate server operating system, attention should be paid to the differences and individual characteristics of each alternative:

CentOS Stream vs Debian

CentOS Stream is based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and follows a rolling release model, whereas Debian has independent, regular releases with stable, testing and unstable branches. CentOS Stream uses the RPM package manager and DNF for package management, while Debian uses APT with DEB packages. Although both distributions are open-source community projects, CentOS has a closer affiliation and orientation towards a commercial company (Red Hat), whereas Debian is a completely independent project without commercial orientation.

CentOS Stream vs Windows Server

CentOS Stream and Windows Server represent two fundamentally different operating system families: CentOS Stream is an open-source Linux distribution based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and follows a rolling release model, whereas Windows Server is a proprietary operating system from Microsoft. They differ significantly in terms of user interface and system administration, with CentOS primarily managed via the command line, while Windows Server uses a graphical user interface and PowerShell. Additionally, CentOS Stream is built on the Linux kernel, whereas Windows Server uses the Windows NT kernel, leading to differences in performance, security and compatibility.

Overall, the choice of server operating system depends strongly on the specific requirements and context.

More information on the differences between the various Linux distributions can also be found in the article: Best Linux for servers: Which distributions are suitable?

When should a CentOS Stream server be preferred?

CentOS Stream serves as a bridge between Fedora and RHEL. Organisations that want an advantage in the implementation of new features from RHEL without sacrificing the relative stability of RHEL can benefit from CentOS Stream.

For organisations seeking the benefits of an active open-source community while also benefiting from the the proximity to Red Hat's development direction, CentOS Stream offers an attractive balance.

CentOS Stream is suitable for environments that prefer a rolling-release model to stay up to date and avoid having to migrate between major version jumps.

Developers and system administrators who develop or test applications and infrastructure for RHEL environments can use CentOS Stream as a test environment to see how their applications will behave in future RHEL releases.

While RHEL is commercial and subject to licensing, CentOS Stream is free. For organisations seeking the benefits of RHEL but without the associated licensing costs, CentOS Stream can be a good choice.

Our article is based on our own experience and research as well as information from external sources.

Sources & further links on the topic:

https://www.centos.org/ (Official website of the CentOS project)