Key Differences Between CentOS 8 and CentOS Stream 8

 

Introduction

CentOS is a popular Linux distribution that has been widely used by organizations for its stability, security, and close ties to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). In 2019, two versions of CentOS emerged: CentOS 8 and CentOS Stream 8. While they may appear similar at first glance, they serve distinct purposes and target different user bases. In this article, we’ll explore the key differences between CentOS 8 and CentOS Stream 8, helping you make an informed decision about which one suits your needs.

Introduction to CentOS 8

CentOS 8 was released in September 2019, as a community-supported, downstream distribution of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (RHEL 8). Its primary goal was to provide a stable, enterprise-class operating system for users who required a free alternative to RHEL, with the same binaries and package versions but without official Red Hat support.

Key characteristics of CentOS 8 include:

• Long-term support (until the end of 2021)
• Stability, as it tracks RHEL 8’s release closely
• Security patches and updates aligned with RHEL releases
• Ideal for production environments that require stability

While CentOS 8 aimed at users who prioritized stability over innovation, the introduction of CentOS Stream 8 changed the landscape significantly.

What is CentOS Stream 8?

CentOS Stream, introduced in 2019, is a rolling-release distribution. Unlike CentOS 8, which was a direct copy of RHEL 8, CentOS Stream acts as a midpoint between Fedora and RHEL. It’s a preview of what the next RHEL minor version will look like.

CentOS Stream allows developers and sysadmins to see and influence the next version of RHEL by providing feedback before official releases.

Key characteristics of CentOS Stream 8 include:

• A rolling release model, meaning it receives continuous updates and feature improvements
• An upstream model relative to RHEL (meaning it’s ahead of RHEL in terms of updates)
• A focus on community contributions and bug reports before features land in RHEL

Photo by admingeek from Infotechys

Key Differences Between CentOS 8 and CentOS Stream 8

To better understand how CentOS 8 and CentOS Stream 8 differ, let’s break it down into several categories. This table highlights the major differences between the two:

Feature	CentOS 8	CentOS Stream 8
Release Model	Static release (downstream of RHEL)	Rolling release (upstream of RHEL)
Stability	Highly stable, mirrors RHEL 8 exactly	Less stable, since it’s ahead of RHEL updates
Update Frequency	Periodic updates, mirrors RHEL 8 updates	Continuous updates with new features
Target Users	Production environments prioritizing stability	Developers and sysadmins contributing to or testing new features
Support Duration	Ended December 2021	Ongoing with RHEL updates
Package Availability	Mirrors RHEL 8 packages and versions	Receives updates before RHEL, including new features
Contribution to RHEL	No community input into RHEL development	Acts as a testing ground for RHEL, open to contributions

As you can see, CentOS 8 focuses on stability and reliability, while CentOS Stream 8 emphasizes innovation and development.

How CentOS Stream Impacts the Community

The announcement in December 2020 to shift focus entirely to CentOS Stream (and discontinue CentOS 8) was met with mixed reactions. Many users who relied on CentOS for its stability felt betrayed, as CentOS Stream’s rolling-release model introduced more frequent updates, which could potentially lead to instability.

However, CentOS Stream offers significant advantages to developers and testers, as it allows them to:

• Contribute to RHEL development by providing feedback and bug reports on pre-release features.
• Test the latest features before they are included in the stable RHEL release.

For enterprise users who require long-term stability and consistency, CentOS Stream may not be ideal, and RHEL or other RHEL-based distributions (like AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux) may be better suited.

CLI Examples of Package Management Differences

Because CentOS Stream continuously updates, package versions and management can differ from CentOS 8.

Checking Available Package Versions in CentOS 8

CentOS 8 mirrors RHEL 8, so package versions remain relatively static. For example, if you want to check the httpd package version:

$ dnf info httpd

You might get output like this:

Name         : httpd
Version      : 2.4.37
Release      : 39.module_el8.4.0+549+80cf73be
Architecture : x86_64

Checking Available Package Versions in CentOS Stream 8

In CentOS Stream, you will likely see newer versions:

$ dnf info httpd

Example output:

Name         : httpd
Version      : 2.4.46
Release      : 11.module_el8.5.0+714+9bc7a92a
Architecture : x86_64

As you can see, CentOS Stream tends to have newer packages, which could be advantageous if you need access to the latest features, but it may also introduce bugs or instability.

Best Use Cases for CentOS 8 and CentOS Stream 8

Let’s now explore when you should use CentOS 8 vs. CentOS Stream 8.

Use Case	CentOS 8	CentOS Stream 8
Production Servers	Yes, especially for mission-critical workloads	No, not ideal for production environments
Development Environments	No, unless you’re developing for CentOS 8	Yes, especially if you want to contribute to RHEL or test upcoming features
Testing New Features	No, focuses on stability	Yes, ideal for testing new features and updates
Community Contributions	No	Yes, contributions help shape future RHEL releases
System Administrators	Yes, if stability is crucial	Yes, if you want to test updates and provide feedback