AlmaLinux vs CentOS Stream
AlmaLinux rebuilds the released enterprise version; CentOS Stream is the branch that leads to it. Both use DNF over RPM, systemd and GNOME. AlmaLinux asks for 1.5 GB of memory and ships a 1,575 MB image, while Stream records no memory floor and a 906 MB image with kernel 6.12.
Side by side
| AlmaLinux | CentOS Stream | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | rpm | rpm |
| Release model | Versioned releases | Versioned releases |
| Desktop | GNOME | GNOME |
| Package manager | DNF (RPM) | DNF (RPM) |
| Init system | systemd | systemd |
| Immutable root | No | No |
| Wayland by default | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum RAM | 1.5 GB | — |
| ISO size | 1.5 GB | 906 MB |
| Latest kernel | — | 6.12 |
| Releases archived | 20 | 3 |
| Latest release | — | 12 December 2024 |
What differs
Base & packages
DNF with RPM on both, and neither entry has a package snapshot in the dataset. Stream does record kernel 6.12 for version 10; AlmaLinux records no kernel at all. Compiler and library versions are therefore absent for both, and this page quotes none.
Desktop & display
GNOME on both, unversioned, with Wayland as the default. Neither image is a desktop build: Stream's is 906 MB and AlmaLinux's is 1,575 MB, and both are classified as server systems.
Release model
Stream 10 is dated 19 September 2026 and changes continuously within that major version. AlmaLinux's 9.6 arrived on 15 December 2025, 9.7 on 6 March 2026, and then 9.8, 10.0, 10.1 and 10.2 all on 26 May 2026 — a burst of point releases rather than a stream.
Hardware requirements
AlmaLinux states 1.5 GB of memory and a 1,575 MB image; Stream states no memory minimum and a 906 MB image. Only the image size can be compared directly, and Stream's is the smaller of the two.
Init & immutability
systemd on both without recorded versions, with neither marked immutable. Each installs a writable root, so a configuration management system written for an RPM server will treat them the same way.
Verdict
Choose AlmaLinux if you want a stable rebuild with a stated memory floor and dated point releases you can pin, and if the enterprise version has already shipped. Choose CentOS Stream if you are testing against the platform before it is frozen, or if the 906 MB image fits your deployment better. The compatibility target is the same; the difference is whether you want the result or the work in progress.
FAQ
Do both provide an enterprise-compatible system?
Both target the same enterprise platform. AlmaLinux rebuilds a version after it ships, while Stream carries the changes on the way there, so the packaging and the release flow differ rather than the goal.
Which image is smaller?
CentOS Stream, at 906 MB against AlmaLinux's 1,575 MB, and Stream is the only one of the two without a recorded memory minimum.