Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is a commercial enterprise Linux distribution developed by Red Hat, one of the leading open-source software companies in the world. RHEL is widely used across enterprise servers, cloud infrastructure, virtualization platforms, containers, and mission-critical business environments.

RHEL is known for its long-term support lifecycle, enterprise-grade security, stability, and certified hardware and software ecosystem. The operating system powers infrastructure used by businesses, government organizations, educational institutions, and cloud providers worldwide.

The distribution uses the RPM package format and DNF package manager, and it commonly ships with the GNOME desktop environment for workstation deployments. RHEL also serves as the foundation for several enterprise-focused technologies and ecosystems, including OpenShift, Podman, Ansible, and hybrid cloud platforms.

Modern RHEL releases focus on:

  • Hybrid cloud infrastructure
  • Containerized workloads
  • AI and developer tools
  • Security hardening and compliance
  • Enterprise automation
  • Image-based deployment technologies such as bootc and image mode

Red Hat Enterprise Linux follows a subscription-based support model that provides access to enterprise updates, security patches, certifications, and professional support services. RHEL releases typically receive enterprise maintenance and support for up to 10 years.

RHEL supports multiple architectures including:

  • x86_64
  • ARM64 (aarch64)
  • IBM Power
  • IBM Z

The distribution has also influenced several related Linux ecosystems and projects, including Fedora, CentOS Stream, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, and Oracle Linux.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux remains one of the most influential and widely adopted enterprise Linux platforms in the open-source ecosystem.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux workstation environment Red Hat Enterprise Linux workstation environment
Type Linux
Status Active
Home Page https://www.redhat.com/
Page popularity 51(8 hits per month)
Base distributions
  • Independent
Desktop Environments
Distributions based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux
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