Alpine Linux vs CentOS : Which is Better?

Alpine Linux icon

Alpine Linux

Alpine Linux is a Linux distribution based on musl and BusyBox, primarily designed for "power users who appreciate security, simplicity and resource efficiency".

License: Open Source

Categories: OS & Utilities

Apps available for Linux

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CentOS icon

CentOS

CentOS is a Linux distribution that attempts to provide a free, enterprise-class, community-supported computing platform. Developed by The CentOS Project

License: Open Source

Categories: OS & Utilities

Apps available for Linux

Alpine Linux VS CentOS

Alpine Linux is designed for security and efficiency, making it ideal for containers and minimal environments, while CentOS offers a stable and robust platform suitable for enterprise applications with a well-supported ecosystem.

Alpine Linux

Pros:

  • Lightweight and minimalistic design
  • Uses musl libc instead of glibc
  • Package management with apk
  • Excellent for containerization
  • Built with security in mind

Cons:

  • Limited software availability compared to larger distros
  • Less user-friendly for beginners
  • Smaller community compared to CentOS

CentOS

Pros:

  • Stable and well-established
  • Rich ecosystem of packages and repositories
  • Long-term support and updates
  • Strong community support
  • Easy to use for server environments

Cons:

  • Can be heavier than Alpine
  • More complex package management for some
  • Requires more resources than Alpine

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