Rocky
RPM family, based on Red Hat · first released 2021
- Popularity rank
- #66
- Index
- 265
- Released
- 2021
- Latest release
- 10.2
- Supported until
- May 2030
you write software, you run AI models or LLMs on your own GPU or you prefer tested updates on a fixed schedule.
Pros and cons
Good
- Free rebuild of Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- Around ten years of support per major version
- Large enterprise community
Trade-offs
- Older software by design
- Desktop is secondary
- Some desktop apps need extra repositories
How Rocky fits what you do
Everyday use: Can work
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- Not mainly built as an everyday desktop
Gaming: Not the best fit
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- NVIDIA drivers need setting up yourself
- Graphics drivers and kernels update more slowly
- Steam and gaming tweaks are up to you
Older computers: Can work
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- No 32-bit images
Programming: Good fit
Good
- Popular with developers
- A stable base that doesn't change under you
- Also runs on ARM machines
Trade-offs
None we know of.
AI & Local LLMs: Good fit
Good
- A common choice for running models locally
- CUDA available from NVIDIA's or the distro's own packages
- AMD ROCm supported or packaged
Trade-offs
None we know of.
Servers & home labs: Good fit
Good
- Widely used on servers
- Fixed releases with tested updates
- Runs on ARM boards and Raspberry Pi
Trade-offs
None we know of.
Privacy & security: Can work
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- Usage data not checked by us yet
- Privacy tools like Tor or sandboxing are up to you
Music, video & graphics: Can work
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- Creative apps and low-latency audio setup are up to you
From our hand-written profile of Rocky. Take the quiz to compare it with other distros for your setup.
Rank over time
| Window | Rank | Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last month | #126 ▼ 60 | 232 | |
| 12 months | #66 | 265 |
Shorter windows react faster. A better rank there than over 12 months means interest is growing.
Telemetry
Not checked yet. We only list what we've confirmed in the project's own documentation.
Rate Rocky
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Ranking from our composite index: English Wikipedia article views, DistroWatch page hits, GitHub stars and views on this site, built 2026-11-12. All of these measure interest, not installs. Release dates and support from endoflife.date (CC BY-SA 4.0). Ratings come from signed-in LinuxStatistics users.