What Is RHEL?
What Red Hat Enterprise Linux Is
Red Hat Enterprise Linux, usually shortened to RHEL, is a commercial Linux distribution developed and supported by Red Hat, a company owned by IBM. It is built for organizations that run important servers and need predictable updates, documented support and software certified to run on the platform.
Like other distributions, RHEL combines the Linux kernel with system software, tools and a package manager. It uses the RPM package format and the DNF package manager. The source code is released under free software licenses, but compiled software and official updates are delivered through paid subscriptions.
This split between open source code and a commercial service is central to RHEL's model. For the general role of a distribution, see what a Linux distribution is.
The Subscription Model and What It Covers
A RHEL subscription gives a server access to Red Hat's official repositories, security advisories that describe fixes, and technical support. Each registered system is attached to a subscription, which determines the support level and the updates it receives. Subscriptions come in several tiers, and the cost depends on the tier and the number of systems.
The model suits enterprises that need a vendor to stand behind the platform, help with compliance audits and certified hardware and software combinations. Individuals and developers can use limited no-cost options. Organizations that do not need vendor support often choose a compatible rebuild instead, as discussed in AlmaLinux vs Rocky Linux.
A Long Lifecycle for Predictable Planning
Each major RHEL release has a long lifecycle. It first receives full support, including feature updates, for several years. It then moves to a maintenance phase that provides security and critical fixes only. Including the later phases, support typically runs for about a decade from release.
Predictable lifecycles let organizations plan upgrades years in advance, which is why hosting companies and enterprises standardize on RHEL. When support ends, updates stop and the system becomes a security and compliance risk. See what end of life means for servers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Red Hat Enterprise Linux free?
The software is open source, so its code can be read and rebuilt. Official RHEL binaries and updates, however, require a Red Hat subscription. Individuals and development setups can use limited no-cost options. Production servers that need official support usually need a paid subscription.
How does RHEL differ from CentOS?
CentOS Linux was a free community rebuild of RHEL's source code. CentOS Linux has ended, and CentOS Stream now sits upstream of RHEL as a preview of its next release. Stream is not a stable copy of RHEL, so the two behave differently. The history is covered in what happened to CentOS.