CentOS Project has released the initial compose featuring 100% signed RPMs of CentOS Stream 10, marking a significant step in developing the next generation of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10 operating system.
A year ago, Red Hat unexpectedly limited access to its source code. Since then, the CentOS Stream become the upstream project for RHEL, and it’s now the only place where the public can access the source code related to Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
In other words, the project serves as a preview and staging ground for what will eventually evolve into RHEL 10. As such, it plays a pivotal role in the Linux ecosystem, offering developers and system administrators an early glimpse into the future of Enterprise Linux.
But what’s more important, the CentOS Stream repositories also serve as the base that other distributions, like AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux, use to build their RHEL-based derivatives.
However, contributors and users should note that CentOS Stream 10 is still very much in its formative phase. According to the announcement, the package composition is evolving with continuous additions and removals. Not all packages have been fully integrated into the gating system, which means updates may not yet be consistent or complete.
Moreover, the project has indicated that package repositories are undergoing reorganization, and composition groups are being updated to serve the users’ needs better and align with the upcoming features of RHEL 10. Despite these changes, the community is encouraged to get involved.
Currently, CentOS Stream 10 repos lack a full mirror network, which limits how it can be accessed and used. The announcement specifies that this early phase release is directed primarily at developers listed on the project’s development mailing list.
However, for those with access, the existing repo configuration, provided by the “centos-stream-release” package, supports package installation and updates directly from the compose.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 is expected to be released around mid-2025. Until then, you can check out what’s being developed in the repositories. For those eager to get their hands on the upcoming CentOS Stream 10, the installation ISO images are available for download to get a sneak peek at what will be included in the final version.
Of course, we again emphasize that this is all in the very early stages, and many packages will undergo changes before the final version is released in a year. For more details, visit the announcement.
