AlmaLinux 8.4 Release: CentOS-like distro based as a precise RHEL clone

AlmaLinux is a free Linux distribution, a complete binary-compatible release running the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) operating system source code.

While the first stable release of AlmaLinux, v 8.3 was introduced on March 30, 2021; initially built by CloudLinux experts, AlmaLinux is now being owned and governed by the community. The latest release, AlmaLinux 8.4 brings a lot of security improvements such as Secure Boot which is now fully supported and OpenSCAP security profiles ready for production.

AlmaLinux 8.4 is coming one short week after the release of RHEL 8.4, and as a production ready, stable release and ready to power all your computing needs and workloads.

What's New in AlmaLinux 8.4 Release?

AlmaLinux 8.4 biggest change is perhaps the most requested feature, Secure Boot, which is now fully supported in this latest release.

Other changes include new module streams and compiler updates, with the release of a devel repo. More detailed changes can be found below:

PowerTools repo is now disabled by default
OpenSCAP security profiles are now ready for production
Secure Boot is now fully supported
devel repo released with extra packages and build dependencies

You can also find link to the upstream release notes here, which will provide you with a complete list of changes and updates to this release.

How to Download or Upgrade to AlmaLinux 8.4?

AlmaLinux 8.4 is available in three installation ISO images, AlmaLinux-8.4-x86_64-boot.iso, AlmaLinux-8.4-x86_64-minimal.iso, and AlmaLinux-8.4-x86_64-dvd.iso; but it is recommended to download ISO images using the torrent links.

Alternatively, you can get a mirror from the list on mirrors.almalinux.org website closest to your geographic area, as local mirrors will be a lot faster than using repo.almalinux.org and download a suitable ISO image from the 8.4/isos/x86_64/ directory.