CentOS Stream is a continuous-delivery distribution providing each point-release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Before a package is formally introduced to CentOS Stream, it undergoes a battery of tests and checks—both automated and manual—to ensure it meets the stringent standards for inclusion in RHEL. Updates posted to Stream are identical to those posted to the unreleased minor version of RHEL. The aim? For CentOS Stream to be as fundamentally stable as RHEL itself.
To achieve this stability, each major release of Stream starts from a stable release of Fedora Linux—In CentOS Stream 9, this begins with Fedora 34, which is the same code base from which RHEL 9 is built. As updated packages pass testing and meet standards for stability, they are pushed into CentOS Stream as well as the nightly build of RHEL. What CentOS Stream looks like now is what RHEL will look like in the near future.
CentOS Stream is developed through collaboration between the CentOS community and the RHEL engineering team. Although many CentOS Stream contributions derive from Red Hat employees, CentOS Stream thrives on community support. CentOS Stream is a stable, reliable platform for open source communities to expand upon, allowing people from all areas and backgrounds to collaborate in an open environment.
Because CentOS Stream ultimately becomes RHEL, contributors also have an opportunity for their work to influence future builds of RHEL; this makes CentOS Stream an ideal environment for creativity and forward-thinking.
This is a great explanation of how CentOS Stream fits into the RHEL ecosystem. I like how it shows the balance between stability and innovation, especially the idea that Stream is a preview of what RHEL will become. It also highlights how important the community role is, which makes it feel more open and collaborative. For anyone who wants early access to enterprise-grade features without losing reliability, CentOS Stream sounds like a solid choice.
