GoKawiilAlmaLinux OS 10.2 adds x86-64-v2 build and i686 support dropped by RHEL 10
AlmaLinux OS Foundation released AlmaLinux OS 10.2, which includes an additional x86-64-v2 build for older hardware alongside the default x86-64-v3 baseline, and restores support for the 32-bit i686 architecture that Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 removed entirely. The release reflects AlmaLinux's shift since 2023 from pursuing exact 1:1 compatibility with RHEL to ABI compatibility, after Red Hat restricted source code access that year. AlmaLinux OS 10 carries active support through 2030 and security support through 2035.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
By choosing ABI compatibility rather than strict RHEL mirroring, AlmaLinux gained room to diverge on packaging decisions while still promising that RHEL-built applications and kernel modules will run unmodified, according to Linux Magazine's account. This flexibility lets the project serve users running older servers or legacy 32-bit workloads that RHEL 10 no longer accommodates, which could extend the usable life of existing hardware and reduce e-waste. It also illustrates how downstream RHEL alternatives are adapting their strategies in response to Red Hat's 2023 source-access restrictions.
- AlmaLinux OS 10.2 offers an extra x86-64-v2 build for hardware that cannot support the newer x86-64-v3 baseline RHEL 10 requires.
- AlmaLinux restored i686 32-bit support, which RHEL 10 eliminated along with multilib compatibility.
- AlmaLinux OS 10 is supported through 2030, with security updates extending to 2035.
Source: linux.slashdot.org — Posted, 2026-11-07
Published there as: “AlmaLinux Shows Advantages of ABI Compatibility After RHEL Restricted Source Code Access”
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