RHCSA (21): RHEL 10 vs. Rocky Linux: What's the Difference?

RHCSA (EX200) Objectives

Executive Summary

Episode 21 provides the definitive answer to a critical question for every RHCSA candidate: is practicing on Rocky Linux the same as training on Red Hat Enterprise Linux? The verdict is an emphatic yes. This session confirms that for all practical purposes of the RHCSA exam, Rocky Linux is the perfect, no-cost proxy for RHEL, ensuring the skills you build are 100% transferable. This confidence stems from the fact that both operating systems are built from the exact same source code, resulting in an identical command-line environment, toolset, and filesystem structure. The minor differences, primarily in branding and commercial support models, have zero impact on the hands-on tasks required to pass the exam.

Based on this identical foundation, we confirm our official lab strategy for Season 2. We will use the stable and widely available Rocky Linux 9 on our Linode servers to master the objectives for the newer RHEL 10 certification. This approach is effective because the fundamental command-line skills are completely stable across these versions. Looking ahead, we will pivot our labs to Rocky Linux 10 as soon as it becomes a standard, one-click deployment option on Linode.

Ultimately, this episode gives you the assurance that your time spent in a Rocky Linux lab directly prepares you for the RHEL exam environment, eliminating any chance of surprises on test day. With our tools validated, we are now ready to outline the specific game plan for our hands-on labs in Season 2. 🚀

Keywords: RHCSA, RHEL 10, Rocky Linux, Rocky Linux 9, Rocky Linux 10, RHEL vs Rocky Linux, EX200, Red Hat Certified System Administrator, Linode, Enterprise Linux, RHEL Clone, Free RHEL Alternative, Linux Lab, System Administration, IT Training, Exam Preparation, Command Line Skills, Open Source, Linux Podcast

```
+-- Episode 21 Abbreviations
|
|-- EX200: Red Hat Certified System Administrator Exam Code
|-- IT: Information Technology
|-- RHEL: Red Hat Enterprise Linux
\-- RHCSA: Red Hat Certified System Administrator
```

```
+-- Episode 21: RHEL 10 vs. Rocky Linux: What's the Difference?
|
|-- 1. The Core Question: Is Our Lab Good Enough?
|   |-- 1.1 Recap: Target is RHEL 10, Lab Tool is Rocky Linux
|   |-- 1.2 The Big Question: "Is practicing on Rocky *really* the same?"
|   \-- 1.3 The Short Answer: For the RHCSA, YES. Here's why.
|
|-- 2. The Similarities (The 99.9% That Matters)
|   |-- 2.1 Identical DNA: Built from the very same RHEL source code
|   |-- 2.2 Identical Tools: The shell, commands, and services are a perfect match
|   \-- 2.3 Identical Layout: The filesystem structure is a mirror image
|
|-- 3. The Differences (The 0.1% You Should Know)
|   |-- 3.1 Branding: Logos and names are swapped out
|   |-- 3.2 Support Model: Community-driven (Rocky) vs. Commercial subscription (RHEL)
|   \-- 3.3 Build Process: Rocky rebuilds RHEL's public source code
|
|-- 4. What This Means For YOU (The Verdict)
|   |-- 4.1 Your Skills are 100% Transferable: What you learn on Rocky, you can do on RHEL
|   |-- 4.2 Our Lab Strategy: Start with Rocky 9, Pivot to Rocky 10 Later
|   |   |-- The reason: Rocky 10 isn't a standard Linode image... yet
|   |   \-- Why it works: Core command-line skills are identical across versions
|   \-- 4.3 No Exam Day Surprises: The exam console will feel just like your lab
|
\-- 5. Wrap-Up & Next Steps
    |-- 5.1 The Bottom Line: Rocky is your free, professional-grade key to RHEL mastery
    \-- 5.2 The Bridge to E22: We have the right tool, now we need the game plan
        \-- Next Episode: Outlining the entire hands-on plan for Season 2
```