Alma Linux Kitten 10 Adds i686 Userspace Support

Alma Linux has introduced i686 userspace support in AlmaLinux OS Kitten 10, adding 32-bit x86 package repositories and official linux/386 container images. However, this does not extend to a full 32-bit system, as there is no i686 installer ISO—support is limited strictly to userspace packages and containers.

This update is aimed at workloads that still depend on 32-bit components. According to AlmaLinux, some applications are only available in i686 format, certain CI pipelines require a 32-bit glibc environment, and some container workflows need a maintained distribution-style base for linux/386. The project also highlights vendor requirements, noting that Arista’s EOS tooling relies on the availability of i686 packages alongside x86_64.

The repositories are available via the Kitten vault under the 10-kitten tree, including paths such as 10-kitten/BaseOS/i686/os/ and related directories. In addition, AlmaLinux has released an official 32-bit container image, which can be run using:

docker run -it --rm --platform linux/386 almalinux:10-kitten bash

For most users running standard 64-bit AlmaLinux systems, this change will have little to no impact. However, for developers, vendors, and enterprise environments that depend on legacy 32-bit software, it provides a supported way to continue using such applications without bringing back a full 32-bit operating system.

Looking ahead, AlmaLinux plans to extend this i686 userspace model—covering both repositories and container images—to the stable AlmaLinux OS 10 release. The distribution is expected to be supported through 2035, with i686 userspace maintained alongside other supported architectures throughout its lifecycle.