AlmaLinux 10.2 Download (Lavender Lion ISO)
Download AlmaLinux 10.2 “Lavender Lion”, the free RHEL-compatible enterprise Linux. Get the official ISO for x86_64, ARM64, IBM POWER or IBM Z, see what is new in this release, check the requirements and follow a safe install and checksum guide.
AlmaLinux OS
AlmaLinux is an open-source, community-governed enterprise Linux distribution that is 1:1 binary compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It is free forever and maintained by the AlmaLinux OS Foundation.
About AlmaLinux 10.2
AlmaLinux OS is a stable, production-grade Linux distribution created to pick up where the traditional CentOS Linux releases ended. It follows Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) closely, so software built for RHEL runs on AlmaLinux. It is popular for web servers, databases, virtual machines, containers and cloud images.
AlmaLinux 10.2, code-named “Lavender Lion”, was announced on May 26, 2026, together with AlmaLinux 9.8, the first time the project shipped two stable releases on the same day. It tracks RHEL 10.2 and keeps AlmaLinux-specific extras, such as Btrfs support, x86_64_v2 builds for older hardware and i686 user-space packages.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Release | AlmaLinux OS 10.2 “Lavender Lion” |
| Upstream | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.2 |
| Kernel | 6.12.0-211.7.3.el10_2 |
| Maintainer | AlmaLinux OS Foundation (non-profit) |
| Cost | Free and open source |
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What’s New in AlmaLinux 10.2
Updated Toolchains
New compiler toolsets, plus new language and database packages.
Btrfs Boot Support
AlmaLinux keeps Btrfs support that upstream RHEL does not offer.
x86_64_v2 Builds
Parallel builds for older Intel and AMD hardware.
i686 Userspace (Stable)
32-bit packages for legacy software and CI pipelines. There is no 32-bit kernel or installer.
Virtualization Updates
Newer Podman, Buildah, libvirt, QEMU-KVM and skopeo, plus KVM for IBM POWER.
Extended Hardware Support
Re-adds older storage and network drivers that upstream disabled.
| Other changes | Details |
|---|---|
| Frame pointers | Re-enabled by default, so system-wide profiling works out of the box |
| SPICE | Support is back for server and client applications |
| Desktop apps | Firefox and Thunderbird ship as regular RPMs in the system repositories |
| Software versions | Coverage of the release lists newer Python, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, PHP and Ruby packages. See the release notes for exact versions. |
Sources: the AlmaLinux release announcement and independent coverage by Phoronix. Read the official AlmaLinux 10.2 release notes for the full list.
Available Downloads
Format: ISO
Format: ISO
Format: ISO
Format: ISO
Format: ISO / IMG
CHECKSUM file. Compare it with your ISO using sha256sum AlmaLinux-10.2-x86_64-dvd.iso (Linux or macOS) or Get-FileHash in PowerShell on Windows. The CHECKSUM file is also signed, so you can verify the signature with GPG.System Requirements
| Component | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Architecture | x86_64, x86_64_v2 (older CPUs), ARM64, IBM POWER (ppc64le) or IBM Z (s390x) |
| Memory | At least 2 GB of RAM. Use 4 GB or more for a graphical install |
| Disk space | About 10 GB for a minimal install, 20 GB or more with a desktop and software |
| Boot media | A USB drive (8 GB or larger for the DVD ISO) or a virtual machine |
| Network | Recommended, for updates and extra packages |
Requirements vary by workload. Confirm them in the official release notes. The standard x86_64 build targets newer CPUs, so use the x86_64_v2 images on older hardware.
Installation Guide
- Download the ISO for your architecture and verify its checksum.
- Write the ISO to a USB drive with Rufus (DD mode), balenaEtcher or
dd, or attach it to a virtual machine. This erases the USB drive. - Boot from the USB drive or VM and choose Install AlmaLinux 10.2.
- In the installer, set your language, the installation destination, the software selection (Minimal, Server or Server with GUI) and the network and hostname.
- Set a root password and create an administrator user, then begin the installation.
- Reboot, remove the install media and log in.
- Update the system and confirm the version:
sudo dnf update -y cat /etc/os-release
After installing
Enable extra repositories with sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled crb and sudo dnf install epel-release. Then secure your server: set up SSH key-based authentication and learn how to use a different SSH port.
Run it as a virtual machine
AlmaLinux runs well on hypervisors. For a free virtualization platform, see our Proxmox VE 9.1.1 download, and protect your servers with our Veeam Backup & Replication download.
Upgrading and Support
- From AlmaLinux 10.x: run
sudo dnf updateto move to the newest 10.x minor release. - From AlmaLinux 9 or another RHEL clone: the AlmaLinux ELevate project supports in-place major upgrades. Test on a copy of your server first, and back up your data.
- Lifecycle: AlmaLinux 10 follows RHEL 10’s long support lifecycle. Check the official AlmaLinux lifecycle page for exact end-of-life dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AlmaLinux 10.2?
AlmaLinux 10.2, code-named Lavender Lion, is a free, community-driven enterprise Linux release that is 1:1 binary compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.2. It was announced on May 26, 2026.
Is AlmaLinux free?
Yes. AlmaLinux is free and open source, and it is maintained by the non-profit AlmaLinux OS Foundation.
Which AlmaLinux 10.2 ISO should I download?
Use the DVD ISO for an offline, full-featured install, the Minimal ISO for a smaller base system, or the Boot ISO for a network install. For older Intel or AMD CPUs, look for the x86_64_v2 images.
What are the system requirements for AlmaLinux 10.2?
A supported 64-bit CPU architecture, at least 2 GB of RAM (more for a graphical install) and several GB of disk space. Always confirm the exact requirements in the official release notes.
How do I verify the ISO?
Download the CHECKSUM file from the same mirror folder, then compare it with the output of sha256sum for your ISO. The CHECKSUM file is signed, so you can also verify the signature with GPG.
Can I upgrade from AlmaLinux 9 to 10?
AlmaLinux provides the ELevate project for in-place major upgrades. Test on a copy of your server first and back up your data.
Is AlmaLinux 10.2 the newest version?
It was the latest stable 10.x release when the post was written. Check almalinux.org for any newer release.
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