Rocky Linux and Alma Linux head to head using Windows WSL

If you're looking for a CentOS alternative you might consider Rocky and Alma Linux. For you Windows WSL users you can import docker images for both of these distros then compare them using Windows Terminal. (I used Windows 11 enterprise for this demo, but Pro will work just as well.)
BTW - I get a lot of interruptions during recording so this time I used AWS Polly for the audio. It saved me time since I wasn't having to rerecord anything.

00:00 Intro
00:10 Enable WSL
00:46 Check WSL status and Update
01:11 Download and install Docker Desktop
02:34 Install Windows Terminal
04:10 Start Docker
04:52 Pull down Docker image of Rocky Linux
05:12 Create Docker container for Rocky Linux
06:31 Start Rocky Linux in WSL
07:46 Pull down Docker image of Alma Linux
08:15 Create Docker container for Alma Linux
10:08 Display available distros


Steps for both installing Rocky Linux and Alma Linux on WSL:

After enabling WSL feature
Open command prompt (don't use powershell)
wsl --update
Install Docker Desktop (https://docs.docker.com/desktop/insta...)
Reboot
Install Windows Terminal from Microsoft Store
wsl --list --online (shows list of available distros)
Launch Docker icon
docker image pull rockylinux/rockylinux:latest (download latest rockylinux image)
docker create -i rockylinux/rockylinux bash (create the container)
docker export (first four digits of id) &gt rockylinux.tar (export the container)
mkdir RockyImage (make directory for our linux distro)
wsl --import RockyLinux .\RockyImage\ rockylinux.tar (import into WSL)
wsl -d RockyLinux (run the new distro)
cat /etc/rocky-release (check Rocky Linux release from within Rocky)
exit (got back to command prompt)
wslconfig /s RockyLinux (makes Rockylinux default distro for WSL)
wslconfig /l (lists distros installed and default distro)

Install Alma Linux:
Open new command prompt
docker image pull almalinux/almalinux:latest (download latest Alma linux image)
docker create -i almalinux/almalinux bash (create the container)
docker export (first four characters from image) &gt almalinux.tar (export container)
mkdir AlmaLinux (create directory for Alma Linux distro)
wsl --import AlmaLinux .\AlmaLinux\ almalinux.tar (import distro into WSL)
wsl -d AlmaLinux (startup Alma Linux distro)
cat /etc/almalinux-release (verify release that's running)
exit (go back to command prompt)
wslconfig /l (show list of available distros in WSL)

Reference:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/win...
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/win...

#WSL #RockyLinux #AlmaLinux #Devops