What is the difference between SUSE and CentOS?
SUSE and CentOS are two distinct Linux distributions, and there are several main differences between them.
- Development and support: SUSE is developed and supported by a software company in Germany, SUSE Linux GmbH, while CentOS is developed by the community and supported by Red Hat.
- Business model: SUSE offers a commercial version (SUSE Linux Enterprise) that provides enterprise customers with technical support and services, while CentOS is a free open-source distribution without official commercial support.
- Update frequency: SUSE usually prioritizes stability and reliability, hence its update cycle is relatively longer, with major releases possibly taking a few years between each other. CentOS, on the other hand, focuses more on the latest features and updates, typically releasing a new version every few years.
- Software package management: SUSE utilizes its own developed tool zypper for package management, while CentOS uses Red Hat’s tool yum.
- Community Contribution: CentOS is a distribution maintained and supported by the community, relying on the contributions and support of a large community of users. While SUSE also accepts community contributions, its main development and maintenance work is carried out by SUSE Linux GmbH and other professional teams.
Overall, SUSE and CentOS have some differences in terms of target users, business models, update strategies, and package management, so users can choose the appropriate distribution based on their needs and preferences.