Well, sit down and listen up, 'cause Buford T. Justice is gonna give you the lowdown on what happened to CentOS and what you can use instead.

What Happened to CentOS?

CentOS used to be a rock-solid choice for server environments, being a free and community-supported rebuild of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). But then, in December 2020, Red Hat made a big ol' announcement that shook things up. They decided to shift the focus of CentOS from being a downstream rebuild of RHEL (CentOS Linux) to an upstream development platform (CentOS Stream).

CentOS Linux: This was the version folks loved for its stability, matching RHEL's releases.
CentOS Stream: This new direction is a rolling-release distro, sitting just ahead of RHEL in the development process.

Because of this, CentOS Linux 8's end-of-life was moved up to December 2021, much sooner than expected. This left a lot of sysadmins lookin' for alternatives that offer the same stability and compatibility they relied on.

Most Similar Replacement: AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux

Now, if you're lookin' for a replacement that's as close to CentOS as a hound dog to a bone, you got two main contenders: AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux. Both of these are community-driven, enterprise-grade replacements that aim to be binary-compatible with RHEL.

AlmaLinux

Origin: Created by CloudLinux, AlmaLinux was launched as a direct replacement for CentOS Linux.
Features: It's a 1:1 binary-compatible fork of RHEL, meaning it's designed to be as close to CentOS Linux as possible.
Support: Backed by CloudLinux, which gives it a strong foundation and long-term support.
Website: AlmaLinux

Rocky Linux

Origin: Founded by Gregory Kurtzer, one of the original founders of CentOS, Rocky Linux was named after another CentOS co-founder, Rocky McGaugh.
Features: Also a 1:1 binary-compatible fork of RHEL, aiming to fill the void left by CentOS Linux.
Community: Strong community support and driven by the same folks who were behind CentOS.
Website: Rocky Linux

Other Alternatives

If you’re open to considerin' other options, here are a few more:

Oracle Linux

Description: Oracle Linux is another RHEL-compatible distro that's been around for a while.
Features: Offers strong performance and enterprise features, including Oracle's own enhancements.
Website: Oracle Linux

Debian

Description: If you're lookin' for something different but still rock-solid, Debian is a great choice.
Features: Known for its stability and extensive package repository, Debian is a great foundation for various types of servers.
Website: Debian

Ubuntu LTS

Description: Ubuntu Long-Term Support (LTS) releases are known for their stability and regular updates.
Features: Offers a vast array of software packages and a large community.
Website: Ubuntu

So there you have it. CentOS as you knew it might be ridin' off into the sunset, but with AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux steppin' up to the plate, you’ve got plenty of good options to keep your servers runnin' smooth and steady. Now get out there and make ol' Buford proud!