CentOS vs Ubuntu – Which One to Choose for Your Web Server?

Your VPS Server needs an operating system (OS) that can help you carry out the day to day activities for your website and run the software required to maintain your website. We know it offers two major server OS variants, that is, the Linux and Windows options.

Windows is a standalone OS; however, Linux comes in with different flavours, i.e., Linux Distros to choose from. Out of the multiple distros available, Ubuntu and CentOS are two of the most popular options. It is no cakewalk when it comes to deciding the best in two. And hence, we will walk you through the Linux variants based on their features and try to help you decide which one is a good fit for your VPS Web Hosting Server.

Before we start with the comparison, let us see the overview of the two Linux variants.

Ubuntu

Linux has never disappointed its users in terms of security features. Ubuntu is no different from the other Linux variants available in the market. It is based on Debian architecture and has been popular among the folks, be it personal or professional use. It was first started in 2004, and the popularity has not gone down till today. It comes with a rich set of packages and applications apt for all the projects you are planning to run on this system. Plus, being open-source, and the frequent updates and security patches keep your system away from the vulnerabilities. It is highly customisable and also the security features are top-notch.

CentOS

All the Linux distributions are open-source, and CentOS is no different. Also, many refer to it as a replica of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). RHEL is considered to be the most used operating system in the corporate IT world.

Since it is based on the RHEL distribution, it gives you the luxury to develop in a dominant environment. Highly customisable, stable, and secure, it is one of the most appreciated and used Linux distros in the industry. Being used by the corporates and closely linked to RHEL, CentOS gets a few enterprise-level security features making it a perfect product for every user.

CentOS vs Ubuntu

Here are some basic differences we found that you must know and then go ahead with a decision:

1. Ubuntu is based on Debian architecture whereas CentOS is a Red Hat Enterprise Linux based distribution. RHEL is based on continuous testing and hence more stable than Ubuntu. Debian has all packages – stable, unstable, and tested.
2. Ubuntu works on apt-get command while the CentOS installs packages using yum command. These commands help in downloading and installing RPM packages.
3. Package updates being less frequent when it comes to CentOS makes this one much more stable than others. This could also be seen as a disadvantage as you have to keep installing the updates manually.

However, all this does not prove Ubuntu to be unstable or not secure as compared to CentOS. Just that the stability is less as compared to CentOS.

1. Ubuntu certainly has the upper hand when it comes to tutorials, books, and online communities and portals. You will never find yourself alone in a problem that you face concerning Ubuntu. There are immense resources available online to help you through it.
2. Containerisation cloud deployment support also is a factor to consider in the age of cloud computing. CentOS disappoints its users in this domain.
3. It might take time to get acquainted with CentOS as the user base is low, and the complexity of use might be high. But Ubuntu can be a good option if you have used it earlier. You can easily understand your Ubuntu VPS server and getting along with it won’t be a bigger problem.
4. Again, if using control panel is your favourite task of managing a server, we say you go for CentOS as it supports the traditional ones. Ubuntu does not support the traditional control panels like cPanel, WHM, and so on. It does have alternatives like Webmin or VestaC, which are equally good.

So, there might not be a clear winner here, but we say you go according to your gut feeling, research more before choosing the one for you, and make sure you are getting completely acquainted with your choice before it goes on your VPS Hosting server. We strongly recommend that beginners go for Ubuntu as it is popular and has a lot of resources to bring you out of any issue that you face. If you are a business owner, you can go for CentOS as it is much more safe and secure.

Final words

To conclude, both OSs are equally popular and the best Linux distros available in the markets. Many experts are using it as their business and personal daily driver. Choosing one can seem to be difficult at the start, but if you know your requirements clearly, it will be a cakewalk for you to choose the right one. If you are still confused, you can always come back to this post for some help and find clear solutions.