When selecting an operating system for a virtual private server, several factors should be considered to ensure optimal performance, security, and compatibility with your specific needs.

First, assess the requirements of your applications or services to determine the necessary features and dependencies. Consider factors such as stability, security, ease of use, community support, and software compatibility.

AlmaLinux

VPS users transitioning from CentOS can seamlessly migrate to AlmaLinux, ensuring continuity, stability, and long-term support for their virtualized environments. AlmaLinux is a reliable choice for maintaining existing setups and benefiting from ongoing updates and support.

Pros	Cons
Community-driven, 1:1 binary compatible fork of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), offering stability and long-term support Seamless transition for former CentOS users, ensuring continuity and compatibility Strong community support and commitment to ongoing development	Relatively new compared to established distributions like CentOS Limited ecosystem compared to CentOS, may face challenges with third-party software compatibility Not suitable for novice users

CentOS

For VPS users, CentOS offers unparalleled stability, robustness, and long-term support, making it an excellent choice for hosting critical applications or services. Its compatibility with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and extensive package repository ensure seamless integration and reliable performance on virtualized environments.

Pros	Cons
Stability and long-term support, suitable for enterprise environments Compatibility with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and extensive package repository Strong community support and reliability	Slow release cycle compared to some other distributions Limited access to bleeding-edge software and features

CloudLinux

VPS users hosting multiple websites or applications on a single server can benefit from CloudLinux's resource isolation and security enhancements. By preventing one user's activities from impacting others, CloudLinux ensures stability, performance, and security for shared hosting environments in virtualized setups.

Pros	Cons
Optimized for shared hosting environments, offering stability, security, and performance isolation Innovative technologies like Lightweight Virtualized Environment (LVE) ensure resource isolation and prevent one user's activities from impacting others Ideal for web hosting providers seeking reliability and security for their customers	Targeted primarily at shared hosting environments, may be less suitable for other use cases Commercial offering with associated costs, may not be suitable for all users Limited compatibility compared to general-purpose distributions like CentOS and Ubuntu

Debian

VPS users prioritizing stability, security, and software freedom may opt for Debian. Its rigorous testing, vast package repository, and commitment to open-source principles ensure reliable performance and flexibility for server deployments in virtualized environments.

Pros	Cons
Commitment to free software principles, stability, and security Rigorous testing and vast package repository maintained by volunteers worldwide Suitable for servers, embedded systems, and minimalistic installations	Relatively slow release cycle compared to some other distributions Less emphasis on user-friendliness compared to Ubuntu and other desktop-oriented distributions Because of the focus on stability, it sometimes ships with outdated packages

Rocky Linux

VPS users seeking continuity following CentOS's transition can turn to Rocky Linux. Built with stability, compatibility, and long-term support in mind, Rocky Linux offers a seamless migration path and a reliable foundation for hosting critical workloads on virtualized platforms.

Pros	Cons
Community-driven successor to CentOS, offering stability, compatibility, and long-term support Seamless transition for former CentOS users, ensuring continuity and reliability Active community support and commitment to ongoing development	Relatively new compared to established distributions like CentOS Limited ecosystem compared to CentOS, may face challenges with third-party software compatibility Sometimes ships with outdated packages

Ubuntu

With its extensive software repository and LTS releases, Ubuntu caters to the diverse needs of VPS users. Whether deploying personal projects, enterprise applications, or cloud workloads, Ubuntu offers stability, security, and compatibility across various hardware architectures and virtualized environments.

Pros	Cons
LTS releases provide stability and security updates for up to five years Strong community support and compatibility with various hardware architectures and cloud platforms Regular security updates to packages Suitable for novice users	Less stable than Debian Not all packages are actively maintained

You can try any of these options and more, as well as change your VPS operating system at any time, to ensure you find the best option suited for your projects.

How to change the operating system of your VPS

How to Use the OpenVPN VPS Template

What Is a Self-Managed VPS?

Can You Add Your Own OS Image to VPS?