What is Amazon Linux 2?

Amazon Linux 2 (AL2) is a Linux operating system from Amazon Web Services (AWS). AL2 is designed to provide a stable, secure, and high-performing environment for applications running on Amazon EC2. It also includes packages that enable efficient integration with AWS, including launch configuration tools and many popular AWS libraries and tools. AWS provides ongoing security and maintenance updates for all instances running AL2. Many applications developed on CentOS, and similar distributions, run on AL2. AL2 is provided at no additional charge.

Note

AL2 is no longer the current version of Amazon Linux. AL2023 is the successor to AL2. For more information, see Comparing AL2 and AL2023 and the list of Package changes in AL2023 in the AL2023 User Guide.

Amazon Linux availability

AWS provides AL2023, AL2, and Amazon Linux 1 (AL1, formerly Amazon Linux AMI). If you are migrating from another Linux distribution to Amazon Linux, we recommend that you migrate to AL2023.

Note

Standard support for AL1 ended on December 31, 2020. The AL1 maintenance support phase ended December 31, 2023. For more information about AL1 EOL and maintenance support, see the blog post Update on Amazon Linux AMI end-of-life.

For more information about Amazon Linux, see AL2023, AL2, and AL1.

For Amazon Linux container images, see Amazon Linux container image in the Amazon Elastic Container Registry User Guide.