Skip to content
Operating System

Amazon Linux Releases

Track Amazon Linux releases, AL2 vs AL2023 migration guidance, package manager changes, AWS service compatibility, and EOL urgency for AL2.

Official Site Documentation

—

Total Versions

—

Supported

—

Latest

Version Timeline

All tracked releases with lifecycle status and EOL dates.

Loading version data…

Lifecycle Timeline

Visual overview of active support and maintenance windows.

AL1
AL2
AL2023
AL2025
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
Active
Maint
Active
Maint
Active
Maint
Active
Maint
Active / LTS
Maintenance
Today

Upgrade Paths

Migration guidance between major versions — breaking changes, effort estimates, and tips.

AL2 AL2023 High Difficulty
Est. 1-5 days per workload (infrastructure migration)

Breaking Changes

  • No in-place upgrade — new instances required
  • yum replaced by dnf
  • Kernel 4.14/5.10 → 6.1+
  • SELinux enforcing by default (AL2 was permissive)
  • Versioned repository model (new concept)
  • Python 3.9+ only (no Python 2)
  • SystemD service file changes
  • AMI IDs completely different
  • User data scripts may need updates

Migration Notes

This is a full infrastructure migration, not an upgrade. Steps: 1) Launch AL2023 instance, 2) Install your application stack, 3) Test extensively, 4) Switch traffic (blue-green or rolling), 5) Decommission AL2. For ECS: update task definitions with new AMI/image. For EKS: create new node groups with AL2023 AMI. For Lambda: update runtime to provided.al2023. Budget 2-5 days for a production workload.

Version Risk Assessment

Evaluate risk factors before choosing a version for production.

Version EOL Risk CVE Risk Ecosystem Cloud Support Overall Recommended Action
Amazon Linux AL1 Critical Critical Dead Degrading Critical EOL Dec 2023 — rebuild on AL2023 immediately
Amazon Linux AL2 High Medium Extended only Full High Extended support until Jun 2026 — migrate to AL2023 NOW
Amazon Linux AL2023 None Low Active Full Low Current — recommended for all AWS workloads

AL2 extended support ends June 2026. AL1 is dead. AL2023 is the current recommended version. Running AL2 past mid-2026 means zero security patches for your OS. Assessed March 2026.

Amazon Linux Version Comparison

Side-by-side feature differences across major versions.

Feature AL2 AL2023
Base RHEL 7 / CentOS 7 Fedora
Kernel 4.14 / 5.10 6.1+
Package manager yum dnf
Python 2.7 + 3.7/3.8 3.9 / 3.11
SELinux Permissive Enforcing
Repository model Rolling Versioned quarterly
OpenSSL 1.0.2 / 1.1.1 3.0
systemd 219 252
AWS CLI preinstalled v1 v2
Standard support end Jun 2025 Mar 2026
Extended support end Jun 2026 Mar 2028

Embed Badges

Add live Amazon Linux status badges to your README, docs, or dashboard.

Health Status

Overall support health

Amazon Linux Health Status
![Amazon Linux Health Status](https://img.releaserun.com/badge/health/amazon-linux.svg)

EOL Countdown

Next end-of-life date

Amazon Linux EOL Countdown
![Amazon Linux EOL Countdown](https://img.releaserun.com/badge/eol/amazon-linux.svg)

Latest Version

Current stable release

Amazon Linux Latest Version
![Amazon Linux Latest Version](https://img.releaserun.com/badge/v/amazon-linux.svg)

CVE Status

Known vulnerabilities

Amazon Linux CVE Status
![Amazon Linux CVE Status](https://img.releaserun.com/badge/cve/amazon-linux.svg)

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Amazon Linux releases and lifecycle.

What is the difference between AL2 and AL2023?
Amazon Linux 2023 (AL2023) is a complete redesign. It switched from yum to dnf, uses a quarterly release cadence with versioned repositories (deterministic updates), is based on Fedora (not RHEL/CentOS), includes SELinux enforcing by default, and uses kernel 6.1+. AL2 was based on RHEL 7 / CentOS 7 with kernel 4.14/5.10 and yum. AL2023 is significantly more modern.
When does Amazon Linux 2 reach end of life?
AL2 standard support ended June 30, 2025. Extended support continues until June 30, 2026 (security patches only, no new features). After June 2026, AL2 will receive no patches at all. If you are still on AL2, migrating to AL2023 should be your highest infrastructure priority. There is no in-place upgrade path.
Can I upgrade AL2 to AL2023 in place?
No. There is no in-place upgrade from AL2 to AL2023. They are fundamentally different distributions (RHEL-based vs Fedora-based). You must launch new AL2023 instances, migrate your application, and decommission AL2 instances. AWS provides migration guides for common workloads (EC2, ECS, Lambda, EKS).
How do AL2023 versioned repositories work?
AL2023 uses deterministic, versioned package repositories. When you run dnf upgrade, you only get packages from your locked repository version. New repository versions are released quarterly (2023.4, 2024.1, etc.). You choose when to advance to a newer repository version, giving you control over when your system gets new packages. This prevents surprise updates breaking your application.
Should I use Amazon Linux or Ubuntu on AWS?
Amazon Linux is optimized for AWS: smallest attack surface for AWS workloads, pre-installed AWS CLI/SSM agent, optimized kernel for EC2, and included in AWS support plans. Ubuntu has a larger package ecosystem, more community documentation, and is portable across cloud providers. For pure AWS workloads (EC2, ECS, Lambda), Amazon Linux is the simplest choice. For multi-cloud or when you need specific Ubuntu packages, use Ubuntu.
Does AL2023 support all AWS services?
Yes. AL2023 is supported on EC2, ECS (container agent pre-installed), EKS (AMI available), Lambda (runtime), Lightsail, and Elastic Beanstalk. It is the default for new EC2 launches in the AWS console. Some older AWS managed services still default to AL2 but are being migrated.

Related Tools

Dep EOL Scanner

Check your dependencies for end-of-life packages.

Stack Health Scorecard

Get an overall health grade for your tech stack.

Release Index

Browse all tracked platforms and their release timelines.