--- title: Amazon Linux 2 Reviews meta_title: 'Amazon Linux 2 Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta_description: Filter 72 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how Amazon Linux 2 works for a business like yours. aggregate_rating: rating_value: 4.5 review_count: 72 scale: '5' date_modified: '2026-08-07' parent_category: name: IT Infrastructure url: https://www.g2.com/categories/it-infrastructure --- # Amazon Linux 2 Reviews **Vendor:** terracloudx **Category:** [Operating Systems](https://www.g2.com/categories/operating-system) **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 72 ## About Amazon Linux 2 Amazon Linux 2 is a Linux operating system developed by Amazon Web Services (AWS) to provide a secure, stable, and high-performance environment for cloud and enterprise applications. It is designed to integrate seamlessly with AWS services, offering a robust platform for developers and IT administrators. Amazon Linux 2 is available at no additional charge and includes long-term support with ongoing security and maintenance updates. Key Features and Functionality: - AWS Integration: Pre-installed packages and configurations facilitate tight integration with AWS services, simplifying the deployment and management of applications. - Long-Term Support: Provides five years of support, ensuring stability and predictability for enterprise applications. - Extras Repository: Offers access to the latest software packages through the Amazon Linux Extras repository, allowing users to install newer versions of popular software without compromising system stability. - On-Premises Use: Available as virtual machine images for VMware, Oracle VM VirtualBox, and Microsoft Hyper-V, enabling on-premises development and testing. - Systemd Support: Includes the systemd init system for efficient process management and service control. - Optimized Kernel and Toolchain: Features an LTS Kernel tuned for enhanced performance on Amazon EC2, along with updated compiler and build toolchain components. - Security Features: Implements default security measures such as limiting remote access, disabling remote root login, and reducing non-critical packages to minimize exposure to vulnerabilities. - Kernel Live Patching: Supports live patching of the Linux kernel, allowing critical and important security updates to be applied without rebooting or downtime. Primary Value and User Solutions: Amazon Linux 2 addresses the need for a secure, reliable, and high-performance operating system tailored for cloud environments. Its deep integration with AWS services streamlines application deployment and management, enhancing developer productivity. The long-term support and regular security updates provide peace of mind for enterprises, ensuring system stability and compliance. Additionally, the availability of virtual machine images for on-premises use allows for consistent development and testing environments, bridging the gap between local and cloud-based operations. ## Amazon Linux 2 Pros & Cons **What users like:** - Users value the **long-term support** of Amazon Linux 2, ensuring reliability and stability for their cloud applications. (8 reviews) - Users value the **regular updates** of Amazon Linux 2, ensuring security and performance for cloud workloads. (8 reviews) - Users value the **lightweight and high-performing** nature of Amazon Linux 2, optimizing their AWS workload efficiency. (8 reviews) - Users commend the **lightweight size** of Amazon Linux 2, enhancing performance for efficient cloud workload management. (7 reviews) - Users find Amazon Linux 2 to be **exceptionally easy to use** , facilitating management and application setups effortlessly. (5 reviews) - Stability (5 reviews) - Cloud Computing (3 reviews) - Easy Management (3 reviews) - Free/No Cost (3 reviews) - Users value the **reliability** of Amazon Linux 2, making it a dependable choice for running applications on AWS. (3 reviews) **What users dislike:** - Users experience **limited software availability** on Amazon Linux 2, needing additional effort for libraries and configurations. (6 reviews) - Users often face **limited app availability** in Amazon Linux 2, leading to challenges in accessing newer tools and libraries. (4 reviews) - Users note the **strong dependence on AWS** limits Amazon Linux 2's portability and flexibility in non-AWS environments. (3 reviews) - Users experience a **lack of support** for newer packages and find documentation insufficient for advanced configurations. (3 reviews) - Users find issues with **outdated technology** , as core components lag behind other distributions, affecting software compatibility. (2 reviews) - Users find the **command line interface challenging** , especially those unfamiliar with CMD, unlike GUI OS like Windows. (1 reviews) - Users face **integration issues** due to limited support for newer packages and AWS dependency, hindering flexibility. (1 reviews) - Skill Requirements (1 reviews) ## Amazon Linux 2 Reviews ### 1. A stable, high-performance Linux distribution optimized for the AWS cloud ecosystem **Rating:** 3.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Nikunj R. | Owner, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 02, 2026 **What do you like best about Amazon Linux 2?** The seamless integration with the AWS ecosystem is its biggest strength. For a developer, having the AWS CLI and other essential tools pre-installed saves significant setup time. It is incredibly lightweight and high-performing, making it an excellent choice for hosting community projects like TechAstra on EC2 instances without unnecessary resource overhead. **What do you dislike about Amazon Linux 2?** The package repository can feel restrictive compared to Ubuntu. Some newer versions of libraries and compilers required for advanced competitive programming or modern tech stacks aren't always available in the default yum repositories. You often have to rely on Amazon Linux Extras or compile from source, which adds friction to the development workflow **What problems is Amazon Linux 2 solving and how is that benefiting you?** It provides a stable, "production-ready" environment for testing cloud-native applications. By using the same OS in development that I use for deployment on AWS, I avoid the "it works on my machine" syndrome. This stability is crucial when I'm building out resources and tools for the TechAstra student community. ### 2. Stable, Lightweight, and Perfectly Optimized for AWS Graviton **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Mahesh P. | Cloud Architect, Information Technology and Services, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 02, 2026 **What do you like best about Amazon Linux 2?** It is the most stable and reliable OS for my AWS cloud architecture. I specifically like how well it is optimized for Graviton processors (Arm64), which gives our team a massive performance boost and significant cost savings compared to traditional x86 instancees **What do you dislike about Amazon Linux 2?** The default package repositories can sometimes be a bit conservative with software versions. While this helps with stability, i often have to use the amazon-linux-extras library or compile manually if i need the absolute latest version of a specific developer tool. **What problems is Amazon Linux 2 solving and how is that benefiting you?** It provides a highly secure and optimized foundation for our production microservices. By using a native AWS operating system, we minimize compatibility issues with other AWS services and benefit from built-in security patches that are tuned for the EC2 environment. ### 3. Reliable AWS Integration, but Limited Packages and Documentation **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Abdoulaye M. | Lavoratore autonomo, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 16, 2025 **What do you like best about Amazon Linux 2?** I appreciate that Amazon Linux 2 is specifically optimized for AWS, which ensures stable performance and smooth integration with AWS services. The long-term support and consistent security updates also give me confidence when using it for production workloads. Its lightweight and secure design, along with strong support, make deploying and maintaining cloud applications straightforward and reliable. **What do you dislike about Amazon Linux 2?** Some software packages are not as current as those found on other distributions, which sometimes means I have to spend extra time on configuration. Additionally, there are fewer pre-built packages available compared to more popular Linux distributions, so I occasionally need to compile software from source. I also find that the documentation could be more comprehensive, especially when it comes to advanced use cases. **What problems is Amazon Linux 2 solving and how is that benefiting you?** Amazon Linux 2 addresses the challenge of operating dependable and secure servers within the AWS cloud. Thanks to its long-term support and regular security updates, I am able to keep my production environments stable, which in turn minimizes both maintenance efforts and unexpected downtime. ### 4. Stable, Lightweight, and Easy to Maintain **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Information Technology and Services | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 30, 2026 **What do you like best about Amazon Linux 2?** I feel it is very stable and lightweight it feels, especially on AWS. It’s easy to maintain, gets regular updates, and just works without unnecessary complexity. **What do you dislike about Amazon Linux 2?** The main downside is that some newer packages and tools aren’t available by default. eg. getting newer versions of Node.js or Python often requires enabling extra repos or doing manual installs. **What problems is Amazon Linux 2 solving and how is that benefiting you?** AL 2 helps me run AWS-optimized OS without extra tuning. It benefits me by reducing setup time, improving performance on EC2, and making long-term maintenance much easier. ### 5. Stable and Lightweight Linux for AWS **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** andré P. | WEB DEVELOPER, Computer Software, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 07, 2025 **What do you like best about Amazon Linux 2?** I like that it’s optimized for AWS and runs smoothly on EC2 instances. Package management is simple, and updates are reliable. **What do you dislike about Amazon Linux 2?** It can have fewer pre-installed tools compared to other Linux distributions, so sometimes I need to install extra software manually. **What problems is Amazon Linux 2 solving and how is that benefiting you?** It provides a stable and secure environment for cloud workloads. Using Amazon Linux 2 saves time on setup and ensures better performance for AWS services. ### 6. Good experience but need some improvement **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Education Management | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 27, 2025 **What do you like best about Amazon Linux 2?** What I appreciate most about Linux 2 is its ability to deliver smooth, reliable, and high-speed performance. I also value its strong security features, ease of maintenance, and the benefit of long-term support. **What do you dislike about Amazon Linux 2?** What I dislike most is the smaller community, which leads to limited package availability and a more restricted scope. **What problems is Amazon Linux 2 solving and how is that benefiting you?** Amazon Linux 2 improves security, maintenance, performance, and availability, enabling teams to dedicate more time to development and innovation instead of system maintenance. It offers a secure, stable, and high-performance environment that is optimized for Amazon EC2, which helps minimize compatibility and configuration challenges and this is benefiting me a lot. ## Amazon Linux 2 Discussions - [How to look for the correct linux commands, which works with the Amazon Linux 2?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-to-look-for-the-correct-linux-commands-which-works-with-the-amazon-linux-2) - 1 comment, 1 upvote - [View Amazon Linux 2 pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-linux-2-2021-10-12/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1877324&qs=pros-and-cons§ion=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-08-14+15%3A06%3A10+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=62eac7bc-9832-4d9a-a2c2-9b1f36567f52&secure%5Btoken%5D=8ab3fa06d8f99b591036045c569cd95b93515a43772f9f52669b5f25bd373e4e&format=llm_user) ## Amazon Linux 2 Integrations - [Docker](https://www.g2.com/products/docker-inc-docker/reviews) - [IBM Terraform (formerly HashiCorp Terraform)](https://www.g2.com/products/ibm-terraform-formerly-hashicorp-terraform/reviews) - [Laravel](https://www.g2.com/products/laravel/reviews) - [Node.js](https://www.g2.com/products/node-js/reviews) ## Amazon Linux 2 Features **Memory Management - Operating System** - RAM management - App Management - File Management **Device Management - Operating System** - I/O management **Backup and Recovery - Operating System** - Data backup **Error Detection - Operating System** - System operations monitoring **Additional Functionality** - Generative AI - Data Security - User Interface - Resource Allocation - System Updates - For Developers - AI Copilot - Desktop Interface ## Top Amazon Linux 2 Alternatives - [Rocky Linux](https://www.g2.com/products/rocky-linux/reviews) - 4.6/5.0 (20 reviews) - [AlmaLinux OS](https://www.g2.com/products/almalinux-os/reviews) - 4.5/5.0 (21 reviews) - [Ubuntu](https://www.g2.com/products/ubuntu/reviews) - 4.5/5.0 (2,347 reviews)