# Scientific Linux Reviews **Vendor:** Fermi Research Alliance **Category:** [Operating Systems](https://www.g2.com/categories/operating-system) **Average Rating:** 3.6/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 16 ## About Scientific Linux Scientific Linux was an open-source operating system developed by Fermilab and CERN, designed to provide a stable, scalable, and extensible platform for scientific computing. Based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), it offered binary compatibility, ensuring seamless integration with RHEL-compatible software. The distribution aimed to meet the specific needs of the scientific community by facilitating the integration of scientific applications with the operating environment. Scientific Linux reached its end of life on June 30, 2024. Key Features and Functionality: - Stability and Scalability: Provided a reliable platform suitable for large-scale scientific computations. - Binary Compatibility with RHEL: Ensured that software developed for RHEL could run without modification. - Customizability: Allowed institutions to create tailored versions to meet specific research requirements. - Comprehensive Software Support: Included a wide range of tools and libraries essential for scientific research. Primary Value and User Solutions: Scientific Linux addressed the unique demands of the scientific community by offering a robust and adaptable operating system tailored for research environments. Its compatibility with RHEL enabled researchers to utilize a vast array of existing software, reducing the need for custom solutions. The distribution's stability and scalability made it ideal for managing complex computations and large datasets, thereby enhancing productivity and collaboration among scientists worldwide. ## Scientific Linux Pros & Cons **What users like:** - Users enjoy the **exceptional data processing capabilities** of Scientific Linux, especially for handling large databases efficiently. (2 reviews) - Users admire the **design aesthetics** of Scientific Linux, appreciating its appealing interface and thoughtful features. (1 reviews) - Users appreciate the **well-designed features** of Scientific Linux, enhancing their overall user experience and productivity. (1 reviews) - Users value the **regular updates** in Scientific Linux, enhancing their experience with improved performance and features. (1 reviews) - Users value the **strong security and stability** of Scientific Linux, making it ideal for enterprise environments. (1 reviews) - Users value the **stability** of Scientific Linux, appreciating its effectiveness for data processing and enterprise needs. (1 reviews) **What users dislike:** - Users are disappointed by the **slow updates** of Scientific Linux, contributing to its declining reliability and support. (2 reviews) - Users are concerned about the **lack of support** for Scientific Linux, noting limited updates and community engagement. (1 reviews) - Users express concern over the **lack of updates** for Scientific Linux, impacting reliability and support within the community. (1 reviews) ## Scientific Linux Reviews ### 1. Scientific Linux Feedback **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Somasekar Kandhula i. | Product Engineer, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** September 30, 2025 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** I love the part how its designed and the features of the linux. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** In our team meeting last Tuesday when we discussed the Q3 budget, you interrupted the financial analyst three times while they were presenting the revenue data (Behavior). The impact was that the analyst lost their train of thought, and we had to retrace our steps, delaying the meeting by about ten minutes. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** It provided a highly reliable, cost-free, and long-lasting operating system foundation that guaranteed compatibility for our specific, mission-critical scientific software across different research institutions. ### 2. Memories of a great Operating System for data processing over the Internet. **Rating:** 1.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Anasia J. | Business Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 09, 2025 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** I have a great memory of Scientific Linux, I didn't expect to get it on the list, I still have it installed in a Virtual Machine to perform tests on large databases. I received different types of BigData over multiple networks to store and process, today it would be a great help if I received updates for improvements. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** Scientific Linux stopped giving support and updates, the project stopped and is currently followed by a very small community, leaving a great ally aside. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** I still have it installed in a Virtual Machine and I perform tests on data management and Internet connection, but I do not use it for information security because it does not receive updates. ### 3. Operating System with nostalgia **Rating:** 2.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Diego I. | Web Programmer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 03, 2025 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** Linux is the best deal for security, enterprise and stability, Scientific Linux processes data perfectly for query work, but no longer receives updates. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** Currently Scientific Linux does not receive updates, it ceased to exist years ago, it maintains a small community but is not 100% reliable compared to other Linux distributions, it is a shame to revive this highly appreciated operating system. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** I recommend downloading and using it for home projects that are not highly secure, because it is no longer available in an updated version and security is paramount. Also data processing and improving data collection. ### 4. It represents as a virtual server, which is entire and quite secure. **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jyoti S. | Project Manager, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 22, 2023 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** I appreciate Scientific Linux because it is rooted on the many Linux dispersion, which supplies a wide variety when data analysis transition a really safe manner, completing and preparing software with all this delivery seems to be very alive thanks to its congruence with sizable Linux distribution patterns. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** Being a system that is based on those other so much profound and specialist devices it is hard to set up or gather applications or any, you need knowledge in Linux distribution patterns to be able to use application this towards the at household. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** This delivery is unique to control numerous system and data at about the same moment, it also represents as a virtual server, it is entire and quite secure. ### 5. Scientist friendly but with a pinch of salt **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Aditya V. | Data Scientist II, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** June 20, 2022 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** The best part is the complete & comprehensive documentation which makes it very lucrative to use along with the very user friendly UI that it comes with **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** Configuring projects is a bit hard on this, and many times you can't find a solution to an error as very few researchers use this. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** Largely to compile my RHEL programs as it ensures security to my data and applications on my work station. ### 6. Scientists are friendly! **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** JIAYI L. | researcher, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 19, 2022 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** Easy to use; user-friendly interface; fast calculation speed; documentation is completed and comprehensive. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** A collaboration feature needs to be developed. So far we use tmux, but I don't think it's convenient enough for us to collaborate. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** Data cleaning ### 7. How using Linux can change your research works! **Rating:** 2.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Pharmaceuticals | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 09, 2020 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** Scientific Linux is a freely maintained variant of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The best thing with scientific linux is it's maintained to a specific version and hardly updates frequently. So, once a researcher learns to use it they can keep up their work progress on same distribution. It helps the researcher group keep track of programming within the same OS. Once a team starts working on their project it is cumbersome to keep changing OS and fix programming errors just for the sake of OS and it's updates. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** The educational community is closed door sometimes. And researchers are few in numbers compared to the vast distributions and variants of Linux OS. **Recommendations to others considering Scientific Linux:** Do not use it as a desktop or laptop day to day working station. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** My friends use Scientific Linux in their lab for free. That is the best reason for using Scientific Linux on 1000 nodes for programming purpose. Educational institutes and research labs are low on IT budgets, so to keep their code sharing and running in other institutes it is used. ### 8. Linux is your friend **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Filipe O. | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 16, 2019 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** Linux has the best shell in world. If you have to work with data, write scriptes to automate processes, test the network. Linux is for you. The GUI is not as good as Windows but the command line is very powerful. It has so many already install utilities that can help you troubleshoot errors and it is so easy to install more utilities. Because most of the utilities were developed in the 70s and 80s and are highly optimized and were developed by extremely smart people. If you fail to do something in Windows like processing big chunks of data with you text editor. Then go for Linux and you will discover a fantastic world. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** Linux GUI is not as good as Windwos. It has some limitations and can give you a hard time because a driver is incompatible with Linux. And update made your system unstable. In Linux you really need to know what you are doing in order to take the most of it. **Recommendations to others considering Scientific Linux:** Use Linux if you do not want to worry about installing utility programs from the internet that might contain virus. Linux also allows you to perform certain tasks over the network that other OS do not allow you to do. Even though Linux might be hard to use is definitely a good tool for some use cases. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** Linux helps me troubleshoot the network, process large log files and automate some processes using scripts. By installing an ssh server in the Linux machine you can easily do whatever you want over the network with multiple users without an issue. And the connection does not need to be fantastic as teamviewer does. ### 9. The best free Linux distribution based on RHEL. **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jamer M. | Engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 07, 2019 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** I like this distribution of Linux through the Kernel and Red Hat-based programs Breaking Linux (RHEL), it's free and safe. With Scientific Linux I handle a lot of data at the same time, the capacity is very large and without spending money on license. The graphic interface of this system is beautiful, I can also change for another one that suits my needs more. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** I do not like to leave the project and there will be no updates within a short time. It is difficult to configure programs on this system, since it is not well known, experience is needed to avoid errors. **Recommendations to others considering Scientific Linux:** If you know how to use RHEL, you like RHEL and you have a lot of information on your PC I recommend this system, it is basic, stable, free and powerful for all work in the office, server or home. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use this system to move and manage large amounts of data, I use the free RHEL programs without any problem, the RHEL server packages I configure and process all my databases. ### 10. Red Hat base dedicated to data transfer. **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Walter H. | Software Developer, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 13, 2019 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** I like Scientific Linux because it uses the same Red Hat base, it's free and with many stable Internet programs. This system is developed by professionals, with security and stability, is capable and handle large amounts of data for each process you want. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** The project will no longer be supported, will be abandoned in a few years and will not have security and stability updates. **Recommendations to others considering Scientific Linux:** Use this system for personal server projects, it is perfect for controlling large amounts of data on high performance PCs, that is the main function of Scientific Linux. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use this system to process and transfer large amounts of data on a network, it is perfect for managing large web server databases. ### 11. Scientific Linux, based on known and stable distributions to work with a lot of stability. **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** William M. | Software Engineer, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 28, 2019 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** I like Scientific Linux because it is based on many Linux distributions, which gives a wide variety when working with data transfer very safely, compiling and configuring programs with this distribution is very safe due to its compatibility with large Linux distributions. Scientific Linux is mainly based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), where I have a lot of experience, I adapt very well to configure, perform performance and security tests on my personal web server. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** Particularly Scientific Linux is intended for professionals, which makes it difficult to configure or install programs in this distribution, I have to look for compatibility with other distributions to make the job easier. **Recommendations to others considering Scientific Linux:** Scientific Linux is the best option based on known and stable Linux distributions, if you need to test programs for your personal projects I recommend it, it is free and very stable. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** I run Scientific Linux to test my services and compile RHEL programs, thus giving more stability and security to my personal data and applications installed on my PC. ### 12. Compile and transfer any type of files, distribution based on RHEL. **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Carter S. | Software Development Engineer, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 24, 2019 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** With this distribution we can handle a lot of data and information of any kind, for those who know CentOS this distribution will be very similar for its compatibility. Free, virus free and open source. Scientific Linux is based on RHEL, which gives excellent support and stability when working and compiling. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** Being a system based on other more complex and professional systems it is difficult to install or compile programs of any kind, you need experience in Linux distributions to be able to use this great tool at home. **Recommendations to others considering Scientific Linux:** This distribution is special to handle a lot of information and data at the same time, it also serves as a web server, it is complete and very stable. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** Personally I use this distribution to configure and share files over the Internet or local network with private web server service, I have many options for my web server to control all the computers connected in the same network. ### 13. Best distribution to compile whatever you want based on RHEL and set up a web server. **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Veronica R. | Ingeniero en Sistemas, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** September 06, 2019 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** * Distribution based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux with a lot of support and * * Compatibility with many programs. * Compatibility and interface very similar to CentOS. * Great capacity to handle information and data. * Free, open source, and virus-free. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** * It is difficult to compile and install standalone programs. * You need experience in Linux to be able to work optimally with this distribution. **Recommendations to others considering Scientific Linux:** If you have experience in Linux, I recommend this distribution so you can configure whatever you want at work and home, compiling large programs here for a web server and many more things. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** With Scientific Linux, I transfer a lot of data quickly and securely from one web server to another; it is an excellent distribution for these cases. I configure Proxy and DNS servers. ### 14. Better distribution to compile what you want based on RHEL and configure web server. **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jose P. | Software Development Engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 16, 2019 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** Distribution based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux with a lot of support and compatibility of many programs. Compatibility and interface very similar to CentOS. Great ability to handle information and data. Free, open source and virus free. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** It is difficult to compile and install independent programs. You need Linux experience to work optimally with this distribution. **Recommendations to others considering Scientific Linux:** If you have experience in Linux I recommend this distribution to configure what you want in your work and home, compiling great programs here for web server and much more. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** I have a web server configured with this distribution where I control web pages, email, DHCP and DNS service for all office computers. ### 15. Overall I like it. **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Higher Education | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 26, 2019 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** I love that it is free and that it is compatible with other software. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** Sometimes it seems to have bugs and I have to work on a patch. **Recommendations to others considering Scientific Linux:** Go for it. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** I am a AP science teacher and we use this to do research with our probes. ### 16. Best Red Hat distribution **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Education Management | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 08, 2019 **What do you like best about Scientific Linux?** Scientific Linux is a serious, stable, useful operating system. It is 99% compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, so you won't have any problem using RHEL tutorials and courses. If the CERN uses and help mantaining this distribution, you have a great confidence in it. **What do you dislike about Scientific Linux?** Here it comes all GNU/Linux disadvantages. Hardware compatibility issues, difficulty for doing things that in Windows you do with 3 clicks, etc. Neverthless, I have nothing special bad to say about this distribution. The problems are the typical, and if you are reading this, I suppose you know that using Linux is sometimes complicated, but is worth the time. **Recommendations to others considering Scientific Linux:** First of all, you have to think about what kind of Linux system you need, a Debian or a Red Hat based one. Once you have decided you want a Red Hat compatible solution, it is easy to choose Scientific Linux. In my experience, no problems and 99% compatibility with Red Hat official tutorials. **What problems is Scientific Linux solving and how is that benefiting you?** I had used Scientific Linux to test different system administration configuration, like DNS, DHCP, LDAP, Apache web server, etc. I have had a good user experience and no problems arised. I realized this distribution is a "scientific oriented" one. I mean, the GUI is very simple, but if you use the terminal (as I do) this is perfect, no distractions. - [View Scientific Linux pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/scientific-linux/reviews?section=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-05-15+07%3A41%3A04+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=4538ecff-a55e-4fba-b87a-93451099b331&secure%5Btoken%5D=9c5947d3f6b45d53823ff35b36586de5c4220f160ad942cf0f719dddbefde70c&format=llm_user) ## Scientific Linux Features **Memory Management - Operating System** - RAM management **Device Management - Operating System** - I/O management **Backup and Recovery - Operating System** - Data backup **Error Detection - Operating System** - System operations monitoring ## Top Scientific Linux Alternatives - [CentOS](https://www.g2.com/products/centos/reviews) - 4.4/5.0 (409 reviews) - [Ubuntu](https://www.g2.com/products/ubuntu/reviews) - 4.5/5.0 (2,315 reviews) - [Fedora](https://www.g2.com/products/fedora/reviews) - 4.4/5.0 (203 reviews)