How to Check CentOS Version

Understanding which version of CentOS you’re running is fundamental for system administration. Whether you are troubleshooting issues ensuring compatibility or simply maintaining security updates knowing your CentOS version helps keep your server environment running smoothly.

In this article, we will explore several methods for checking your CentOS version through both the terminal and graphical interface along with why this knowledge is important.

Reasons to Check CentOS Version

CentOS, a robust and stable Linux distribution is widely used for server and desktop environments. Check CentOS version Linux is important for various reasons including:

1. Ensuring you are running the latest version to receive essential security patches.
2. Verifying compatibility with specific software packages and versions.
3. Identifying potential issues and finding appropriate solutions.
4. Planning and executing smooth upgrades to newer versions.

Methods to Check CentOS Version

Following are the two methods discussed below to check the CentOS version:

Terminal Method

The terminal is the most direct and efficient way to Check CentOS version command. Here’s how:

Click on the terminal icon or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+T or connect to your CentOS server using SSH and open a terminal session.

The rpm Command

You can use the RPM package manager to check the CentOS version:

rpm -q centos-release

This command will provide the version of the centos-release package, which corresponds to the CentOS version.

The hostnamectl Command

A more general command that works across many Linux distributions is:

hostnamectl

This will display a lot of information, including the operating system and version number.

The /etc/os-release File

The /etc/os-release file contains operating system identification data. You can view this file with the following command:

cat /etc/os-release

You will see a line that starts with VERSION=, showing the CentOS version.

The /etc/centos-release File

Another important file is /etc/centos-release. You can check it by running:

cat /etc/centos-release

This file contains a string that shows the CentOS version and release number.

The /etc/redhat-release File

Since CentOS is derived from Red Hat Enterprise Linux, you can also check the /etc/redhat-release file with:

cat /etc/redhat-release

The uname Command

The uname command provides information about the system name, node name, kernel version, hardware platform, and operating system. Here’s how:

uname -r

The command will display the kernel version, which can be used to infer the CentOS version. However, this method is less precise than the previous ones.

The lsb_release Command

The lsb_release command provides detailed information about your Linux distribution including the CentOS version. Here’s how:

lsb_release -a

The command will display various information about your Linux distribution, including:

• Distributor ID: CentOS
• Description: CentOS Linux release
• Release: x.x
• Codename: BaseOS X

Graphical User Interface Method

If you are using a graphical interface, you can check the version of CentOS by going to “Settings” then “Details” or “About”. This method is straightforward if you’re not comfortable using the terminal.

Important Notes

Following are the important notes to check your CentOS version:

• Regularly update your CentOS system to the latest version to benefit from security patches and performance improvements.
• Utilize a package manager like yum or dnf to manage software packages and their dependencies.
• If you need to know the version of a specific package use the rpm -qi package_name command.

Conclusion

Checking your CentOS version is important for managing and maintaining your server. By following these methods and tips, you can easily determine your CentOS version and keep your system up to date and secure.

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