Alma and Rocky ISOs: DVD vs Boot vs Minimal

NOTE: This article was written in April 2026. If you are reading this in the distant future, things have likely changed. Both AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux come with three ISO options for download: DVD ISO, Boot ISO, and Minimal ISO. Neither the AlmaLinux docs or the Rocky Linux docs do a great job explaining the differences between these ISOs. Posts on the Rocky Linux forms and Reddit elaborate beyond the docs, but still don't do a great job explaining exactly what each ISO contains or when you'd use each. This article will explain the similarities and differences between the three ISOs, and will provide a recommendation of which ISO you should use. DVD ISO The DVD ISO is an ~8gb image that contains all packages for a full offline installation. By default, the boot ISO will install AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux with server packages and a full GUI via the Gnome desktop environment. To change this, navigate to the Software Selection screen during the installation where you can choose from the fo