AlmaLinux has announced that the CodeReady Linux Builder (CRB) repository will be enabled by default in AlmaLinux OS 10, aiming to resolve common issues with installing packages from Fedora Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL). This change is designed to simplify the user experience and reduce the number of erroneous bug reports filed with EPEL maintainers. Existing AlmaLinux OS systems will automatically have the CRB repository enabled in preparation for the upcoming AlmaLinux OS 10.1 release, although users can opt out by disabling it using config-manager.
AlmaLinux OS 10: Enhancing User Experience with CodeReady Linux Builder Repository
As part of AlmaLinux's ongoing efforts to improve the user experience, it has been announced that the CodeReady Linux Builder (CRB) repository will be enabled by default in AlmaLinux OS 10. This change is set to take effect in the upcoming update for AlmaLinux OS 10.0 ahead of the release of AlmaLinux OS 10.1 on September 9, 2025.
What is the CRB Repository?
The CodeReady Linux Builder repository houses additional packages that enterprise Linux distributions like AlmaLinux typically do not include by default. While many of these packages are useful for software development, they also include dependencies required by popular applications such as the KDE Plasma Desktop, which are not essential for the core enterprise Linux solution set.
Why Enable it by Default?
The decision to enable the CRB repository by default is aimed at resolving a common issue where users encounter errors when trying to install packages from Fedora Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) that depend on packages in the CRB repository while the repository is not enabled. The EPEL maintainers have received numerous erroneous bug reports due to this problem.
Impact on Existing AlmaLinux OS Systems
For users who already have AlmaLinux OS 10 or AlmaLinux OS Kitten 10 installed, the CRB repository will be enabled moving forward by setting enabled=1 in almalinux-crb.repo. This change will apply to all existing AlmaLinux OS systems shortly as part of preparations for the upcoming AlmaLinux OS 10.1 release.
Disabling the CRB Repository
For users who do not want the CRB repository enabled, there are various ways to disable it after the change takes effect. The easiest method is to use config-manager, which is part of the dnf-utils package:
# Disable the CRB repository dnf config-manager --disable crb
New SELinux Policy-Extra Package for AlmaLinux OS 10.1
As part of the upcoming AlmaLinux OS 10.1 release, a new selinux-policy-extra package will be introduced in the CRB repository. This package is necessary for software from EPEL to work properly with SELinux. For systems upgrading after AlmaLinux OS 10.1 is released, selinux-policy-extra will be installed during the upgrade if the CRB repository is enabled.
Enabling CRB by default for AlmaLinux 10
AlmaLinux OS 10 will have the CRB repository turned on by default via an update in AlmaLinux OS 10.0 ahead of the release of AlmaLinux OS 10.1 on 2025-09-09, while AlmaLinux OS Kitten 10 has had it enabled by default since the update on 2025-08-27 (almalinux-kitten-repos-10.0-9.el10.0.1). As part of our efforts to continue improving the experience for AlmaLinux users, we are enabling the CRB repository by default. This reduces the friction in using software from Fedora Extra Packages from Enterprise Linux (EPEL).
