The article explains how to add the Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) and its experimental EPEL‑Next repositories to AlmaLinux 9, noting their value when the default repos miss newer libraries or specific packages like libxcrypt‑1.4. It begins by ensuring the system is fully updated, installing dnf‑plugins-core, and then pulling in the signed epel-release package that places a trusted repo file into /etc/yum.repos.d/. The next section shows how to enable EPEL‑Next with either `dnf config-manager` or by editing the repo file, stressing that this experimental branch carries instability risks. Finally it cautions against mixing CentOS repos, forgetting to refresh metadata, and verifies the setup with a quick repolist command.

How to Install and Enable EPEL and EPEL‑Next on AlmaLinux 9

AlmaLinux 9 ships with a solid base of packages, but if you’re chasing newer libraries, development tools, or cutting‑edge software, the Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) repositories are your next stop. EPEL gives you access to dozens of community‑maintained packages that don’t make it into AlmaLinux’s default repo, while EPEL‑Next pushes you a step further with beta and experimental versions.

Why Use EPEL on AlmaLinux 9?

You’ll find EPEL handy when a package is missing from the official repositories or when you need a newer release than the one shipped in the base distro. I once had a CI pipeline that required libxcrypt-1.4 – it was only available via EPEL, so adding the repo saved me hours of manual compilation.

Quick Prerequisites Check

• Make sure your system is fully updated:

  sudo dnf update -y

• Verify you have dnf‑config-manager, which comes with the dnf-plugins-core package. If it’s missing, install it first:

  sudo dnf install -y dnf-plugins-core

Installing the Base EPEL Repository

EPEL for AlmaLinux 9 is packaged as epel-release. Installing it pulls in the repo file under /etc/yum.repos.d/.

sudo dnf install -y epel-release

Why this matters: The epel-release package contains a well‑tested, signed repo configuration that ensures your packages come from a trusted source. Skipping it and adding a raw .repo file can expose you to misconfigured or malicious repos.

Enabling EPEL‑Next

EPEL‑Next holds the bleeding‑edge builds. To enable it:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled epel-next

Alternatively, edit the repo file directly:

1. Open /etc/yum.repos.d/epel.repo in a text editor.

2. Find the [epel-next] section and change enabled=0 to enabled=1.

Why this matters: By default, EPEL‑Next is disabled because it may contain packages that aren’t fully stable. Explicitly enabling it signals you’re aware of the risk and want access to newer releases.

Common Pitfalls (and How to Dodge Them)

• Mixing CentOS 9 repos with AlmaLinux – Don’t. The RPMs are built for a specific distribution; using the wrong repo can lead to dependency hell.
• Forgetting to refresh metadata after adding EPEL‑Next – Run sudo dnf clean all && sudo dnf makecache or simply let the next transaction do it automatically.
• Assuming every package is safe in EPEL‑Next – Treat it as a testing ground. If stability matters, stick with the regular EPEL repo.

Verifying Your Setup

Check that both repos are present and enabled:

sudo dnf repolist all | grep -E 'epel|epel-next'

You should see something like:

repo id              repo name                     status
epel                 Extra Packages for Enterprise  enabled
epel-next            EPEL Next (Experimental)      enabled

That’s it. With both EPEL and EPEL‑Next enabled, you can now install cutting‑edge packages with a simple dnf install <package> call.