Last Updated on 1 week by Sachin G
Installing WHM and cPanel is a common task for Server administrators and DevOps professionals who are setting up a web hosting control panel. However, since CentOS is no longer the default OS for many users, questions often arise about using AlmaLinux or Ubuntu or Rocky Linux .
This blog article covers how to install cPanel and WHM on AlmaLinux and Ubuntu, explains which OS is fully supported, and provides practical commands, expert advice, and a FAQ section optimized with schema markup for search visibility.
Due to the long End of Life at least until 2029 and 2032 and commitment to supporting as a result AlmaLinux OS 8 & 9 Version respectively is becoming popular in the open-source software community. Now cPanel & WHM also support AlmaLinux OS and Ubuntu LTS. For those adopting the latest iteration of AlmaLinux, cPanel announces support for cPanel & WHM versions 114 and later. This ensures that users leveraging AlmaLinux 9 can enjoy the latest features and optimizations offered by cPanel & WHM. This post also describes installation on both operating systems. It looks like AlmaLinux is the best alternative to CentOS Linux. Let’s Check the System Requirements for AlmaLinux & Ubuntu Server.
What Are the System Requirements for AlmaLinux & Ubuntu OS?
Currently, AlmaLinux and Ubuntu fully support cPanel and WHM, making it one of the best replacements for CentOS after its end of life. The system is binary-compatible with RHEL and is officially listed by cPanel Inc. as a supported platform.
| Operating System | Recommended RAM | Recommended Disk Space | Minimum CPU Processor |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | 4 GB | 40 GB | 1.1 GHz |
| AlmaLinux 8 | 2 GB | 40 GB | 1.1 GHz |
| AlmaLinux 9 | 2 GB | 40 GB | 1.1 GHz |
- A fresh install of AlmaLinux 8 or AlmaLinux 9 or Ubuntu SO
- Both Operating systems needed a Minimum of 1 GB RAM.
- Minimum: Both OS need 20 GB of Storage.
- Both support a 64-bit Architecture.
- In using an Antivirus Scanner, a Strongly recommended minimum of 3 GB RAM.
- Static IP address
- Root access
- Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN)
Avoid pre-installed services like Apache, MySQL, PHP — cPanel manages those on its own
Other Basic Requirements
- The hostname should be in a fully qualified domain name and the domain should not be matched in the cPanel account. The below command will set the hostname in both operating systems.
# hostnamectl set-hostname cpanel.techtransit.org
- cPanel recommends disabling the OS firewall. The Cpanel installer opens the necessary port at the time of installation. To deactivate firewalls on AlmaLinux OS 8 & and Ubuntu follow the below steps.
Disabling Firewall on AlmaLinux
# iptables-save > ~/almafirewall.rules # systemctl stop firewalld.service # systemctl disable firewalld.service
Disable Firewall on Ubuntu Linux
# iptables-save > ~/ubuntufirewall.rules # systemctl stop ufw.service # systemctl disable ufw.service
- cPanel recommends the Operating System be in the minimal install state. To set on a minimal target run the below command as the root user to set on multi-user. target, which represents the target. state target.
# systemctl set-default multi-user.target
# systemctl get-default - Perl must be installed. The below command will install Perl package on your server.
# yum -y install perl
- Install the curl command.
# yum -y install curl
- Disable Security Enhanced Features ( SELinux )
To disable, open the SELinux configuration file /etc/selinux/config and set the parameter SELINUX to disabled.
# This file controls the state of SELinux on the system. # SELINUX= can take one of these three values: # enforcing - SELinux security policy is enforced. # permissive - SELinux prints warnings instead of enforcing. # disabled - No SELinux policy is loaded. SELINUX=disabled # SELINUXTYPE= can take one of three two values: # targeted - Targeted processes are protected, # minimum - Modification of targeted policy. Only selected processes are protected. # mls - Multi Level Security protection. SELINUXTYPE=targeted
Install cPanel and WHM on AlmaLinux and Ubuntu
Now we will download the CPanel script on the home directory of the server, which will install CPanel & WHM. Follow the steps below for installation.cPanel License you can buy from the button below.
# cd /home # curl -o latest -L https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest # sh latest
OUTPUT
Now the script will take some time. You will get some output related to installation information access details. Use in login root as a user and use the password of the root user. You will get WHM access like the below URL.
WHM Access URL
Use your root credentials, complete the WHM setup wizard, configure your hostname, and secure firewall settings.
https://your –server-public-ip:2087 OR https://server-hostname:2087
Tip: For firewall configuration, use tools like CSF after installation to limit open ports
How to Set Up WHM and cPanel on AlmaLinux (Post-Install Configuration)
- Log in to WHM via
https://your-ip:2087
- Accept license agreement
- Configure network settings
- Set up nameservers
- Enable hosting automation features like auto-backups, email limits, etc.
Benefits of Using AlmaLinux for cPanel
- Full compatibility with cPanel Inc.
- Robust support for hosting automation
- Seamless replacement for CentOS Stream
- Long-term updates and stability
- Official support from WHM by cPanel
Tips for Secure Server Configuration
- Use firewall configuration for WHM via
iptablesor CSF
- Enable ModSecurity in WHM for web hosting protection
- Regularly update WHM and OS via
yum update
- Back up DNS, database, and email configs after every major change
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but AlmaLinux is more commonly supported and preferred by many web hosting providers for WHM setup.
Yes, WHM and cPanel can be installed on VPS, cloud servers, and dedicated servers—as long as system requirements are met. It works on cloud platforms like DigitalOcean, Linode, AWS EC2, and Vultr, especially when using AlmaLinux or CentOS alternatives.
No, cPanel is a commercial product. It requires a paid license, although a free trial may be available for first-time installs. Licensing is tied to your server’s IP address and can be managed through cPanel’s customer portal.
WHM (Web Host Manager) is the administrative interface used to manage multiple cPanel accounts, server settings, and services.
cPanel is the user-level interface where clients manage their websites, email, and databases. WHM is for server admins; cPanel is for end-users.
Whether you're an experienced system administrator or starting with Linux server management, knowing how to install cPanel and WHM on AlmaLinux and Ubuntu gives you a reliable path toward scalable, secure, and efficient hosting
About the Author
I’m Sachin Gupta — a freelance IT support specialist and founder of techtransit.org. I’m certified in Linux, Ansible, OpenShift (Red Hat), cPanel, and ITIL, with over 15 years of hands-on experience. I create beginner-friendly Linux tutorials, help with Ansible automation, and offer IT support on platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and PeoplePerHour. Follow Tech Transit for practical tips, hosting guides, and real-world Linux expertise!