Side by side

Fedora CoreOS vs OpenIndiana

Both stand on server operating system. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Fedora CoreOS

Free plan LinuxSelf-hosted

Pick Fedora CoreOS when you need a minimal Linux host for containerized workloads across physical, virtual, or cloud infrastructure. Look elsewhere if your applications are not containerized, since its stated application compatibility centers on containers.

Visit Fedora CoreOS

OpenIndiana

Free plan LinuxSelf-hosted

OpenIndiana provides a free illumos-based operating system with desktop and command-line operation, extensive system technologies, and several package sources. Its rolling snapshots and 64-bit-only hardware scope are key considerations.

Visit OpenIndiana

The facts

	Fedora CoreOS	OpenIndiana
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Linux, Self-hosted	Linux, Self-hosted
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	Free or on request
Plans published	1	1
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	fedoraproject.org	openindiana.org
On server operating system	#7 of 29	#11 of 29

Fedora CoreOS: what it does well

Free and open source within the Fedora ecosystem.
Automatic operating system updates are built in.
Ignition configuration is included.
Supports bare metal, virtual machines, and cloud instances.
Offers Stable, Testing, and Next release streams.

What to know first

Application compatibility is centered on containerized applications and images.
Image integrity checks are recommended as a separate step.

OpenIndiana: what it does well

Runs on 64-bit x86 PCs
Includes ZFS and DTrace
IPS handles package updates
Supports physical and cloud deployment
Offers live and text installers

What to know first

32-bit systems unsupported
SPARC unavailable for Hipster
Rolling updates may challenge mission-critical use
No fixed support duration stated

Alternatives to Fedora CoreOS Alternatives to OpenIndiana The whole list