Try this command:
rpm -qa | grep release
for instance on my machine I get this
Answer from Tim on Stack Overflowredhat-release-workstation-6Workstation-6.4.0.4.el6.x86_64
nixCraft
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How do I determine RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) version? - nixCraft
July 15, 2024 - Another option is to run lsb_release command. However, you need to install a package named redhat-lsb-core using the yum command or dnf command as follows: $ sudo yum install redhat-lsb-core ## now get RHEL version ## $ lsb_release -d $ lsb_release ...
How to Use Linux
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4 Ways to Check Redhat Version - howtouselinux
October 9, 2025 - Linux version 4.18.0-305.el8.x86_64 ([email protected]) (gcc version 8.4.1 20200928 (Red Hat 8.4.1-1) (GCC)) #1 SMP Thu Apr 29 08:54:30 EDT 2021 · cat /etc/*release · ---------- On Red Hat Linux ---------- $ cat /etc/redhat-release · ---------- On CentOS Linux ---------- $ cat ...
bash - How to find out what version of RHEL I'm using? - Unix & Linux Stack Exchange
You can also use the lsb_release command. If you're already certain it's RHEL, getting the major version number is: ... Works on Centos and Redhat proper, fails on Oracle Linux release of Redhat. More on unix.stackexchange.com
How to check Linux Redhat version command
How to check Redhat version ? What command I need to type? Is it uname or something else? More on nixcraft.com
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December 19, 2018How to check what "version" of Linux you're running
If you have the lsb base stuff installed you can use lsb_release: % lsb_release -a No LSB modules are available. Distributor ID: Debian Description: Debian GNU/Linux testing (jessie) Release: testing Codename: jessie More on reddit.com
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February 22, 2014What is the future of free rhel?
One note from your referenced article: "Those 16 nodes may be used by the individual developer for demos, prototyping, QA, small production uses, and cloud access" So even production uses are allowed, as long as they fit into those 16 licenses. More on reddit.com
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September 29, 2022 Top answer 1 of 9
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Try this command:
rpm -qa | grep release
for instance on my machine I get this
redhat-release-workstation-6Workstation-6.4.0.4.el6.x86_64
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If "anybody" has root access to your machine to either change /etc/redhat-release or install an alternate kernel you're most probably in bigger trouble than determining the redhat version of your system.
Just use the value pointed out by /etc/redhat-release or even better in terms of portability use the output of lsb_release as this is exactly the purpose they were made for.
With "anybody" being able to do anything with your system there is no other chance at all.
TecMint
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4 Ways to Check CentOS or RHEL Version
June 6, 2018 - RPM (Red Hat Package Manager) is a popular and core package management utility for Red Hat based systems like (RHEL, CentOS and Fedora), using this rpm command, you will get your CentOS/REHL release version. $ rpm --query centos-release [On CentOS] ...
TutorialsPoint
tutorialspoint.com › 4-ways-to-check-centos-or-rhel-version
4 Ways to Check CentOS or RHEL Version
The rpm command can query the release package to determine your system version. This method works by checking the installed release package. ... These four methods provide reliable ways to check your CentOS or RHEL version. The /etc/redhat-release file method is the quickest, while hostnamectl provides the most comprehensive system information.
Top answer 1 of 13
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if grep -q -i "release 6" /etc/redhat-release
then
echo "running RHEL 6.x"
fi
This would be the simplest way I can think of.
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You can also use the lsb_release command. If you're already certain it's RHEL, getting the major version number is:
majversion=$(lsb_release -rs | cut -f1 -d.)
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You can use the lsb_release command on various Linux distributions:
lsb_release -i -r
This will tell you the Distribution and Version and is a little bit more accurate than accessing files that may or may not have been modified by the admin or a software package. As well as working across multiple distros.
For RHEL, you should use:
cat /etc/redhat-release
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You can look at the contents of /etc/redhat-release, which will look something like this:
$ cat /etc/redhat-release
CentOS release 5.4 (Final)
The contents are different for an actual RHEL system. This technique works on all RedHat derivatives, including CentOS, Fedora, and others.
Linux Journal
linuxjournal.com › content › what-version-rhel-am-i-using
What Version of RHEL am I Using? | Linux Journal
To find the version, type: ... LSB stands for Linux Standard Base. The lsb_release command shows the Linux distribution information and some LSB. On RHEL, the lsb_release is provided within the redhat_lsb. You can simply install the redhat_lsb package to use the command. To install, type: ... If you are on CentOS, you can also identify its version with the same command given above.
Command Linux
commandlinux.com › home › q&a › how to check rhel version in linux
How To Check RHEL Version in Linux
March 30, 2026 - Check the ID field in /etc/os-release to distinguish between distributions. Genuine RHEL shows ID=”rhel” while CentOS shows ID=”centos”. The cat /etc/redhat-release command works on all RHEL versions including legacy systems.
Web Hosting Geeks
webhostinggeeks.com › home › centos › how to check centos or red hat version
How to Check CentOS or Red Hat Version | Linux Tutorials for Beginners
April 28, 2023 - By running the command cat /etc/*release* in the terminal, you can quickly and easily obtain information about your CentOS or Red Hat version. We hope this guide has been helpful to you.
Ncomputing
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How to Determine the CENTOS RedHat version and Build ...
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PhoenixNAP
phoenixnap.com › home › kb › sysadmin › how to check red hat version
How to Check Red Hat (RHEL) Version Installed
December 11, 2025 - Red Hat-based distributions store release files in the /etc directory. List the names of release files by typing the following command: ... The output shows three files: os-release, redhat-release, and system-release.
Oudel
blog.oudel.com › home › knowledgebase › how to check red hat enterprise linux version?
How to Check Red Hat Enterprise Linux Version?
September 16, 2025 - The easiest and most common way ... the /etc/redhat-release file. This file contains a single line of text that shows the version number and release information. ... Open the terminal. ... In this example, the version is 8.4, and “Ootpa” is the codename for the release. This file is present in all RHEL systems and provides a quick and straightforward way to check the version. ... If you’re using a derived distribution like CentOS or Oracle ...
rackAID
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How To Check Red Hat Version Number
February 14, 2026 - On a RHEL 5 system you will see something like this when you check your Red hat version: [bash][root@alpha ~]# cat /etc/redhat-release Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 5.11 (Tikanga)[/bash]
CloudiBee
cloudibee.com › home › how to determine redhat versions command
How to Determine Redhat Versions Command - CloudiBee
May 27, 2022 - To find out your Redhat’s release package, run: rpm –query redhat-release-server or rpm –query centos-release · RPM stands for Redhat Package Manager · To check the content of each file to reveal your Redhat version, use cat: $ for 1 ...
LinuxConfig
linuxconfig.org › home › how to find the version of redhat linux installed
Find Redhat Version via Command & GUI
September 21, 2025 - Using the systemd command hostnamectl is the most convenient way on how to find the version of Redhat Linux installed.
nixCraft
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How to check Linux Redhat version command - Linux - nixCraft Linux/Unix Forum
December 19, 2018 - How to check Redhat version ? What command I need to type? Is it uname or something else?
nixCraft
cyberciti.biz › nixcraft › howto › redhat and friends › what version of red hat enterprise linux (rhel) am i running?
What Version Of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Am I Running? - nixCraft
November 26, 2021 - Type the following cat command: $ cat /etc/os-release Sample outputs: NAME="Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server" VERSION="7.6 (Maipo)" ID="rhel" ID_LIKE="fedora" VARIANT="Server" VARIANT_ID="server" VERSION_ID="7.6" PRETTY_NAME="Red Hat Enterprise ...
Red Hat
access.redhat.com › solutions › 58690
How to check kernel version installed in the system - Red Hat Customer Portal
August 7, 2024 - How come I have RHEL 5.6 installed on the system [root@station ~]# cat /etc/redhat-release Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 5.6 (Tikanga) [root@station ~]# uname -a Linux station 2.6.18-92.1.22.el5 #1 SMP Fri Dec 5 09:28:22 EST 2008 x86_64 ...
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
community.hpe.com › t5 › operating-system-linux › how-to-check-and-confirm-the-redhat-linux-version › td-p › 4246275
How to check and confirm the RedHat Linux version - Hewlett Packard Enterprise Community
August 5, 2008 - Hi, I want to confirm the redhat linux version of our server. I have checked the below three options. 1) cat /etc/redhat-release shows the RHEL( Red hat Linux Enterprise Linux) version Ex: RHEL 4(Nahant Update 6), RHEL 3(Taroon Update 6) 2) cat /proc/version shows the 'Red Hat Linux' version.