CloudLinux OS adds features for shared hosting to a Linux server: per-account resource limits (LVE), file-system isolation (CageFS), and PHP version selection for each user. You do not need to reinstall the server to get it: an existing AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux or Ubuntu server can be converted in place, with cPanel and all websites kept.
Quick answer
On AlmaLinux 8, 9 or 10 or Rocky Linux 8 or 9, as root: CloudLinux
yum install wget -y
wget https://repo.cloudlinux.com/cloudlinux/sources/cln/cldeploy
bash cldeploy -k YOUR_ACTIVATION_KEY
reboot
With an IP-based license, use sh cldeploy -i instead of the -k line.
On Ubuntu, use CloudLinux's Ubuntu script instead (see below). CloudLinux
What you need:
- A server on a supported system (next section), on an x86_64 CPU. ARM servers are not supported. CloudLinux
- A CloudLinux license: an activation key (paid, or a free 30-day trial from the CloudLinux Network), or an IP-based license from your provider.
- A tested backup of the server, and access to the provider's console or rescue system in case it does not boot.
- A maintenance window. The conversion changes the system and ends with a reboot.
Which systems can be converted
| System | Conversion | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux 8, 9, 10 | Supported | AlmaLinux 10 becomes CloudLinux OS 10 |
| Rocky Linux 8, 9 | Supported | Cannot be undone back to Rocky Linux |
| Rocky Linux 10 | Not supported | |
| CentOS 7 | Supported | Stays on version 7, which is end-of-life |
| CentOS 8, CentOS Stream | Not supported | Convert CentOS 8 to AlmaLinux 8 first |
| Ubuntu | Supported, with a different script | Installs the CloudLinux Subsystem for Ubuntu |
On a cPanel server, Rocky Linux is not an option: cPanel no longer supports Rocky Linux at all, so a cPanel server should be on AlmaLinux (or Ubuntu 24.04) before you convert it. cPanel
The conversion keeps the same major version: AlmaLinux 9 becomes CloudLinux OS 9, not 10. On a CentOS 7 server, plan a move to AlmaLinux rather than converting it. CloudLinux
CloudLinux OS 10 works differently. It is added as a layer on top of AlmaLinux 10, so /etc/os-release still says AlmaLinux after the conversion. To check that CloudLinux is installed, use CloudLinux's cldetect or cldiag tools rather than the OS name. CloudLinux
Step 1: Prepare the server
Before you start, CloudLinux asks you to: CloudLinux
- Finish any running updates, including cPanel updates, and fix any errors from
dnf/yumor cPanel. Do not run anything else that installs packages during the conversion. - Make sure your activation key is for the edition you want, or that your provider has licensed the server's public IP address.
- Take a backup you know you can restore.
Step 2: Download the conversion script
Use an empty folder, so an older copy of the script is not run by mistake:
mkdir -p ~/cloudlinux && cd ~/cloudlinux
yum install wget -y
wget https://repo.cloudlinux.com/cloudlinux/sources/cln/cldeploy
To see all its options: bash cldeploy --help.
Step 3: Optional readiness check
cldeploy can check the server before converting:
bash cldeploy --precheck
It writes its findings to /var/log/cldeploy-precheck.log. Note two things from CloudLinux's documentation: CloudLinux
- The precheck can change the system (for example, it can import a package signing key and create
/var/lve). Run it only inside your maintenance window. - Passing it does not guarantee that the conversion will succeed. Read the reported problems and fix them first. Never use the
--skip-...options to get around a failed check.
Step 4: Run the conversion
With an activation key:
bash cldeploy -k YOUR_ACTIVATION_KEY
With an IP-based license:
sh cldeploy -i
The edition (for example CloudLinux OS Shared or Admin) is detected from the key. The conversion takes a while, depending on the server's software and download speed. On a cPanel server, it also installs CloudLinux's cPanel integration. CloudLinux
When it finishes, read the final messages. If the script reports an error or a warning about the kernel or boot settings, do not reboot yet: fix it first, following CloudLinux's troubleshooting guide. CloudLinux
Step 5: Reboot and check
reboot
After the reboot:
- Check the running kernel with
uname -r. On CloudLinux OS 8, it should containlve. CloudLinux OS 9 and 10 use the AlmaLinux kernel, so there is nolvein the name, and that is normal. CloudLinux - Log in to WHM and open Plugins › CloudLinux Manager.
- Open a few websites and check that they and their databases work.
Extra features such as PHP Selector, X-Ray and AccelerateWP are set up separately, each with its own requirements. CloudLinux
Converting Ubuntu
On Ubuntu, CloudLinux installs the CloudLinux Subsystem for Ubuntu, with a different script. It keeps the Ubuntu kernel and adds a kernel module, and it installs CloudLinux Manager for cPanel. CloudLinux
apt install python3
wget https://repo.cloudlinux.com/cloudlinux-ubuntu/sources/cln/ubuntu2cloudlinux.py
python3 ubuntu2cloudlinux.py --key=YOUR_ACTIVATION_KEY
With an IP-based license, use python3 ubuntu2cloudlinux.py --byip. The script upgrades all installed packages first, then installs the CloudLinux components. Reboot when it asks you to. CloudLinux
Troubleshooting
The script stops with an unsupported OS message. Check the table above. For CentOS 8 or CentOS Stream, convert to AlmaLinux first.
AlmaLinux is newer than CloudLinux. If AlmaLinux has released a minor version (for example 9.7) before CloudLinux, the standard conversion fails because the matching packages do not exist yet. CloudLinux's documentation describes a "minor version step-down" for this case. CloudLinux
The conversion stopped halfway. Do not just run it again: a partly converted server is not a clean start. Follow CloudLinux's troubleshooting guide, and keep the script and /var/log/cldeploy.log for their support team. CloudLinux