VSCodium is a cross-platform application that is based on the original Microsoft VSCode, but the question is why install VSCodium when we can install the VSCode editor from the official package? That is the same question I have asked myself.
Before answering this question, I’ll share with you the interface of VSCodium and VS Code, and I want you to answer which is VSCodium and VS Code. You cannot distinguish between them unless you find the most hated line in the open-source community: “Code collects usage data”. “Read our privacy statement and learn how to opt-out”.


As per the above line, you can stop “Code to collect usage data”, but if you do not believe in agnostic Microsoft, then VSCodium is for you; same interface, same plugins, same features, and the same experience without any tracking.
Table of Contents
Prerequisite for Installation of VSCodium
You should have sudo privileges to install VSCodium on your Linux machine. Other than that, nothing is required to follow this article.
Method to Install VSCodium
There are several ways to install VSCodium on your Linux machines, such as installing from the repository, Flatpak, Snap, or you can directly download the binary package from the release section of VSCodium.
In this article you will find:
- Install VSCodium on AlmaLinux/Fedora/RHEL from the Official repository
- Install VSCodium using a binary file
You can also install VSCodium from the Microsoft VS Code repo, but when you have the binary package, then why make an unnecessary effort to build Codium from the source?
If you still want to build VSCodium from the source, then you should follow their instructions.
Official repository way to install VSCodium on AlmaLinux/Fedora/RHEL and OpenSUSE/SUSE
I do prefer the official repository method to install VSCodium on my AlmaLinux, if you too then follow this, or else you can skip this instruction and follow Install VSCodium using a binary file
To install VSCodium on AlmaLinux/Fedora/RHEL 8, pass the following commands in sequence: First import GPG key, after that, create a new repository in /etc/yum.repos.d/vscodium.repo, and once it is done, run the final command to install VSCodium.
- AlmaLinux/Fedora/RHEL
Import GPG Key
$ sudo rpmkeys --import https://gitlab.com/paulcarroty/vscodium-deb-rpm-repo/-/raw/master/pub.gpg
Create new repository
printf "[gitlab.com_paulcarroty_vscodium_repo]\nname=download.vscodium.com\nbaseurl=https://download.vscodium.com/rpms/\nenabled=1\ngpgcheck=1\nrepo_gpgcheck=1\ngpgkey=https://gitlab.com/paulcarroty/vscodium-deb-rpm-repo/-/raw/master/pub.gpg\nmetadata_expire=1h" | sudo tee -a /etc/yum.repos.d/vscodium.repo
Install VSCodium
$ sudo dnf install codium
- OpenSUSE/SUSE
On an OpenSUSE/SUSE machine, you need to follow the same steps that you have performed above for Fedora/AlamaLinux/CentOS.
Import GPG key -> Add the repository -> Run the final command to install VSCodium to your OpenSUSE/SUSE machine.
Import GPG Key
$ sudo rpmkeys --import https://gitlab.com/paulcarroty/vscodium-deb-rpm-repo/-/raw/master/pub.gpg
Create new repository
printf "[gitlab.com_paulcarroty_vscodium_repo]\nname=gitlab.com_paulcarroty_vscodium_repo\nbaseurl=https://download.vscodium.com/rpms/\nenabled=1\ngpgcheck=1\nrepo_gpgcheck=1\ngpgkey=https://gitlab.com/paulcarroty/vscodium-deb-rpm-repo/-/raw/master/pub.gpg\nmetadata_expire=1h" | sudo tee -a /etc/zypp/repos.d/vscodium.repo
Before running this command make sure you have followed the above steps.
$ sudo zypper in codium
Install VSCodium using a binary file
If you want to install VSCodium from a binary file, then you need to download an .rpm based package from the Github release section of these projects. At the time of writing this article, the current version of VSCodium is 1.67.2.
Once you are redirected to the Github release section, you need to download the rpm file as per your system architecture. If your device has amd64, then you need to download x86_64.rpm, and once the file is downloaded, open your terminal screen and run the following command on it:
- AlmaLinux/Fedora/RHEL
$ sudo dnf install local codium-1.67.2-1652920431.el7.x86_64.rpm
- OpenSUSE/SUSE
$ sudo zypper in codium-1.67.2-1652920431.el7.x86_64.rpm

Wrap up
That’s all to download and install VSCoduim in AlmaLinux, RockyLinux, CentOS, OpenSUSE/SUSE, or any other RHEL-based distributions.

A man with a tech effusive who has explored some of the amazing technology stuff and is exploring more. While moving towards, I had a chance to work on Android development, Linux, AWS, and DevOps with several open-source tools.