Ubuntu is a freeoperating system that uses the Linux kernel. It is named after the word "ubuntu", which is a Zulu word meaning "humanity to others". It is pronounced "oo-boon-too".
Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions. It is based on the DebianLinux computer operating system. Ubuntu can be used on all types of personal computers (and even devices such as robots) including in Windows 10. Ubuntu is downloaded as a DVD's ISO image, which is free to download from the Ubuntu website. It can be installed or tested by running the DVD.
A new release of Ubuntu is released every six months. The long-term support releases are one type of these, and they are released every two years. Due to their longer periods of update support, most users prefer to install those releases. The latest long-term support release is Ubuntu 26.04 ("Resolute Raccoon"), which is supported until 2031.
Free software here includes only software that meets the Ubuntu licensing requirements, which almost are the same as the Debian Free Software Guidelines. There is one difference for the Main category, however– it has firmware and fonts which cannot be changed, but are included if Ubuntu will not work right.
Non-free software is usually unsupported (Multiverse), but some exceptions (Restricted) are given for very important non-free software. Supported non-free software include device drivers that are needed to run Ubuntu on current hardware. The level of support in the Restricted category is less than that of Main, since the developers may not be able to get to the source code. It is wanted that Main and Restricted should contain all the software needed for a general-use Linux system.
Besides the official repositories is Ubuntu Backports, which is an officially known project to backport newer software from later releases of Ubuntu. The repository is not comprehensive (meaning that it has parts missing from it); it is mostly made up of user-requested packages, which are accepted if they meet quality guidelines.
Ubuntu not only uses traditional Debian packages (DEB), and Personal Package Archives (PPAs), but also Snap packages. Since 2016, Ubuntu has support Snaps. Snaps are similar to Flatpaks. It is a package format developed by Canonical that bundle applications together with their dependencies and run in isolated environments known as sandboxes. Canonical states that this approach simplifies software distribution, improves security, and allows developers to provide the same experience across multiple Linux distributions. Several applications in Ubuntu, including some installed by default, are distributed as Snap packages. However, Snaps have faced some criticism.
Releases
Two new releases of Ubuntu are released each year, normally in April and October.
The number of the Ubuntu release is 'X.YY', with 'X' being the year of release (minus 2000) and 'Y' being the month of release. For example, Ubuntu 4.10 was released in October (the tenth month of the year), 2004. The name of the release (for example, Breezy Badger) is an adjective (a describing word) followed by the name of an animal.
Version
Release date
Name
More information
4.10
20 October 2004
Warty Warthog
First release
5.04
8 April 2005
Hoary Hedgehog
First "Kubuntu" created
5.10
13 October 2005
Breezy Badger
First "Edubuntu"
6.06
1 June 2006
Dapper Drake
LTS-release, First "Xubuntu" created
6.06.1
August 2006
Dapper Drake Point One
LTS-release, 1st update
6.06.2
January 2008
Dapper Drake Point Two
LTS-release, 2nd update
6.10
26 October 2006
Edgy Eft
experimental version
7.04
19 April 2007
Feisty Fawn
7.10
18 October 2007
Gutsy Gibbon
First "Gobuntu" created
8.04
24 April 2008
Hardy Heron
LTS-release
8.04.1
June 2008
Hardy Heron Point One
LTS-release, 1st update
8.10
27 October 2008
Intrepid Ibex
9.04
23 April 2009
Jaunty Jackalope
9.10
29 October 2009
Karmic Koala
10.04
29 April 2010
Lucid Lynx
LTS-release, first "Lubuntu" created
10.10
10 October 2010
Maverick Meerkat
11.04
28 April 2011
Natty Narwhal
11.10
13 October 2011
Oneiric Ocelot
12.04
26 April 2012
Precise Pangolin
LTS-release
12.10
18 October 2012
Quantal Quetzel
13.04
25 April 2013
Raring Ringtail
13.10
17 October 2013
Saucy Salamander
Server release
14.04
17 April 2014
Trusty Tahr
LTS-release
14.10
20 October 2014
Utopic Unicorn
15.04
23 April 2015
Vivid Vervet
15.10
22 October 2015
Wily Werewolf
16.04
21 April 2016
Xenial Xerus
LTS-release
16.10
13 October 2016
Yakkety Yak
17.04
13 April 2017
Zesty Zapus
17.10
19 October 2017
Artful Aardvark
18.04
26 April 2018
Bionic Beaver
LTS-release
18.10
18 October 2018
Cosmic Cuttlefish
19.04
18 April 2019
Disco Dingo
19.10
17 October 2019
Eoan Ermine
20.04
23 April 2020
Focal Fossa
LTS-release
20.10
22 October 2020
Groovy Gorilla
21.04
22 April 2021
Hirsute Hippo
21.10
14 October 2021
Impish Indri
22.04
21 April 2022
Jammy Jellyfish
LTS-release
22.10
20 October 2022
Kinetic Kudu
23.04
20 April 2023
Lunar Lobster
23.10
12 October 2023
Mantic Minotaur
24.04
25 April 2024
Noble Numbat
LTS-release
24.10
10 October 2024
Oracular Oriole
25.04
17 April 2025
Plucky Puffin
25.10
9 October 2025
Questing Quokka
26.04
23 April 2026
Resolute Raccoon
LTS-release
26.10
15 October 2026
Stonking Stingray
LTS indicates Long Term Support.
Very old processors (i.e., 32-bit Intel i386) have been supported up to Ubuntu 18.04, but users "will not be allowed to upgrade to Ubuntu 18.10 as dropping support for that architecture is being evaluated".
Variants
Kubuntu is an official variant of the Ubuntu distribution which uses KDE rather than GNOME.
Ubuntu is available in many variants because there are several options for which desktop environment to use, and they can offer different user experiences.
The official sister distributions which are fully supported by Canonical are:
Ubuntu Kylin, an official derivative aimed at the Chinese market
Ubuntu Cinnamon, a desktop using the Cinnamon desktop environment
Ubuntu Unity, a desktop using the Unity desktop environment
Criticism
Amazon search integration
In Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal", search results from the desktop launcher could include product suggestions from Amazon. When users searched for files or applications on their computers, some search terms were sent to Canonical's servers to retrieve online results.
The feature attracted criticism from privacy advoates and some Ubuntu users, who argued that desktop searches should not send information over the internet by default. Richard Stallman, founder of GNU (a collection of free software that is used a lot in Linux and Ubuntu) said that the Amazon integration is "spyware".
Canonical stated that the feature was intended to provide useful shopping results and could be disabled. More specifically, Mark Shuttleworth, the founder of Canonical, pushed back, saying that the data being sent is anonymous and does not contain identifiable information.
The company later removed the Amazon integration from Ubuntu.
Snap packages
Some users and developers have criticized Snap packages for slower startup times, large storage requirements (because it bundles dependencies with every application), and integration issues compared with traditional package formats. Others have also expressed concern about Canonical's central control of the Snap Store. Because there is only one Snap Store, arguing that it reduces the level of decentralization (there are many software repositories for Debian, for example) traditionally associated with Linux software distribution.
Moreover, if you tried to install some software using APT (e.g. chromium-browser), it would instead install the Snap version instead instead of the expected traditional DEB package.
Advertisements in the terminal
In the early 2020s, Ubuntu displayed promotional messages in the command-line terminal for some users. These messages often promoted Ubuntu Pro, Canonical's subscription service that provides additional security updates and support.
Some users viewed the messages as advertisements appearing in a tool that is commonly used for system administration and development. Critics argued that such notices were intrusive, while Canonical described them as informational messages about available services.
