Ubuntu
Ubuntu is the most widely used desktop Linux distribution in the world, founded by Canonical Ltd. in 2004. Built on Debian's package infrastructure, it aims to deliver an out-of-the-box experience for ordinary users and enterprise servers alike. Ubuntu releases a new version every six months, with a Long-Term Support (LTS) release every two years.
Basic Information
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Based on | Debian unstable / testing |
| Release cycle | Every 6 months (April/October); LTS every 2 years |
| Default desktop | GNOME (main), with official Flavors: KDE, Xfce, MATE, LXQt |
| Target users | Desktop users, developers, enterprise servers |
| Website | https://ubuntu.com |
Key Features
- Massive ecosystem: The APT repositories contain tens of thousands of packages, and the Snap Store adds more, covering virtually every use case imaginable.
- Long-term support: LTS releases receive 5 years of standard updates (extendable to 10 years with Ubuntu Pro), making them widely used in production environments.
- Official Flavors: Kubuntu (KDE), Xubuntu (Xfce), Lubuntu (LXQt), Ubuntu MATE, and more — each offering a different desktop while sharing the same Ubuntu core.
- First-class cloud support: Ubuntu is the most popular Linux image on AWS, Azure, and GCP, and a primary base for official Docker images.
- Rich community resources: Ask Ubuntu, official forums, and extensive third-party documentation make getting help straightforward.
Relationship to Debian
Ubuntu syncs packages from Debian's unstable (Sid) and testing branches, beginning a freeze roughly five months before each release. Canonical applies Ubuntu-specific patches — especially to the kernel and hardware support layers — and maintains separate package repositories. Many Ubuntu improvements are contributed back upstream to Debian. Due to differing release cadences, the version of a given package may differ between Ubuntu and Debian.
Getting Started
# Download the ISO from ubuntu.com, then write it to a USB drive
# Or upgrade an existing Ubuntu system:
# Check your current version
lsb_release -a
# Upgrade to the next LTS release
sudo do-release-upgrade -d
# Update all packages on a running system
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
# Install common development tools
sudo apt install build-essential curl wget git -yYou can download ISO images from https://ubuntu.com/download and write them to a USB drive using Rufus (Windows) or dd (Linux/macOS).
Who Is It For?
- Users migrating from Windows or macOS to Linux for the first time
- Developers who want a stable, well-documented environment
- Enterprise sysadmins who need long-term support and commercial backing
- Anyone who wants to get started with Linux quickly and painlessly
Related Links
- Website: https://ubuntu.com
- Download: https://ubuntu.com/download
- Documentation: https://help.ubuntu.com
- Ask Ubuntu: https://askubuntu.com
- Community forums: https://ubuntuforums.org
Next Steps
Return to the Debian Derivatives overview to explore other Debian-based distributions.