Table of Contents
Overview
Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions, especially for beginners. It’s based on Debian and is developed by Canonical Ltd. Ubuntu focuses on:
- Ease of installation and use
- Good hardware support
- Regular, predictable releases
- Strong desktop experience
- Large community and extensive documentation
Ubuntu is often the “default recommendation” for new Linux users because it works well on a wide range of hardware and has a smooth onboarding experience.
Ubuntu Flavors and Editions
Ubuntu comes in several official “flavors,” which are Ubuntu variants using different desktop environments and default software. All share the same underlying base and repositories.
Common desktop flavors:
- Ubuntu (default)
- Desktop: GNOME
- Target: General users, good balance of simplicity and modern features
- Kubuntu
- Desktop: KDE Plasma
- Target: Users who want a highly customizable, Windows-like interface
- Xubuntu
- Desktop: Xfce
- Target: Older or low-spec hardware; lightweight and fast
- Lubuntu
- Desktop: LXQt
- Target: Very low-resource systems; extremely lightweight
- Ubuntu MATE
- Desktop: MATE
- Target: Users preferring a classic, traditional desktop layout
- Ubuntu Budgie
- Desktop: Budgie
- Target: Users who want a clean, modern, minimalistic look
- Ubuntu Studio
- Desktop: KDE Plasma (recent versions)
- Target: Audio/video/graphics creators; comes with creative tools pre-installed
Server and other editions:
- Ubuntu Desktop
- Includes graphical desktop, office apps, media tools.
- Ubuntu Server
- No graphical interface by default; geared for servers and headless setups.
- Ubuntu Core
- Minimal, container-like system based on snaps, used for IoT and embedded devices.
For a first desktop install, most beginners pick the standard Ubuntu Desktop or another flavor depending on preferred desktop environment and hardware resources.
Release Types: Regular vs LTS
Ubuntu has two main release types:
- Regular releases
- Released every 6 months (e.g., 24.04, 24.10, 25.04 …)
- Supported for 9 months
- Include newer software, faster-changing features
- LTS (Long Term Support) releases
- Released every 2 years (e.g., 22.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS)
- Desktop support: typically 5 years
- Server and paid options can have extended support beyond that
- Focus on stability and long-term maintenance
For most beginners and production systems, LTS releases are recommended:
- Fewer disruptive changes
- Longer security support window
- Easier to maintain over several years
Regular releases are mainly for users who want the latest software and are comfortable upgrading more often.
Package Management in Ubuntu
Ubuntu uses Debian-style packaging, with .deb packages and APT-based tools. The details of package managers are covered in their own chapter; here’s what is specific to Ubuntu:
- APT family of tools (command line)
apt,apt-get,apt-cache, etc., used for installing and updating software.- Software channels
- Official repositories from Ubuntu (main, universe, restricted, multiverse).
- PPAs (Personal Package Archives) hosted on Launchpad; allow third parties to provide packages specifically for Ubuntu.
- Graphical tools
- “Ubuntu Software” center (or equivalent in flavors) for browsing and installing software via a graphical interface.
Ubuntu also integrates with newer packaging formats:
- Snap packages
- Self-contained packages maintained by Canonical and third parties.
- Same version of an app across different distributions.
- Common for apps like browsers, IDEs, and proprietary software.
Although other distros may support snaps, Ubuntu is where snap is most tightly integrated by default.
Desktop Experience and Defaults
Ubuntu’s default desktop focuses on being approachable:
- GNOME-based interface
- Application launcher on the left side (dock)
- Top bar with system menu, clock, and status indicators
- Default applications
- Web browser (e.g., Firefox)
- Office suite (LibreOffice)
- Email client, file manager, media player, simple utilities
- Welcome and onboarding
- First-run screens to set up language, online accounts, optional data sharing, etc.
Compared to other distributions, Ubuntu often:
- Provides polished theming and icons out of the box
- Includes common drivers and codecs (or makes them easy to add) during/after installation
- Integrates cloud accounts (e.g., Ubuntu One, online services) more directly
Hardware Support and Drivers
Ubuntu is known for relatively strong hardware support:
- Broad hardware compatibility
- Works well on most laptops and desktops, including many pre-installed “Ubuntu certified” systems.
- Proprietary drivers
- Simple interface (“Additional Drivers” tool) to enable drivers for:
- NVIDIA graphics
- Some Wi-Fi chipsets
- Other hardware needing closed-source drivers
- Secure Boot compatibility
- Official Ubuntu installers typically work with Secure Boot enabled, making dual-boot with modern Windows systems easier.
Some manufacturers provide official Ubuntu images or support pages, making Ubuntu a safer choice if you want something that “just works” on consumer hardware.
Ubuntu in Different Use Cases
Ubuntu is widely used in multiple contexts:
- Desktops and laptops
- Everyday computing, development, browsing, media, and basic office work.
- Good choice for learning Linux and the command line.
- Servers
- Popular in cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP offer Ubuntu images).
- Strong ecosystem around server tools, automation, and DevOps workflows.
- Containers and cloud-native
- Frequently used as a base image for Docker and other container platforms.
- Education and training
- Used in many tutorials, online courses, and documentation, so help and examples often assume Ubuntu or at least Debian-like systems.
If you follow Linux learning materials, you’ll often find Ubuntu-specific instructions, which can make your learning path smoother if you use Ubuntu yourself.
Community, Support, and Documentation
Ubuntu has a very large user base and community:
- Official documentation
- Ubuntu’s own help pages and manuals.
- Community support
- Ubuntu Forums
- Ask Ubuntu (Q&A site)
- Numerous blogs and how-to articles.
- Commercial support (optional)
- Canonical offers paid support and services, mostly oriented toward businesses and servers.
For a beginner, the size of the community means:
- It’s easier to find step-by-step guides that match your system.
- Common problems are often already solved in forum posts or Q&A sites.
Pros and Cons of Choosing Ubuntu
Specific advantages:
- Beginner-friendly installation and setup.
- Strong community and documentation.
- Long-term support releases for stability.
- Good hardware and driver support.
- Widely used in cloud and development environments.
Potential drawbacks:
- Heavier than very minimal distributions on old hardware (though flavors like Xubuntu and Lubuntu help with this).
- Uses Canonical-specific technologies like snaps by default, which not everyone prefers.
- Less “bare-bones” than some distributions, so not ideal if you want to build everything from scratch.
When Ubuntu Is a Good Choice
Ubuntu is a strong candidate if:
- You are new to Linux and want a smooth first experience.
- You want a system that “just works” for everyday tasks.
- You plan to work with cloud services or DevOps tools.
- You want LTS stability and relatively infrequent major changes.
- You prefer having lots of tutorials and help resources specific to your distribution.
If you have very old hardware, want a very minimal base, or prefer a rolling-release model, other distributions in this course’s outline may be a better fit—but for many beginners, Ubuntu is an excellent starting point.