Ubuntu

Overview

Ubuntu is a free, open source operating system based on the Debian Linux distribution, designed to provide a user-friendly, powerful computing environment for desktops, servers, cloud and embedded devices. It is developed and maintained by Canonical, following the open source philosophy, allowing users to freely use, modify and distribute code. Ubuntu is named after its philosophy of "Humanity to Others" and is committed to providing accessible and reliable operating systems to users around the world.

• License: Mainly based on the GNU General Public License (GPL) and other open source licenses, with the exception of some proprietary drivers.

• Latest version (as of May 2025): Ubuntu 24.10 (codenamed Oracular Oriole, released in October 2024), and the long-term support version (LTS) Ubuntu 24.04 (codenamed Noble Numbat, released in April 2024).

• Supported platforms: x86, x86_64, ARM, PowerPC, RISC-V and other architectures, suitable for desktop, server, cloud, IoT and container.

Ubuntu provides multiple versions (called "flavors"), including Ubuntu Desktop, Ubuntu Server, Ubuntu Cloud and Ubuntu Core, to meet different usage scenarios. In addition, Ubuntu also has official derivative versions (such as Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu), using different desktop environments.

History and Development

The history of Ubuntu began in 2004, when it was launched by Canonical, a South African entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth, with the aim of creating an easy-to-use Linux distribution to challenge the Linux ecosystem dominated by technical complexity at the time.

Early stage:

• 2004: Ubuntu 4.10 (codenamed Warty Warthog) was released, introducing a friendly user interface based on the GNOME desktop environment for the first time, using Debian's package management system (APT).
• The goal is to provide ordinary users with an out-of-the-box experience and lower the threshold for using Linux.
• Introduced a cycle of releasing a new version every six months, and a strategy of releasing a long-term support version (LTS, five-year support) every two years.

Key developments:

• 2006-2010: Ubuntu 6.06 LTS (Dapper Drake) established the stability of the LTS version, attracting enterprise and server users. During this period, the Ubuntu community grew rapidly, and derivative versions (such as Kubuntu, Xubuntu) appeared.
• 2011: Ubuntu 11.04 introduced the Unity desktop environment, replacing GNOME 2, which caused controversy but promoted modern interface design.
• 2017: Canonical abandoned Unity, returned to the GNOME desktop environment (Ubuntu 17.10), and terminated the mobile phone and tablet projects (Ubuntu Touch).
• 2020 and beyond: Ubuntu focuses on cloud native technologies (support for Kubernetes, Docker), the server market, and the Internet of Things (Ubuntu Core). Ubuntu 22.04 LTS in 2022 optimizes performance and hardware support.

Recent progress:

• 2024: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) released, strengthening security (AppArmor enabled by default), cloud support, and desktop experience (GNOME 46).
• Ubuntu 24.10: Introducing experimental features such as improved Wayland support and updated packages.
• Canonical continues to invest in the Snap package format (a cross-distribution application distribution mechanism) and enterprise solutions (such as Ubuntu Pro, extended security support).

Community and Ecology:

• Ubuntu has a large global community that provides support through the Launchpad platform and Ubuntu Forums.
• Derivative versions (such as Kubuntu uses KDE, Lubuntu uses LXQt) expand user choices.
• Canonical cooperates with hardware manufacturers (such as Dell, HP) to provide devices pre-installed with Ubuntu.

Main features

Ubuntu is designed with ease of use, stability and security in mind. The following are its core features:

1. User-friendly desktop environment:
   • The default GNOME desktop environment (since 17.10) provides a modern and intuitive interface.
   • Supports Wayland (default display server) and X11 to optimize graphics performance.
   • Provides multiple derivative versions (KDE Plasma for Kubuntu, Xfce for Xubuntu, and LXQt for Lubuntu) to meet different hardware and preferences.
2. Powerful package management:
   • Use Debian's APT (Advanced Package Tool) management system to support thousands of software packages.
   • Provides Snap package format, allowing the latest version of applications (such as Firefox, VS Code) to be installed across distributions.
   • Ubuntu Software Center provides a graphical software installation interface to simplify software management.
3. Regular release and LTS:
   • Release new versions every six months (such as 24.04, 24.10), and provide 9 months of support.
   • Release LTS versions (such as 24.04) every two years, provide 5 years of free support, and Ubuntu Pro can be extended to 10 years.
4. Security:
   • AppArmor (mandatory access control) and firewall (ufw) are enabled by default.
   • Regular security updates, fix vulnerabilities, and ensure system stability.
   • Support encrypted installation (LUKS) and secure boot (Secure Boot).
5. Cross-platform support:
   • Support desktop, server, cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), container (Docker, LXD) and Internet of Things (Ubuntu Core).
   • Compatible with multiple architectures (x86_64, ARM, RISC-V), adapting to hardware from Raspberry Pi to enterprise servers.
6. Cloud and container optimization:
   • Provides Ubuntu Server and Ubuntu Cloud, with built-in support for Kubernetes, OpenStack and LXD.
   • Ubuntu Core is designed for IoT devices and is a minimal system based on Snap.
7. Community and documentation:
   • Provides rich official documentation (https://help.ubuntu.com/) and community support (Ubuntu Forums, Ask Ubuntu).
   • Launchpad platform is used for bug tracking and code contributions.
8. Pre-installed software:
   • The desktop version is pre-installed with productivity tools such as Firefox, LibreOffice, Thunderbird, etc.
   • Supports the installation of proprietary drivers (such as NVIDIA GPU drivers) to facilitate gaming and graphics processing.

Advantages and limitations

Advantages

• Ease of use:
  • Provides an out-of-the-box experience, a simple installation process, and a friendly graphical interface, suitable for Linux novices.
  • Ubuntu Software Center and Snap simplify software installation.
• Stability and support:
  • The LTS version provides 5 years of free support (extended through Ubuntu Pro), suitable for enterprises and long-term deployments.
  • Regular updates and patches ensure system security and stability.
• Wide range of hardware support:
  • Supports a variety of architectures and devices, from low-end Raspberry Pi to high-end servers.
  • Cooperate with Dell, HP and other manufacturers to provide devices pre-installed with Ubuntu.
• Open source and community:
  • Completely open source, transparent code, active community, allowing users to customize and contribute.
  • Rich community resources (forums, Q&A websites) provide support for users.
• Cloud and server advantages:
  • It has strong support in the cloud (AWS, Azure) and container (Kubernetes, Docker) fields and is widely used in enterprise environments.
  • Ubuntu Server provides simplified configuration tools (such as cloud-init).
• Security:
  • Security features enabled by default (such as AppArmor, firewall) protect user data.
  • Quickly respond to vulnerabilities and push security updates regularly.

Limitations

• Snap package controversy:
  • Snap packages (promoted by Canonical) start slowly and take up a lot of space. Some users prefer traditional Deb packages or Flatpak.
  • Some Snap applications (such as Firefox) are forced to be pre-installed, causing controversy in the community.
• Resource usage:
  • The default GNOME desktop environment has high requirements for low-end hardware (4GB RAM is recommended), which is not as lightweight as Xubuntu or Lubuntu.
  • Not suitable for old devices with extremely low performance.
• Canonical's commercialization tendency:
  • Canonical's promotion of proprietary services (such as Ubuntu Pro and Landscape) may displease some open source purists.
  • Some proprietary drivers and firmware require additional configuration.
• Learning curve:
  • Although it is friendly to newcomers, Linux command line operations (such as configuring servers) still have a certain threshold for beginners.
  • Compared with Windows/macOS, some software compatibility needs to be solved through Wine or virtual machines.
• Single desktop environment:
  • The default GNOME may not be suitable for all users, and other desktop environments (such as KDE) need to be installed manually.
  • The abandonment of Unity desktop (2011-2017) disappointed some old users.
• Update frequency:
  • Non-LTS versions are only supported for 9 months, and frequent upgrades may cause inconvenience to ordinary users.

Summary

Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions in the world, and is favored by users for its ease of use, stability, security and wide range of applicable scenarios. From desktop users to enterprise servers, cloud and IoT, Ubuntu provides flexible solutions to meet diverse needs. Its regular release cycle (LTS and non-LTS versions), strong community support and cooperation with hardware manufacturers make it an important position in the personal and enterprise markets. Although issues such as Snap packages and resource consumption have caused some controversy, Ubuntu's open source spirit, rich features and active community make it the first choice for Linux novices and professional users. For beginners, Ubuntu Desktop provides an intuitive graphical interface; for developers, Ubuntu Server and cloud versions support modern development tools; for the Internet of Things, Ubuntu Core provides a lightweight solution.