Ubuntu Server Guide

Ubuntu is a Linux distribution based on Debian and composed mostly of free and open-source software.

Ubuntu is officially released in three editions: Desktop, Server, and Core for Internet of things devices and robots. All of the editions can run on the computer alone, or in a virtual machine. Ubuntu is a popular operating system for cloud computing, with support for OpenStack. Ubuntu’s default desktop changed back from the in-house Unity to GNOME after nearly 6.5 years in 2017 upon the release of version 17.10.

Ubuntu is released every six months, with long-term support (LTS) releases every two years. As of October 2022, the most recent release is 22.10 (“Kinetic Kudu”), and the current long-term support release is 22.04 (“Jammy Jellyfish”).

Ubuntu is developed by the British company Canonical, and a community of other developers, under a meritocratic governance model. Canonical provides security updates and support for each Ubuntu release, starting from the release date and until the release reaches its designated end-of-life (EOL) date. Canonical generates revenue through the sale of premium services related to Ubuntu and donations from those who download the Ubuntu software.

Ubuntu is named after the Nguni philosophy of ubuntu, which Canonical indicates means “humanity to others” with a connotation of “I am what I am because of who we all are”.