Ubuntu

linux-distribution os

Ubuntu is a free and open-source Linux distribution based on Debian. Ubuntu is officially released in three editions: Desktop, Server, and Core (for IoT devices and robots).

Release Schedule Image Gantt Chart for Ubuntu
Release Released Hardware & Maintenance Maintenance & Security Support Extended Security Maintenance Latest
23.10 'Mantic Minotaur' 6 months ago
(12 Oct 2023)
 Ends in 2 months and 1 week
(01 Jul 2024)
 Ends in 2 months and 1 week
(01 Jul 2024)
 Unavailable 23.10
(12 Oct 2023)
23.04 'Lunar Lobster' 12 months ago
(20 Apr 2023)
 Ended 3 months ago
(20 Jan 2024)
 Ended 3 months ago
(20 Jan 2024)
 Unavailable 23.04
(20 Apr 2023)
22.10 'Kinetic Kudu' 1 year and 6 months ago
(20 Oct 2022)
 Ended 9 months ago
(20 Jul 2023)
 Ended 9 months ago
(20 Jul 2023)
 Unavailable 22.10
(20 Oct 2022)
22.04 'Jammy Jellyfish' (LTS) 1 year and 12 months ago
(21 Apr 2022)
 Ends in 5 months
(30 Sep 2024)
 Ends in 2 years and 11 months
(01 Apr 2027)
 Ends in 7 years and 11 months
(09 Apr 2032)
 22.04.4
(22 Feb 2024)
21.10 'Impish Indri' 2 years and 6 months ago
(14 Oct 2021)
 Ended 1 year and 9 months ago
(14 Jul 2022)
 Ended 1 year and 9 months ago
(14 Jul 2022)
 Unavailable 21.10
(14 Oct 2021)
21.04 'Hirsute Hippo' 2 years and 12 months ago
(22 Apr 2021)
 Ended 2 years and 3 months ago
(20 Jan 2022)
 Ended 2 years and 3 months ago
(20 Jan 2022)
 Unavailable 21.04
(22 Apr 2021)
20.10 'Groovy Gorilla' 3 years and 6 months ago
(22 Oct 2020)
 Ended 2 years and 9 months ago
(22 Jul 2021)
 Ended 2 years and 9 months ago
(22 Jul 2021)
 Unavailable 20.10
(22 Oct 2020)
20.04 'Focal Fossa' (LTS) 3 years and 12 months ago
(23 Apr 2020)
 Ended 1 year and 6 months ago
(01 Oct 2022)
 Ends in 11 months
(02 Apr 2025)
 Ends in 5 years and 11 months
(02 Apr 2030)
 20.04.6
(23 Mar 2023)
19.10 'Eoan Ermine' 4 years and 6 months ago
(17 Oct 2019)
 Ended 3 years and 9 months ago
(06 Jul 2020)
 Ended 3 years and 9 months ago
(06 Jul 2020)
 Unavailable 19.10
(17 Oct 2019)
19.04 'Disco Dingo' 5 years ago
(18 Apr 2019)
 Ended 4 years ago
(23 Jan 2020)
 Ended 4 years ago
(23 Jan 2020)
 Unavailable 19.04
(18 Apr 2019)
18.10 'Cosmic Cuttlefish' 5 years ago
(18 Oct 2018)
 Ended 4 years and 9 months ago
(18 Jul 2019)
 Ended 4 years and 9 months ago
(18 Jul 2019)
 Unavailable 18.10
(18 Oct 2018)
18.04 'Bionic Beaver' (LTS) 5 years and 12 months ago
(26 Apr 2018)
 Ended 10 months ago
(31 May 2023)
 Ended 10 months ago
(31 May 2023)
 Ends in 3 years and 11 months
(01 Apr 2028)
 18.04.6
(17 Sep 2021)
17.10 'Artful Aardvark' 6 years ago
(19 Oct 2017)
 Ended 5 years and 9 months ago
(19 Jul 2018)
 Ended 5 years and 9 months ago
(19 Jul 2018)
 Unavailable 17.10
(19 Oct 2017)
17.04 'Zesty Zapus' 7 years ago
(13 Apr 2017)
 Ended 6 years ago
(13 Jan 2018)
 Ended 6 years ago
(13 Jan 2018)
 Unavailable 17.04
(13 Apr 2017)
16.04 'Xenial Xerus' (LTS) 8 years ago
(21 Apr 2016)
 Ended 3 years ago
(02 Apr 2021)
 Ended 3 years ago
(02 Apr 2021)
 Ends in 1 year and 11 months
(02 Apr 2026)
 16.04.7
(13 Aug 2020)
15.10 'Wily Werewolf' 8 years ago
(22 Oct 2015)
 Ended 7 years ago
(28 Jul 2016)
 Ended 7 years ago
(28 Jul 2016)
 Unavailable 15.10
(22 Oct 2015)
15.04 'Vivid Vervet' 8 years and 12 months ago
(23 Apr 2015)
 Ended 8 years ago
(04 Feb 2016)
 Ended 8 years ago
(04 Feb 2016)
 Unavailable 15.04
(23 Apr 2015)
14.10 'Utopic Unicorn' 9 years ago
(23 Oct 2014)
 Ended 8 years ago
(23 Jul 2015)
 Ended 8 years ago
(23 Jul 2015)
 Unavailable 14.10
(23 Oct 2014)
14.04 'Trusty Tahr' (LTS) 10 years ago
(17 Apr 2014)
 Ended 5 years ago
(02 Apr 2019)
 Ended 5 years ago
(02 Apr 2019)
 Ended 2 weeks and 3 days ago
(02 Apr 2024)
 14.04.6
(07 Mar 2019)
12.04 'Precise Pangolin' (LTS) 11 years ago
(26 Apr 2012)
 Ended 6 years and 11 months ago
(28 Apr 2017)
 Ended 6 years and 11 months ago
(28 Apr 2017)
 Ended 4 years and 12 months ago
(26 Apr 2019)
 12.04.5
(08 Aug 2014)
11.10 'Oneiric Ocelot' 12 years ago
(13 Oct 2011)
 Ended 10 years ago
(09 May 2013)
 Ended 10 years ago
(09 May 2013)
 Unavailable 11.10
(13 Oct 2011)
11.04 'Natty Narwhal' 12 years ago
(28 Apr 2011)
 Ended 11 years ago
(28 Oct 2012)
 Ended 11 years ago
(28 Oct 2012)
 Unavailable 11.04
(28 Apr 2011)
10.10 'Maverick Meerkat' 13 years ago
(10 Oct 2010)
 Ended 12 years ago
(10 Apr 2012)
 Ended 12 years ago
(10 Apr 2012)
 Unavailable 10.10
(10 Oct 2010)
10.04 'Lucid Lynx' (LTS) 13 years ago
(29 Apr 2010)
 Ended 10 years ago
(09 May 2013)
 Ended 10 years ago
(09 May 2013)
 Unavailable 10.04.4
(16 Feb 2012)
9.10 'Karmic Koala' 14 years ago
(29 Oct 2009)
 Ended 12 years ago
(30 Apr 2011)
 Ended 12 years ago
(30 Apr 2011)
 Unavailable 9.10
(29 Oct 2009)
9.04 'Jaunty Jackalope' 15 years ago
(23 Apr 2009)
 Ended 13 years ago
(23 Oct 2010)
 Ended 13 years ago
(23 Oct 2010)
 Unavailable 9.04
(23 Apr 2009)
8.04 'Hardy Heron' (LTS) 15 years ago
(24 Apr 2008)
 Ended 10 years ago
(09 May 2013)
 Ended 10 years ago
(09 May 2013)
 Unavailable 8.04.4
(29 Jan 2010)
7.10 'Gutsy Gibbon' 16 years ago
(18 Oct 2007)
 Ended 15 years ago
(18 Apr 2009)
 Ended 15 years ago
(18 Apr 2009)
 Unavailable 7.10
(18 Oct 2007)
7.04 'Feisty Fawn' 17 years ago
(19 Apr 2007)
 Ended 15 years ago
(19 Oct 2008)
 Ended 15 years ago
(19 Oct 2008)
 Unavailable 7.04
(19 Apr 2007)
6.10 'Edgy Eft' 17 years ago
(26 Oct 2006)
 Ended 17 years ago
(26 Oct 2006)
 Ended 15 years ago
(26 Apr 2008)
 Unavailable 6.10
(26 Oct 2006)
6.06 'Dapper Drake' (LTS) 17 years ago
(10 Aug 2006)
 Ended 12 years ago
(01 Jun 2011)
 Ended 12 years ago
(01 Jun 2011)
 Unavailable 6.06.2
(22 Jan 2008)
5.10 'Breezy Badger' 18 years ago
(13 Oct 2005)
 Ended 17 years ago
(13 Apr 2007)
 Ended 17 years ago
(13 Apr 2007)
 Unavailable 5.10
(13 Oct 2005)
5.04 'Hoary Hedgehog' 19 years ago
(08 Apr 2005)
 Ended 17 years ago
(31 Oct 2006)
 Ended 17 years ago
(31 Oct 2006)
 Unavailable 5.04
(08 Apr 2005)
4.10 'Warty Warthog' 19 years ago
(20 Oct 2004)
 Ended 19 years ago
(26 Oct 2004)
 Ended 17 years ago
(30 Apr 2006)
 Unavailable 4.10
(20 Oct 2004)

Release Cadence

Releases of Ubuntu get a development codename (“Breezy Badger”) and are versioned by the year and month of delivery - for example Ubuntu 17.10 was released in October 2017. LTS or “Long Term Support” releases are published every two years in April. Every six months between LTS versions, Canonical publishes an interim release of Ubuntu. See this link for more details on the Ubuntu Release Cycle.

Support Lifecycle

LTS releases are in “General Support” for 5 years and “Extended Security Maintenance” (see below) for an additional 5 years. Ubuntu breaks General Support into “Hardware and Maintenance updates” (2 years) followed by “Maintenance Updates” for another 3 years1. Interim releases (non-LTS) are supported for 9 months. Packages in main and restricted are supported for 5 years in long term support (LTS) releases. Ubuntu Flavors generally support their packages for 3 years in LTS releases but there are exceptions.

During the lifetime of an Ubuntu release, Canonical provides security maintenance. Basic Security Maintenance covers binary packages that reside in the main and restricted components of the Ubuntu archive, typically for a period of 5 years from LTS release.

Packages in universe are expected to be community-supported on a best-effort basis during the LTS phase, but in practice, security-updates are only released to pro subscriptions.

Extended Security Maintenance (ESM) provides security updates on Ubuntu LTS releases for additional 5 years. It is available with the Ubuntu Pro subscription or a Free subscription for personal use2.

Ubuntu Pro offers security fixes for critical, high, and selected medium CVEs in the main and universe repositories. Ubuntu Pro (Infra-only)3 only guarantees security fixes for packages in the main repository.

Canonical also offers Ubuntu Legacy Support, to extend the support of Ubuntu LTS releases from 14.04 by another 2 years beyond Extended Security Maintenance (ESM). This offer is only available for Ubuntu Pro paying customers.

Support Comparison

Feature/Plan Ubuntu LTS Ubuntu Pro (Infra-Only) 3 Ubuntu Pro Legacy Support
Main repository 5 years 10 years 10 years 12 years
Restricted repository 5 years 10 years4 10 years 4 12 years5
Universe repository Best Effort6 Best Effort 10 years 12 years5
Phone/Ticket Support No Yes Yes Yes
Kernel Live Patching No Yes Yes Yes
Security Certifications and Hardening7 No Yes Yes Yes
Ubuntu Landscape No Yes Yes No8

For package specific support details, the following commands are available:

  • ubuntu-security-status command (ubuntu-support-status on versions before 20.04) for non-ESM.
  • pro security-status for ESM.

  1. The difference between these two is unclear, and not explained. ↩

  2. Anyone can use Ubuntu Pro for free on up to 5 machines, or 50 if you are an official Ubuntu Community member. ↩

  3. Previously known as Ubuntu Advantage. ↩ ↩2

  4. The restricted repository isn’t explicitly listed in the Ubuntu Pro list of supported repositories, but it is likely supported. ↩ ↩2

  5. The announcement for Legacy Support does not clarify which repositories are supported, so this is an estimate. ↩ ↩2

  6. While promised, Canonical doesn’t seem to be backporting any security-fixes in the universe repository to users without a Pro subscription. ↩

  7. This includes NIST-certified FIPS crypto-modules, USG hardening with CIS and DISA-STIG profiles, and Common Criteria EAL2. ↩

  8. Ubuntu Landscape can manage all versions of Ubuntu above 16.04, and Legacy Support is limited to 14.04 for now. ↩

More information is available on the Ubuntu website.

You should be running one of the supported release numbers listed above in the rightmost column.

You can check the version that you are currently using by running: 
lsb_release --release

You can submit an improvement to this page on GitHub :octocat: . This page has a corresponding Talk Page.

A JSON version of this page is available at /api/ubuntu.json. See the API Documentation for more information. You can subscribe to the iCalendar feed at /calendar/ubuntu.ics.