Ubuntu: The Most Popular Linux Distribution

Ubuntu is the most widely used Linux distribution in the world. If you ever Google a Linux problem, the answer probably assumes Ubuntu. It is the default on most cloud providers (AWS, GCP, DigitalOcean), the recommended starter distro on basically every “learn Linux” guide, and the easiest way to get a working desktop Linux on day one.

Quick facts

• Maintained by: Canonical (a UK company)
• Based on: Debian
• Package manager: apt (and snap)
• Release cycle: New version every 6 months; LTS (Long Term Support) every 2 years
• LTS support: 5 years free, 10 years with Ubuntu Pro (free for personal use)

LTS vs interim release

Pick LTS unless you have a specific reason. LTS releases (24.04, 22.04, 20.04, etc.) are the stable ones with multi-year support. Interim releases (24.10, 25.04) are 6-month builds for testing newer features.

Daily commands you’ll use

# Update package lists and upgrade everything
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

# Install software
sudo apt install nginx git tmux

# Search for a package
apt search "image viewer"

# Remove a package
sudo apt remove nginx

# See what's installed
apt list --installed | less

# Snap (newer, sandboxed packages)
sudo snap install code --classic
snap list

Server vs Desktop

• Ubuntu Server — no GUI, minimal install, made for headless machines and cloud VMs.
• Ubuntu Desktop — full GNOME desktop, comes with Firefox and LibreOffice, plug it into a monitor and use it like Windows.

Why people pick Ubuntu

• Hardware “just works” on most laptops, including Wi-Fi and graphics drivers.
• The largest community — almost every problem you’ll hit has been solved on AskUbuntu.
• Compatible with Debian packages, so most software is available.
• Cloud-ready: Ubuntu images are first-class on AWS, GCP, Azure, DigitalOcean.

Why people leave Ubuntu

• Snap packages are slower to launch and use more disk than apt packages.
• Some default choices (snap Firefox, certain telemetry) annoy power users.
• Releases come with newer software than Debian but older than Fedora or Arch.

What to learn next

If you’ve installed Ubuntu, your next step is the file system layout (where things live) and basic commands. Both are early stops on this roadmap.