What is Ubuntu? The World’s Most Popular Linux Distro Explained

For millions of people, Ubuntu is Linux. It is arguably the most famous, most widely used, and most influential desktop Linux distribution on the planet. For nearly two decades, its core mission, “Linux for Human Beings,” has been the primary gateway for users leaving Windows and macOS.

It is developed by a commercial company, CANONICAL, which also makes Ubuntu the backbone of the professional server and cloud-computing world.

But Ubuntu is also a “temeljna” (foundation) distro. It takes the “raw” power of the WHAT IS DEBIAN? project and transforms it into a polished, accessible product. This product is, in turn, so successful that it serves as the foundation for other giants, including WHAT IS LINUX MINT? and WHAT IS ZORIN OS?.

As of late 2025, Ubuntu is in a pivotal moment, balancing its stable, long-term releases with a controversial push into new technologies like Snaps.

The Most Important Choice: LTS vs. Interim Release

This is the first and most critical concept every new Ubuntu user must understand. Ubuntu offers two distinct “tires” for its operating system.

1. Long-Term Support (LTS) — The Stable Choice

• Current Version: Ubuntu 24.04 “Noble Numbat” (izdan aprila 2024).
• What it is: A new LTS is released every two years. This version is the “flagship” stable release. It is designed for businesses, servers, and the vast majority of regular users who value reliability over new features.
• Support: It receives 5 years of free security updates (until 2029).
• The Trade-off: Its software (like the GNOME 46 desktop) is “frozen” in time. You will not get the flashy new features, but you are guaranteed that an update will not break your workflow. This is what Linux Mint and Zorin OS use for their base.

2. Interim Release — The “Latest Features” Choice

• Current Version: Ubuntu 25.10 “Questing Quokka” (izdan oktobra 2025).
• What it is: A new “interim” (temporary) release comes out every six months, in between LTS releases. This version is for enthusiasts, developers, and users who want the absolute newest software.
• Support: It receives only 9 months of support. This is not a “fire and forget” system. You are expected to upgrade to the next release (26.04) when it comes out.
• The Features: This is where you find the latest tech. Ubuntu 25.10 includes the brand new GNOME 49 desktop, the latest Linux Kernel 6.17, and the final move to Wayland-by-default (the X11 session is no longer even pre-installed).

Rule of thumb: If you have to ask, you want the LTS version (24.04).

The Defining Feature (and Controversy): Snaps

This is the core of Canonical’s modern strategy and the most divisive topic in the Linux community.

What are Snaps?

Snaps are a universal, containerized software package format. Think of them as a “box” that contains an application and all of its dependencies. This allows a developer (like Spotify or Microsoft) to create one single “Snap” package that will run on Fedora, Manjaro, or Ubuntu without any modification.

Canonical’s “All-In” Strategy

Ubuntu is pushing Snaps as the future of software distribution.

1. The App Center: The new graphical “App Center” (which replaced the old “Ubuntu Software” store) is built from the ground up to prioritize and feature Snaps.
2. The Firefox Snap: The most famous example. If you run sudo apt install firefox on Ubuntu, the system installs the Snap version of Firefox. This is a sore point for many users.
3. The Good: Snaps are secure (sandboxed), easy for developers, and always up-to-date.
4. The Bad (The Controversy): Users report that Snap apps (especially Firefox) can have slower startup times, don’t always integrate with system themes, and are controlled by a single, centralized “store” owned by Canonical.

This “Snap-first” policy is the #1 reason that distributions like Linux Mint and Pop!_OS (which are based on Ubuntu) actively remove Snaps and replace them with Flatpaks.

The Debian Foundation: How Ubuntu is Built

Ubuntu did not spring from nothing. It is “The Son of Debian.”

Every six months, Canonical’s engineers take a “snapshot” of the Debian “Testing/Unstable” branch. They pull in this massive collection of raw packages and then begin their work:

• They build their new Flutter-based installer.
• They create their custom themes (the “Yaru” theme) and icons.
• They heavily integrate their own technologies, like Snaps and snapd.
• They provide user-friendly tools for managing drivers and updates.
• They fund a full-time security and QA team to patch and validate the system.

Ubuntu is, essentially, Debian polished into a user-friendly, corporate-backed product with a predictable release schedule.

The “Flavors”: An Ubuntu for Every Taste

While the flagship Ubuntu uses the GNOME desktop, Canonical officially supports a wide “family” of “Flavors.” These are not forks; they are official projects that use the same Ubuntu 24.04/25.10 base, but swap out the GNOME desktop for something different.

This allows users to get all the benefits of Ubuntu’s hardware support and repositories, but with their preferred interface:

• Kubuntu: The KDE Plasma flagship.
• Xubuntu: A classic, lightweight XFCE experience.
• Lubuntu: The lightest version, using the modern LXQt desktop (perfect for very old PCs).
• Ubuntu MATE: A nostalgic, powerful desktop based on the old GNOME 2.
• Ubuntu Budgie: A sleek, modern desktop originally from the Solus project.
• Ubuntu Studio: A creative’s dream, pre-loaded with audio, video, and graphic design tools.

Who is Ubuntu For (And Who is it Not For)?

• Who it’s FOR:
  • The Absolute Beginner: Ubuntu is still the #1 “first-time” Linux install. It has the most guides, tutorials, and forum posts of any distro.
  • The Developer: The combination of an LTS release, native Docker/container support, and massive library of packages makes it a developer workhorse.
  • The Server/Cloud Administrator: Ubuntu Server (LTS) is the dominant OS in the cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).
  • The “I Just Want a Computer” User: Someone who wants a stable, supported system that they can install and use for 5 years without worry (the LTS version).
• Who it’s NOT For:
  • The “Anti-Snap” User: If you are philosophically opposed to Snaps, you will be fighting the system. You are the target audience for Linux Mint or Zorin OS.
  • The Bleeding-Edge Enthusiast: While the Interim release is “new,” it’s not a “rolling release.” Users who want daily updates and the absolute newest kernel are better served by Arch Linux or openSUSE Tumbleweed.
  • The Hardware-First User: If you have a brand new laptop from System76 or TUXEDO, you are better off using their purpose-built OS (Pop!_OS or TUXEDO OS) for the best hardware integration.

Ubuntu’s greatest strength is that it’s the “default.” It’s the standard. It has the most support, the most users, and the largest commercial backing, making it one of the safest and most reliable choices in all of open source.

Do you run Ubuntu? Are you a fan of the “set it and forget it” LTS releases, or do you always upgrade to the latest Interim version? Let us know what you think of Canonical’s “Snap-first” strategy in the comments!