Ubuntu releases are made semiannually by Canonical Ltd, its developers, using the year and month of the release as a version number. The first Ubuntu release, for example, was Ubuntu 4.10 and was released on 20 October 2004.[1][2] Consequently, version numbers for future versions are provisional; if the release is delayed until a different month (or even year) than planned, the version number will change accordingly.[3]
Canonical schedules Ubuntu releases to occur approximately one month after GNOME releases, resulting in each Ubuntu release including a newer version of GNOME.[4][5][6]
Every fourth release, occurring in the second quarter of even-numbered years, has been designated as a long-term support (LTS) release.[7] The desktop version of LTS releases for 10.04 and earlier were supported for three years, with server version support for five years. LTS releases 12.04 and newer are freely supported for five years. Through the ESM paid option, support can be extended even longer, up to a total of ten years for 18.04.[8] The support period for non-LTS releases is 9 months.[9] Prior to 13.04, it had been 18 months.
- ^ "The story of Ubuntu", Ubuntu, retrieved 12 August 2023
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
wartyReleasewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "TimeBasedReleases". Ubuntu Team Wiki. Canonical Ltd. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
- ^ "Releases". Canonical Ltd. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
- ^ "GNOME's Time-Based Release Schedule". Gnome Live Wiki. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
- ^ Stone, Daniel (30 August 2009). "New release process". xorg-devel (Mailing list). Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ "LTS". Ubuntu Team Wiki. Canonical Ltd. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
- ^ "Release end of life". Canonical Ltd. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
- ^ "Ubuntu Technical Board Looks at Shuttleworth's Proposal for Release Management Methodology". Ubuntu Fridge. Retrieved 12 August 2023.