Ubuntu Service Lifecycle (End of Life)
Last updated on November 10, 2023
Ubuntu is one of the many distributions of Linux. Ubuntu is an open-source operating system based on the Debian Linux-based OS. When compared to other Linux distributions, Ubuntu is designed for both professionals and novices.
The different Ubuntu versions are available in different editions, which are Desktop, Server, and Core, where the latter is designed for IoT devices and machines.
Support status guide
End of life (EOL) is the end of a product’s useful life. When a product reaches the end of its life cycle, the manufacturer no longer supports it. The following table explains the different phases of a product’s lifecycle. Testing status is when the product is initially released and EOL is when product support is no longer offered. The time between these two points is the support timeframe.
Testing
The software is not yet publicly available. It is in testing phase i.e., alpha, beta, release preview etc.
Active
The software is actively supported by the vendor.
Phasing Out
The software will soon reach its end of life. You need to look for upgrade or migration options. The software will automatically go into phasing out status 2 months before end of life.
End Of Life
The software is no longer supported by the vendor. You need to make sure your system and environment are safe.
Version
Released
Active Support
Security Support
Extended Support
Ubuntu Support Lifecycle
A newer version of Ubuntu is released every 6 months (in October and April) which is actively supported for 9 months. These releases are referred to as “interim” releases because they are released between the LTS versions.
During the 9-month support tenure, the supported Ubuntu version receives hardware, maintenance, and security support. Before the version reaches EOL, a newer Ubuntu version is already available.
Moreover, the Long Term Servicing (LTS) release is also published every 2 years in April. The LTS releases are initially supported for 5 years. However, in the case of the LTS releases, the 5-year active support is divided into two: 2 years of “Hardware and maintenance updates,” and another 3 years of “Maintenance and security updates.” In the table above, the “Active support” column signifies the “Hardware and maintenance support,” whereas the “Security support” column signifies the “Maintenance and security support.”
After the initial 5-year support, the LTS release enters the “Extended security” support cycle which lasts for another 5 years. This makes the total support tenure for Ubuntu LTS releases 10 years.
Ubuntu Naming Convention
Ubuntu is released with a version number. The version is listed as “YY.MM”, which means that the first portion is named after the release year, and the second portion after the period denotes the month it was released i. For example, Ubuntu 16.04 means that it was released in April (4th month) 2016.
Additionally, a development codename is also assigned to each release. So you may see different naming nomenclature with Ubuntu releases, as you used to with Android.
EOLs
