Ubuntu 20.04 has been recently published by Canonical which is the company behind the development of Ubuntu. And it is one of the most expected releases in the whole Linux world because this version will receive security updates for 5 years. So, it is a solid option for companies and common users who want maximum stability. However, among so many news about the release, we want to establish which are the main features of Ubuntu 20.04. Especially those that have a greater impact on everyday use.
Why is the release of Ubuntu 20.04 so important?
All Linux distributions are important because each one of them contributes something to the ecosystem. Of course, there are levels and hierarchies where Debian, RHEL, SUSE, Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, Fedora, and Linux Mint stand out from the rest. This is a fact and we can’t deny it in any way.
Of the distributions I’ve mentioned before, only Ubuntu, Linux Mint and OpenSUSE are more for the regular user. But there is one detail, Linux Mint is derived from Ubuntu. And OpenSUSE has similar characteristics to SUSE Linux which is a distribution thought for the companies. So that leaves Ubuntu.
Yes, Ubuntu was quite a revolution when it arrived. Because Ubuntu made Linux a system easy to use for both a professional and a novice. So it’s fair to say that Linux was more popular because of Ubuntu.
In this sense, Ubuntu releases a new stable version every 6 months, but the 20.04 version stands out because it is LTS. This means that the support of this distribution will be 5 years. Enough time and just enough for many users to consider it. Even for companies, there is the option to increase the support for another 5 years to a maximum of 10.
So, this release is very important because it is presented as the Ubuntu that will take a long time in the market. It is also the first to incorporate important features such as the new Wireguard VPN.
On the other hand, Ubuntu 20.04 is much more than a simple LTS version, it also has many other new features. However, I will show you the main and impacting ones to all users.
Ubuntu 20.04 main features – GNOME 3.36
What you can see
For a person who is just starting in the Linux world and has the Ubuntu 20.04 desktop in front of them, they will see GNOME even if they do not know it.
Many experts and users agree that one of the main new features of this release is the inclusion of GNOME 3.36 as the default desktop environment. The reason is very simple: efficiency.
GNOME 3.36 is also a major release of this great desktop environment. This is due to many bug fixes but also because of a code optimization that affects Mutter. This results in a much faster and more efficient environment.
That is why Ubuntu 20.04 is called to be one of the most elegant and fastest distributions of all Linux. With GNOME 3.36 it also has a Do Not Disturb mode, a new app to manage extensions and the guarantee of a mature environment with a consolidated development.
On the other hand, one of the things that have been claimed for Ubuntu is its default theme. It was very common for users to run out and change the theme as soon as they installed Ubuntu. And they were right.
But that’s changed with this release. Because Ubuntu 20.04 has three very attractive themes. A light one ideal for daily work that is slow, serious, and elegant; another standard one that combines light with dark window borders. More in the classic Ubuntu vein; and finally a dark one that looks quite good and integrated into the applications.
To complement all this, the new Icon theme looks fantastic in the Ubuntu style but with a nice updated design. Now Ubuntu looks very modern and colorful.
To finish this section, you will notice a general update of all the packages in the distribution. So you can have Firefox 75, LibreOffice 6.4 as input as well as new versions of PHP, and Python 2 removed.
What you cannot see
Also, technical innovations that make Ubuntu 20.04 work so well and efficiently. The main one is the inclusion of version 5.4 of the Linux kernel.
From this version, it stands out the inclusion of Wireguard that is called to replace OpenVPN as default VPN in Linux. Also, this version gives support for exFAT from Microsoft. As well as the ZFS file system in its version 0.8.3
So there are a lot of new things to come in this new version.
Other Ubuntu 20.04 main features
Another important feature of this release is that owners of an Nvidia graphic can enjoy a default installation of the driver. This is if, at the time of installing Ubuntu, they check the option to install third-party software.
Also, there is no longer any ISO available for 32-bit which makes it limited to libraries and packages.
The application store now only installs snap packages, but you can always use the terminal to install packages via APT.
What do we expect from Ubuntu 20.04?
Being an LTS version, it is expected to be stable first. Usually, LTS versions meet this requirement, but after a certain time of the release. We expect Ubuntu 20.04 to be the exception and be stable as a rock from the first moment.
Another aspect is that Ubuntu 20.04 is also a general renovation in the way Linux distributions make their themes. They are all well done, but you can improve and listen even more to the community.
On the other hand, hopefully with Ubuntu 20.04 the integration with proprietary graphics like Nvidia will mature further. May this be the beginning of the fast and smooth installation.
Finally, Ubuntu 20.04 can be downloaded from the distribution’s website. It is always appropriate to do it from torrent so as not to saturate the servers and get high speeds.
If you want more information, you can check the release notes of the distribution.
Do not forget to comment and tell your experience with Ubuntu 20.04