The many major performance improvements to GNOME Shell, Mutter (the window manager) and other graphics elements can be keenly felt in this release. The default kernel and initramfs compression algorithm has changed to lz4 to deliver much faster boot times.Īnd, in keeping with other Linux distros, Focal now shows your computer’s OEM logo on the boot splash in an effort to deliver a ‘flicker free’ boot experience: Ubuntu developers have also enabled support for WireGuard (the secure VPN technology) and integration with Livepatch (for reboot-free kernel updates).ĭevelopers will also appreciate the inclusion of refreshed toolchain offering, among others, glibc 2.31, OpenJDK 11, Python 3.8.2, php 7.4, perl 5.30, and golang 1.13. This brings improved hardware support (among other features).

Ubuntu 20.04 LTS ships the Linux 5.4 kernel release. Like the Linux kernel, the beating heart of any Linux distribution. There are few “omg!” changes in 20.04 but there are plenty of smaller improvements on show throughout the systemīut while this means there are few “omg!” changes in 20.04 there are a number of iterative improvements, usability and user interface refinements, and some much needed updates, spread throughout the whole of the system. Tradition dictates that Ubuntu LTS releases play things safer than the interim so-called “short-term releases” by only including features that Ubuntu developers can commit to maintained for at least five years. Ubuntu 20.04 was released on Thursday April 23, 2020.

Sadly ESM status is not free and is tailored towards customers of Ubuntu Advantage. This now includes security updates for ALL 30,000 packages in the Ubuntu repository. It follows on from Ubuntu 18.04 LTS which was launched back in 2018 and remains supported until 2023.Įvery LTS release is supported for 5 years on the desktop and server and this one is no exception: Ubuntu 20.04 is supported until 2025.īusiness and enterprise users can get ‘extended maintenance release’ (ESM) support for 10 years. Ubuntu 20.04 is a long-term support (LTS) release. So clearly Ubuntu 20.04 is signposting itself as being an update worthy of taking centre-stage, and one that is at the peak of its abilities, just like a real-life fossa.

The word ‘Focal’ means ‘centre point’ or ‘most important part’, while a ‘Fossa’ (as fans of the film Madagascar will know) is a cat-like predator native to the island of Madagascar. Let’s start at the top with the Ubuntu 20.04 codename which, for this release, is ‘Focal Fossa’.

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