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sources/tech/20220114 Ubuntu 22.04 LTS -Jammy Jellyfish- - New Features and Release Details.md
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Ubuntu 22.04 LTS “Jammy Jellyfish” – New Features and Release Details
IT’S TIME TO UNWRAP THE NEW FEATURES OF UBUNTU 22.04 LTS “JAMMY JELLYFISH”. WE GIVE YOU ALL THE RELEVANT INFORMATION, AND YOU STAY UP TO DATE UNTIL THE FINAL RELEASE. The Ubuntu LTS releases are rare, and they are significant because they set the course for the next five years for everyone – from you/me to the enterprises who run thousands of machines/virtual systems with Ubuntu.
The upcoming Ubuntu 22.04 LTS code named Jammy Jellyfish is shaping up to be another big LTS release, although there will be misses in terms of the latest tech and packages.
As of first writing this post, we have some idea about the new features, updates and enhancements from several official/unofficial sources. And we intend to give you a summary of those while keeping this post updated until the final release so that you get a single source of all the information about Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.
Let’s take a look at the official schedule.
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS – Release Schedule
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy Jellyfish releases on April 21, 2022. Before that, the Ubuntu team should meet the following milestones.
- February 24, 2022: Feature Freeze
- March 17, 2022: UI Freeze
- March 31, 2022: Beta Release
- April 21, 2022: Final Release
This release is supported until April 2027.
Ubuntu 22.04 – New Features
Kernel
Linux Kernel 5.15 LTS will be the initial Kernel for this long term Ubuntu release. Released around Halloween 2021 last year, Linux Kernel 5.15 brings several essential improvements. Usual new driver and hardware updates across processor, GPU, network, file system families. This Kernel also brings the fast NTFS3 driver from Paragon Software, mainlined in this version. Other notable benefits of this Kernel are Apple M1 SOC support, in-Kernel SMB driver, Realtech Wi-Fi driver support for RTL8188EU chipset, etc. You can read the details about what this Kernel has to offer in our Linux Kernel 5.15 coverage.
GNOME Desktop Version
There is still discussion on the base version of GNOME in this LTS release. However, it is confirmed that GNOME 42 will be the default gnome-shell version.
But there is a catch.
You must have heard that GNOME 42 is bringing an updated version of GTK4 applications with libadwaita library-port for those apps. The Ubuntu desktop team plans for GNOME 42, but the default installed applications remain based on GTK3. A sensible decision from the desktop team, in my opinion. Because moving to GNOME 42 + GTK4 + libadwaita ports – all of these requires a lot of regression tests. Not to mention the risk of breaking things here and there. This is too much of an overhead for LTS release, a default choice for most of the user base and arguably the most downloaded/upgraded version.
Now, Ubuntu already has a dark theme in its settings. GNOME 42 also brings system-wide dark style preference, which the applications can adapt automatically. How both these pans out – is still under discussion at the moment.
Look and Feel
On the look-n-feel side, there is a change in the Yaru GTK theme base colour, which is the default theme for Ubuntu. The usual Purple accent colour is changing to Orange. Now, be cautious that it may feel like staggering orange shades. Look at this screenshot.
New Installer
The default installer of Ubuntu hasn’t changed much since, like, forever. So, with that in mind, the team was working on the new Flutter based installer to replace the old one. Now, it has been in the works for the last couple of months and hasn’t made it to the final release.
Hopefully, the new installer can make it to this LTS release. But it is still not arrived in daily-build. And when I tried this in Canary .ISO – it crashed even before installing. Let’s keep the finger crossed, and we hope to see it in action in the final release.
SEE ALSO: Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish Daily Builds Are Now Available
Packages and Application Updates
Besides the above changes, core packages default applications bring their latest stable version. Here’s a quick list.
- Python 3.10
- Php8.1
- Ruby 3.0
- Thunderbird 91.5
- Firefox 96.0
- LibreOffice 7.2.5
- PulseAudio 15.0
- NetworkManager 1.32
And the new Yaru icon theme in LibreOffice looks stunning, though.
Updating from Ubuntu 20.04 LTS?
In general, if you plan to switch to this LTS version from Ubuntu 21.10, you should notice a few items of change. But if you are planning to upgrade from prior Ubuntu 20.04 LTS – then a lot for you to experience. For example, you get a horizontal workspace horizontal app launcher, those introduced since GNOME 40.
Also, other notable differences or rather new features are the power profiles menu in the top bar, multitasking option in settings and performance improvements of GNOME Shell and Mutter.
Ubuntu Official Flavors
Alongside the base version, the official Ubuntu flavours are getting their latest versions of their respective desktop environments in this LTS version. Apart from KDE Plasma, most desktops remained with their last stable release for more than a year. So, you may not experience much of a difference.
Here’s a quick summary:
- Kubuntu 22.04 with KDE Plasma 5.24
- Xubuntu 22.04 with Xfce 4.16
- Lubuntu 22.04 with LxQt 1.0
- Ubuntu Budgie with Budgie version 10.5.3
- Ubuntu Mate with MATE 1.26
Download
This version of Ubuntu is under development at the moment. If you want to give it for a quick spin in your favourite VM, then grab the daily build copy .ISO from the below link.
Remember, this copy may be unstable and contain bugs. So, you have been warned.
Download Ubuntu 22.04 – daily build
If you want a super-unstable copy of Canary Build, you can get it from the below link. I would not recommend using this Canary .ISO at all unless you have plenty of time to play. Oh, so that you know, this Canary copy .ISO have the new Flutter-based installer. Although I tried to use this new installer, it crashes every time.
Download the Flavors
If you want to try out the official Ubuntu flavours as daily build copy, you can get them via the below links.
- https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/daily-live/current/
- https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/xubuntu/daily-live/current/
- https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/lubuntu/daily-live/current/
- https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-mate/daily-live/current/
- https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-budgie/daily-live/current/
- https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntukylin/daily-live/current/
- https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntustudio/dvd/current/
Closing Notes
The LTS releases are conservative in new tech adaptation and other long term impacts. Many organizations and businesses opt for LTS for more than five years of support window and stability. Stability is more important than new technology when running thousands of machines critical to your company. So, that said, many new features or packages may not make it to the final release, but eventually, this release set the course for the next LTS. One step at a time.
So, what is the feature or package you are expecting in Ubuntu 22.04 and hoping for it? Let me know in the comment section below.
References
https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/jammy-jellyfish-release-schedule/23906 https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/jammy-jellyfish-release-notes/24668 https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/ubuntu-desktop-gnome-plans-for-the-incoming-lts/26156
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via: https://www.debugpoint.com/2022/01/ubuntu-22-04-lts/