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Xubuntu
Xubuntu 25.04 "Plucky Puffin"
DeveloperCommunity
OS familyLinux (Unix-like)
Working stateCurrent
Source modelOpen source
Initial release23 June 2006; 19 years ago (2006-06-23)
Latest release25.10[1] / 9 October 2025; 3 months ago (9 October 2025)
Available inMultilingual
Update methodAPT (Software Updater, Ubuntu Software Center)
Package managerdpkg
Kernel typeMonolithic (Linux)
UserlandGNU
Default
user interface		Xfce
LicenseFree software licenses
(mainly GPL)
Official websitexubuntu.org Edit this at Wikidata

Xubuntu (/zʊˈbʊntuː/)[2] is a Canonical-recognized, community-maintained derivative of the Ubuntu operating system. The name Xubuntu is a portmanteau of Xfce and Ubuntu, as it uses the Xfce desktop environment, instead of Ubuntu's customized GNOME desktop.[3][4][5][6]

Xubuntu seeks to provide "a light, stable and configurable desktop environment with conservative workflows" using Xfce components. Xubuntu is intended for both new and experienced Linux users. Rather than explicitly targeting low-powered machines, it attempts to provide "extra responsiveness and speed" on existing hardware.[7]

History

[edit]
First Xubuntu logo

Xubuntu was originally intended to be released at the same time as Ubuntu 5.10 Breezy Badger, 13 October 2005, but the work was not complete by that date. Instead the Xubuntu name was used for the xubuntu-desktop metapackage available through the Synaptic Package Manager which installed the Xfce desktop.

The first official Xubuntu release, led by Jani Monoses, appeared on 1 June 2006, as part of the Ubuntu 6.06 Dapper Drake line, which also included Kubuntu and Edubuntu.

Cody A.W. Somerville developed a comprehensive strategy for the Xubuntu project named the Xubuntu Strategy Document.[8] This document was approved by the Ubuntu Community Council in 2008.[9]

In November 2009, Cody A.W. Somerville stepped down as the project leader and made a call for nominations to help find a successor.[10] Lionel Le Folgoc was confirmed by the Xubuntu community as the new project leader on 10 January 2010 and requested the formation of an official Xubuntu council.[11]

In the beginning of 2016, the Xubuntu team began the process to transition the project to become council run rather than having a single project leader. On 1 January 2017, an official post on the Xubuntu site's blog announced the official formation of the Xubuntu Council. The purpose of the council is not just to make decisions about the future of the project, but to make sure the direction of the project adheres to guidelines established in the Strategy Document.[12]

Releases

[edit]

Xubuntu 6.06 LTS

[edit]
Xubuntu 6.06 LTS Dapper Drake, the first official Xubuntu release

The first official stand-alone release of Xubuntu was version 6.06 long term support (LTS), which was made available on 23 June 2006.

It was introduced with the statement:

Xubuntu is the newest official Ubuntu derivative distribution, using the Xfce desktop environment and a selection of GTK2 applications. Its lightweight footprint is well suited for low-end hardware and thin clients. Xubuntu builds on the solid foundation of Ubuntu, with world-class hardware support and access to a vast repository of additional software.[13]

The version used Linux kernel 2.6.15.7 and Xfce 4.4 beta 1. Applications included the Thunar file manager, GDM desktop manager, Abiword word processor and Gnumeric spread sheet, Evince PDF document viewer, Xarchiver archive manager, Xfburn CD burner, Firefox 1.5.0.3 web browser, Thunderbird 1.5.0.2 email client and the GDebi package manager.[13]

Xubuntu 6.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 6.10 Edgy Eft

Xubuntu 6.10 was released on 26 October 2006. This version used Xfce 4.4 beta 2 and included Upstart, the Firefox 2.0 web browser, the Gaim 2.0.0 beta 3.1 instant messaging client along with new versions of AbiWord and Gnumeric. The media player was gxine which replaced Xfmedia. The previous xffm4 file manager was replaced by Thunar. It introduced redesigned artwork for the bootup splash screen, the login window and the desktop theme.[14][15]

The developers claimed that this version of Xubuntu could run on 64 MB of RAM, with 128 MB "strongly recommended".[16]

Xubuntu 7.04

[edit]
Xubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn

Xubuntu 7.04 was released on 19 April 2007. This release was based on Xfce 4.4.[17][18]

Michael Larabel of Phoronix carried out detailed benchmark testing of betas for Ubuntu 7.04, Kubuntu 7.04 and Xubuntu 7.04 in February 2007 on two different computers, one with dual Intel Clovertown processors and the other with an AMD Sempron. After a series of gzip compression, LAME compilation, and LAME encoding tasks he concluded, "in these tests with the dual Clovertown setup we found the results to be indistinguishable. However, with the AMD Sempron, Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn Herd 4 had outperformed both Kubuntu and the lighter-weight Xubuntu. Granted on a slower system the lightweight Xubuntu should have a greater performance advantage".[19]

Xubuntu 7.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon

Xubuntu 7.10 was released on 18 October 2007. It was based upon Xfce, 4.4.1 and added updated translations along with a new theme, MurrinaStormCloud, using the Murrine Engine.[20][21]

Application updates included Pidgin 2.2.0, (Gaim was renamed Pidgin) and GIMP 2.4. This Xubuntu version allowed the installation of Firefox extensions and plug-ins through the Add/Remove Software interface.[20][21]

The developers claimed that this version of Xubuntu could run on 64 MB of RAM, with 128 MB "strongly recommended".[22]

Xubuntu 8.04 LTS

[edit]
Xubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

Xubuntu 8.04 Long Term Support (LTS) was made available on 24 April 2008. This version of Xubuntu used Xfce 4.4.2, Xorg 7.3 and Linux kernel 2.6.24. It introduced PolicyKit for permissions control, PulseAudio and a new printing manager. It also introduced Wubi, that allowed Windows users to install Xubuntu as a program on Windows.[23]

Applications included were Firefox 3 Beta 5, Brasero CD/DVD burning application, Transmission BitTorrent client, Mousepad text editor, AbiWord word processor and Ristretto image viewer[23]

Xubuntu 8.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex

Xubuntu 8.10 was released on 30 October 2008. This version of Xubuntu brought a new version of Abiword, version 2.6.4, the Listen Multimedia Player and introduced the Catfish desktop search application. It used Linux kernel 2.6.27, X.Org 7.4. There was an installation option of an encrypted private directory using ecryptfs-utils. The Totem media player was included.[24]

Xubuntu 9.04

[edit]
Xubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope

Version 9.04 was released on 23 April 2009. The development team advertised this release as giving improved boot-up times, "benefiting from the Ubuntu core developer team's improvements to boot-time code, the Xubuntu 9.04 desktop boots more quickly than ever. This means you can spend less time waiting, and more time being productive with your Xubuntu desktop".[25]

Xubuntu 9.04 used Xfce 4.6, which included a new Xfce Settings Manager dialog, the new Xconf configuration system, an improved desktop menu and clock, new notifications, and remote file system application Gigolo.[25]

This release also brought all new artwork and incorporated the Murrina Storm Cloud GTK+ theme and a new XFWM4 window manager theme. 9.04 also introduced new versions of many applications, including the AbiWord word processor, Brasero CD/DVD burner and Mozilla Thunderbird e-mail client. It used X.Org server 1.6. The default file system was ext3, but ext4 was an option at installation.[25]

Xubuntu 9.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala

29 October 2009 saw the release of Xubuntu 9.10, which utilized Xfce 4.6.1, Linux kernel 2.6.31 and by default the ext4 file system and GRUB 2. This release included the Exaile 0.3.0 music player, the Xfce4 power manager replaced the Gnome Power Manager and improved desktop notifications using notify-osd. Upstart boot-up speed was improved.[26]

The release promised "faster application load times and reduced memory footprint for a number of your favorite Xfce4 applications thanks to improvements in library linking provided by ld's --as-needed flag".[26]

Xubuntu 10.04 LTS

[edit]
Xubuntu 10.04 LTS Lucid Lynx

Xubuntu 10.04 Long Term Support (LTS) was released on 29 April 2010. It moved to PulseAudio and replaced the Xsane scanner utilities with Simple Scan. It also incorporated the Ubuntu Software Center, which had been introduced in Ubuntu 9.10, to replace the old Add/Remove Software utility. The included spreadsheet application, Gnumeric was updated to version 1.10.1 and new games were introduced. Because of incompatibilities in the gnome-screensaver screensaver application, it was replaced by xscreensaver. The default theme was an updated version of Albatross, designed by the Shimmer Team.[27]

This version of Xubuntu officially required a 700 MHz x86 processor, 128 MB of RAM, with 256 MB RAM "strongly recommended" and 3 GB of disk space.[28]

Xubuntu 10.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat

Xubuntu 10.10 was released on 10 October 2010. It included Parole, the Xfce4 media player, XFBurn CD/DVD writer in place of Brasero and Xfce4-taskmanager replaced Gnome-Task-Manager. These changes were all to lighten the release's memory footprint. AbiWord was updated to version 2.8.6 and Gnumeric to 1.10.8. This release also introduced the Bluebird theme, from the Shimmer Team.[29]

Xubuntu 11.04

[edit]
Xubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal

Xubuntu 11.04 was released on 28 April 2011. This version was based upon Xfce 4.8 and introduced editable menus using any menu editor that meets the freedesktop.org standards. This version also introduced a new Elementary Xubuntu icon theme, the Droid font by default and an updated installation slide show.[30]

Although the developers have decided to retain a minimalist interface, Xubuntu 11.04 has a new dock-like application launcher to achieve a more modern look.[31]

Xubuntu 11.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot

Xubuntu 11.10 was released on 13 October 2011, the same day that Ubuntu 11.10 was released.[32]

In this release gThumb became the new image viewer/organizer, Leafpad replaced Mousepad as the default text editor and LightDM was introduced as the log-in manager. The release also incorporated pastebinit for cut and paste actions.[32]

Xubuntu 12.04 LTS

[edit]
Xubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

Xubuntu 12.04 incorporated many changes including some default shortcuts which were altered and new ones added, plus there were many appearance changes, including a new logo and wallpaper. Fixes were included for Greybird, Ubiquity, Plymouth, LightDM, and Terminal themes.[33][34]

The release shipped with version 3.2.14 of the Linux kernel. Pavucontrol was introduced to replace xfce4-mixer as it did not support PulseAudio. The Alacarte menu editor was used by default.[33][34]

The minimum system requirements for this release were 512 MiB of RAM, 5 GB of hard disk space, and a graphics card and monitor capable of at least 800×600 pixel resolution.[33]

Whisker Menu, a new application launcher for Xubuntu, was introduced via a Personal Package Archive for Xubuntu 12.04 LTS. It proved a popular option and later became the default launcher in Xubuntu 14.04 LTS.[35]

Xubuntu 12.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 12.10 Quantal Quetzal

Xubuntu 12.10 was released on 18 October 2012. This release introduced the use of Xfce 4.10, as well as new versions of Catfish, Parole, LightDM, Greybird and the Ubiquity slideshow. The application menu was slightly reorganized, with settings-related launchers moved to the Settings Manager. The release also included updated artwork, new desktop wallpaper, a new look to the documentation and completely rewritten offline documentation. On 32-bit systems, hardware supporting PAE is required.[36]

The release included one notable bug fix: "No more window traces or "black on black" in installer".[37] This release of Xubuntu does not support UEFI Secure Boot, unlike Ubuntu 12.10, which allows Ubuntu to run on hardware designed for Windows 8. It was expected that this feature would be included in the next release of Xubuntu.[37]

Xubuntu 13.04

[edit]
Xubuntu 13.04 Raring Ringtail

Xubuntu 13.04 was released on 25 April 2013. It was intended as a maintenance release with few new features. It incorporated updated documentation, a new version of Catfish (0.6.1), updates to the Greybird theme, GIMP and Gnumeric were reintroduced, a new version of Parole (0.5.0) and that duplicate partitions are no longer shown on desktop or in the Thunar file manager.[38][39]

This was the first version of Xubuntu with a support period of 9 months for the interim (non-LTS) releases, instead of 18 months.[38]

Starting with this release the Xubuntu ISO images will not fit on a CD as they now average 800 MB. The new image target media is at least a 1.0 GB USB device or DVD. The decision to change the ISO image size was based upon the amount of developer time spent trying to shrink the files to fit them on a standard size CD. This ISO size change also allowed the inclusion of two applications that had been previously dropped due to space constraints, Gnumeric and GIMP.[38][40][41]

Xubuntu 13.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 13.10 Saucy Salamander

Xubuntu 13.10 was released on 17 October 2013. This release included some improvements over the previous release, including a new version of xfce4-settings and a new dialog box for display settings. There was also a new color theme tool and gtk-theme-config was added as default. This release also included new wallpaper, new GTK+ themes, with Gtk3.10 support and the LightDM greeter. The official Xubuntu documentation was also updated.[42]

Xubuntu 14.04 LTS

[edit]
Xubuntu 14.04 LTS Trusty Tahr

Xubuntu 14.04 LTS was released on 17 April 2014 and, being an LTS, featured three years of support.[43] It incorporated the Xfdesktop 4.11, the Mugshot user account profile editor, the MenuLibre menu editor in place of Alacarte and the Light-locker screen lock to replace Xscreensaver. The Whisker Menu was introduced as the default application launching menu, having been formerly a Personal Package Archive option introduced in Xubuntu 12.04 LTS. It replaced the previous default menu system. The Xfdesktop also supported using different wallpapers on each workspace.[35][44][45]

Xubuntu 14.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 14.10 Utopic Unicorn

Xubuntu 14.10 was released on 23 October 2014. This release incorporated very few new features. Changed were a new Xfce Power Manager plugin added to the panel and that items in the new alt-tab dialog could be clicked with the mouse. To illustrate the customization of the operating system, 14.10 featured pink highlight colours, something that could easily be changed by users, if desired.[46][47]

Xubuntu 15.04

[edit]
Xubuntu 15.04 Vivid Vervet

Xubuntu 15.04 was released on 23 April 2015.[48] This release featured Xfce 4.12 and included new colour schemes, with redundant File Manager (Settings) menu entries removed. Otherwise this release was predominantly a bug-fix and package upgrade release, with very few significant changes.[49]

Xubuntu 15.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 15.10 Wily Werewolf

Xubuntu 15.10 was released on 22 October 2015.[50]

This release had only minimal changes over 15.04. It incorporated the Xfce4 Panel Switch for the backup and restoration of panels and included five preset panel layouts.

Greybird accessibility icons were used for the window manager. Gnumeric and Abiword were replaced with LibreOffice Calc and LibreOffice Writer and a new default LibreOffice theme, libreoffice-style-elementary, was provided.[51][52][53]

Xubuntu 16.04 LTS

[edit]
Xubuntu 16.04 LTS Xenial Xerus

Released on 21 April 2016, Xubuntu 16.04 is an LTS version, supported for three years until April 2019.[54]

This release offered few new features. It included a new package of wallpapers and the replacement of the Ubuntu Software Center with Gnome Software, the same as in Ubuntu 16.04 LTS.[55] Reviewer Jack Wallen said, "The truth of the matter is, the Ubuntu Software Center has been a horrible tool for a very long time. Making this move will greatly improve the Ubuntu experience for every user".[56]

Xubuntu 16.10 Yakkety Yak

Xubuntu 16.10

[edit]

Xubuntu 16.10 was released on 13 October 2016.[57]

This version of Xubuntu introduced very few new features. The official release notice stated, "This release has seen little visible change since April's 16.04, however much has been done towards supplying Xubuntu with Xfce packages built with GTK3, including the porting of many plugins and Xfce Terminal to GTK3".[58]

Xubuntu 17.04

[edit]
Xubuntu 17.04 Zesty Zapus

Xubuntu 17.04 was released on 13 April 2017.[59]

This version continued the then-porting of Xfce panel plugins and applications from 16.10, along with a slight refresh of core theming to improve GTK3 support. It is also the first Xubuntu version to install a swap file instead of the former swap partition.

Joey Sneddon of OMG Ubuntu indicated that this release is mostly just bug fixes and has little in the way of new features.[60]

Xubuntu 17.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 17.10 Artful Aardvark

Xubuntu 17.10 was released on 19 October 2017.[61]

This release included only minor changes including the GNOME Font Viewer included by default and that the client side decorations consume less space within the Greybird GTK+ theme.[62]

Distrowatch noted that Xubuntu 17.10, "includes significant improvements to accelerated video playback on Intel video cards. The distribution also includes support for driverless printing and includes the GNOME Font Viewer by default".[63]

Xubuntu 18.04 LTS

[edit]
Xubuntu 18.04 LTS Bionic Beaver

Xubuntu 18.04 is a long-term support version, released on 26 April 2018.[64][65]

In this version, removed the GTK Theme Configuration, the Greybird GTK+ theme was upgraded to 3.22.8 version, including HiDPI support, Google Chrome GTK+ 3 styles and a new dark theme. Sound Indicator was replaced by the Xfce PulseAudio Plugin. The release introduced a new plugin for the panel, xfce4-notifyd. Also Evince was replaced by Atril, GNOME File Roller by Engrampa, and GNOME Calculator by MATE Calculator.[65]

Xubuntu 18.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 18.10 Cosmic Cuttlefish

Xubuntu 18.10 was released on 18 October 2018. This release includes Xfce components at version 4.13 as the project moves towards a Gtk+3-only desktop, Xfce Icon Theme 0.13, Greybird 3.22.9, which improves the window manager appearance, a new purple wallpaper.[66]

This version doesn't allow updating from a 32-bit installation of the previous 18.04. The recommended system requirements for this release remained as at least 1 GB of RAM and at least 20 GB of free hard disk space.[67][68]

Xubuntu 19.04

[edit]
Xubuntu 19.04 Disco Dingo

Xubuntu 19.04 was released on 18 April 2019.[69] Starting with this version, Xubuntu no longer offered 32-bit ISOs.[70]

In this release, new default applications were included, such as GIMP, LibreOffice Impress. LibreOffice Draw and AptURL,[71] and Orage was removed.[72]

This release was predominantly a bug fix release with few changes, but also included new screenshot tools and updated Xfce 4.13 components, using components from the development branch for Xfce 4.14.[73][74]

Xubuntu 19.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 19.10 Eoan Ermine

This standard release was the last one before the next LTS release and arrived on 17 October 2019.[75]

This release included Xfce 4.14, which was completed in August 2019 after nearly four and half years of development work. Other changes included the Xfce Screensaver replacing Light Locker for screen locking, new desktop keyboard shortcuts, the ZFS file system and logical volume manager included on an experimental basis for root.[76][77][78][79]

Xubuntu 20.04 LTS

[edit]
Xubuntu 20.04 LTS Focal Fossa

This release is a long-term support release and was released on 23 April 2020.[80] Xubuntu 20.04.1 LTS was released on 6 August 2020.[81]

As in common with LTS releases, this one introduced very few new features. A new dark-colored windowing theme was included, Greybird-dark, as were six new community-submitted wallpaper designs. The applications apt-offline and pidgin-libnotify were not included and Python 2 support was removed.[82][83]

Xubuntu 20.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 20.10 Groovy Gorilla

This standard release was made on 22 October 2020.[84]

The Xubuntu developers transitioned their code base to GitHub for this release and otherwise there were no changes over Xubuntu 20.04 LTS.[85][86]

On 23 October 2020, reviewer Sarvottam Kumar of FOSS Bytes noted of this release, "out of all Ubuntu flavors, Xubuntu 20.10 seems the least updated variant containing the same Xfce 4.14 desktop environment as long-term Xubuntu 20.04 has. This is because the next Xfce 4.16 is still under development, with the first preview released last month".[87]

Xubuntu 21.04

[edit]
Xubuntu 21.04 Hirsute Hippo

Xubuntu 21.04 is a standard release, made on 22 April 2021.[88]

This release introduced Xfce 4.16 which exclusively uses GTK3. A new minimal installation option was available. It also included two new applications: the HexChat IRC client and the Synaptic package manager as well as some general user interface changes.[89]

The release also included a full Adwaita icon theme, instead of shipping the partial version from previous releases due to "sub-par experience."[90]

Xubuntu 21.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 21.10 Impish Indri

Xubuntu 21.10 is a standard release, and was released on 14 October 2021.[91]

This release included the addition of GNOME Disk Analyzer, GNOME Disk Utility, and the media playback software Rhythmbox.[92] It also included PipeWire alongside the already existing PulseAudio, in line with other Ubuntu flavours.

Xubuntu 22.04 LTS

[edit]
Xubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy Jellyfish

This long term support release was made on 21 April 2022 and will be supported for three years until April 2025.[93][94]

The release uses Xfce 4.16 and the GTK 3.24.33 toolkit. The changes were very minor and included switching Firefox to a snap package from the previous .deb package to align with Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. Updated applications included the addition of spellchecking to the Mousepad text editor along with session backup and restore. The Ristretto image viewer now has improved thumbnail support, along with performance improvements and a new version of the Whisker Menu Plugin adds new customization options with preferences and CSS classes, for theme development.[93][94]

Xubuntu 22.10

[edit]
Xubuntu 22.10 Kinetic Kudu

Xubuntu 22.10 was released on 20 October 2022, as an interim release supported for nine months, until July 2023.[95]

This release used Xfce 4.16, with some elements from 4.17 included for testing and preview purposes. The toolkit was GTK 4.8.1. The included default applications saw no changes in what was included, beyond updated versions. Unlike in Ubuntu 22.10 which switched to PipeWire, Xubuntu retained PulseAudio as its sound controller.[96][97][98][99]

Xubuntu 23.04

[edit]
Xubuntu 23.04 Lunar Lobster

Xubuntu 23.04 is an interim release, which was made on 20 April 2023 and was supported until January 2024.[100]

The release uses Xfce 4.18. As a component of Xfce 4.18 the Thunar file manager added a number of improvements, including image preview, undo/redo, file highlights and also recursive searching. This release also trades the PulseAudio audio controller for PipeWire and employs wireplumber as the PipeWire modular session policy manager.[100]

This release also officially offers an alternate download called Xubuntu Minimal. Formerly known as Xubuntu Core, this project has been supported for eight years as an unofficial community project, but is now recognized as an "officially supported subproject". Xubuntu Minimal provides a stripped-down version of Xubuntu with just the desktop, some of the Xfce components and the Xubuntu look and feel files. It includes a terminal emulator, the Thunar file manager, system settings, Snap package manager and the screenshot application.[100][101]

Xubuntu 23.10

[edit]

Xubuntu 23.10 was released on 12 October 2023 and is supported for nine months until July 2024.[102]

Xubuntu 24.04 LTS

[edit]
Xubuntu 24.04 LTS Noble Numbat

Xubuntu 24.04 is a long-term support that was released on 25 April 2024, and is supported for three years until April 2027.[103]

Xubuntu 24.10

[edit]

Xubuntu 24.10 is an interim release that was released on 10 October 2024, and is supported for nine months until July 10, 2025.[104][105]

Xubuntu 25.04

[edit]

Xubuntu 25.04 is an interim release that was released on April 17, 2025. It features Xfce 4.20 and is supported for nine months until January 2026.[106]

Xubuntu 25.10

[edit]

Xubuntu 25.10 is an interim release that was released on October 9, 2025. It features Xfce 4.20 and is supported for nine months until July 2026.[107]

Table of releases

[edit]

Xubuntu versions are released twice a year, coinciding with Ubuntu releases. Xubuntu uses the same version numbers and code names as Ubuntu, using the year and month of the release as the version number. The first Xubuntu release, for example, was 6.06, indicating June 2006.[108]

Xubuntu releases are also given code names, using an adjective and an animal with the same first letter, e.g., "Dapper Drake" and "Intrepid Ibex". These are the same as the respective Ubuntu code names. Xubuntu code names are in alphabetical order, allowing a quick determination of which release is newer, although there were no releases with the letters "A" or "C". Commonly, Xubuntu releases are referred to by developers and users by only the adjective portion of the code name, for example Intrepid Ibex is often called just Intrepid.[109]

Long Term Support (LTS) releases are supported for three years, while standard releases are supported for nine months. Prior to 13.04 It had been 18 months.[7]

Version Code Name Release date Supported Until Kernel XFCE Remarks
5.10 Breezy Badger 2005-10-13 2007-04-13 2.6.12 4.2 xubuntu-desktop package only available
6.06 LTS Dapper Drake 2006-06-01 2011-06-01 2.6.15 4.4 Beta1 First official Xubuntu release — LTS
6.10 Edgy Eft 2006-10-26 2008-04-26 2.6.17 4.4 Beta2
7.04 Feisty Fawn 2007-04-19 2008-10-19 2.6.20 4.4.0
7.10 Gutsy Gibbon 2007-10-18 2009-04-18 2.6.22 4.4.1
8.04 LTS Hardy Heron 2008-04-24 2011-05-12 2.6.24 4.4.2 LTS release
8.10 Intrepid Ibex 2008-10-30 2010-04-30 2.6.27 4.6.0
9.04 Jaunty Jackalope 2009-04-23 2010-10-23 2.6.28 4.6.0 PowerPC images made available[25][110]
9.10 Karmic Koala 2009-10-29 2011-04-30 2.6.31 4.6.1
10.04 LTS Lucid Lynx 2010-04-29 2013-05-09 2.6.32 4.6.1 LTS release
10.10 Maverick Meerkat 2010-10-10 2012-10-28 2.6.35 4.6.2
11.04 Natty Narwhal 2011-04-28 2012-10-28 2.6.38 4.8
11.10 Oneiric Ocelot 2011-10-13 2013-05-09 3.0.0 4.8
12.04 LTS Precise Pangolin 2012-04-26 2015-04-29 3.2.0 4.8 LTS release
12.10 Quantal Quetzal 2012-10-18 2014-05-16 3.5.0 4.10
13.04 Raring Ringtail 2013-04-25 2014-01-27[111] 3.8.0 4.10
13.10 Saucy Salamander 2013-10-17 2014-07-17 3.11.0 4.10
14.04 LTS Trusty Tahr 2014-04-17 2017-04-17 3.13.0 4.10 LTS release
14.10 Utopic Unicorn 2014-10-23 2015-07-23 3.16.0 4.10
15.04 Vivid Vervet 2015-04-23[48] 2016-01-23 3.19.0 4.12
15.10 Wily Werewolf 2015-10-22[50] 2016-07-22 4.2 4.12
16.04 LTS Xenial Xerus 2016-04-21[50] 2019-04-21 4.4 4.12 LTS release
16.10 Yakkety Yak 2016-10-13 2017-07-20 4.4+ 4.12+
17.04 Zesty Zapus 2017-04-13 2018-01-11 4.8 4.12+
17.10 Artful Aardvark 2017-10-19 2018-07-19 4.13 4.12.3
18.04 LTS Bionic Beaver 2018-04-26 2021-04-29 4.15 4.12.2 LTS release
18.10 Cosmic Cuttlefish 2018-10-18[112][113] 2019-07-18 4.18 ~4.13 Last release to offer a 32-bit version
19.04 Disco Dingo 2019-04-18 2020-01-18 5.0 4.13.3
19.10 Eoan Ermine 2019-10-17[75] 2020-07-17 5.3 4.14
20.04 LTS Focal Fossa 2020-04-23 2023-04-29 5.4 4.14 LTS release
20.10 Groovy Gorilla 2020-10-22 2021-07-22 5.8 4.14
21.04 Hirsute Hippo 2021-04-22 2022-01-22 5.11 4.16
21.10[114] Impish Indri 2021-10-14 2022-06-14 5.13[115] 4.16
22.04 LTS Jammy Jellyfish 2022-04-21 2025-04-24 5.15 4.16 LTS release
22.10 Kinetic Kudu 2022-10-20 2023-07-23 5.19[98] ~4.17
23.04 Lunar Lobster 2023-04-20 2024-01-20 6.2 4.18[100]
23.10 Mantic Minotaur 2023-10-12 2024-07-12 6.5 4.18
24.04 LTS Noble Numbat 2024-04-25 2027-04 6.8 4.18 Current LTS release
24.10 Oracular Oriole 2024-10-10 2025-07-10 6.11 4.19
25.04 Plucky Puffin 2025-04-17 2026-01-17 6.14 4.20
25.10 Questing Quokka 2025-10-09 2026-07 6.17 4.20 Current interim release
Legend:   Old version, not maintained   Older version, still maintained   Current stable version   Future version

Reception

[edit]

The Xfce desktop environment is intended to use fewer system resources than the default Ubuntu GNOME desktop. In September 2010, the Xubuntu developers claimed that the minimum RAM Xubuntu could be run on was 128 MB, with 256 MB of RAM strongly recommended at that time.[116]

Testing conducted by Martyn Honeyford at IBM in January 2007 on Xubuntu 6.10 concluded that it "uses approximately 25MB less application memory, and also eats significantly less into buffers and cache (which may imply that there is less file activity) than Ubuntu".[117]

In a September 2009 assessment in Linux Magazine, Christopher Smart noted, "the Xfce desktop is very lightweight and well suited to machines with small amounts of memory and processing power, but Xubuntu's implementation has essentially massacred it. They've taken the beautifully lightweight desktop and strangled it with various heavyweight components from GNOME. In all fairness to the project however, they do not claim that Xubuntu is designed for older machines – that's just something the community has assumed on their own. It might be more lightweight than Ubuntu itself, but if so it's not by much".[118]

However, another reviewer, Laura Tucker also from Make Tech Easier, in her 2016 article What OS Are You Using and Why? as survey of her writing team's computers, noted that Xubuntu is the favourite OS of one member of her team for her older desktop computer, as the writer reported, "because it is lightweight and works great". She also noted that it is easy to customize.[119]

Derivatives

[edit]

Xubuntu has been developed into several new versions by third-party developers:

Element OS
A distribution for home theater PCs — discontinued in 2011.[120]
Emmabuntüs
A distribution designed to facilitate the repacking of computers donated to Emmaüs Communities.
GalliumOS
A Linux distribution for ChromeOS devices.[121]
OzOS
A now-defunct Linux distribution based on a severely stripped down version of Xubuntu. Focused on Enlightenment, e17, compiled directly from SVN source. Easy update of e17 is made from SVN updates, by a click on an icon or from CLI using morlenxus' script.[122][123]
Black Lab Linux (previously OS4 and PC/OS)
A derivative of Xubuntu the interface for which was made to look like BeOS.[124] A 64-bit version was released in May 2009.[125] In 2010 PC/OS moved to more unified look to its parent distribution and a GNOME version was released on 3 March 2010.[126] Renamed Black Lab Linux on 19 November 2013.[127]
UberStudent Linux
A discontinued education-use derivative of Xubuntu LTS releases[128][129]
UserOS Ultra
A minimal Xubuntu variant was produced for Australia's PC User magazine.[130]
Voyager
A French distribution[131] which comes with the Avant Window Navigator.[132][133][134][135][136]
ChaletOS
An English distribution similar to the Windows operating system in appearance.[137][138]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Xubuntu

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from Grokipedia
Xubuntu is a community-developed based on , utilizing the to deliver a lightweight, stable, and highly configurable operating system. Designed for elegance and ease of use, it emphasizes performance on both modern and older hardware, providing a task-focused interface with preinstalled applications for web browsing, office productivity, media handling, and more, while maintaining the security and software ecosystem of . Xubuntu's security hardening is essentially identical to Ubuntu's, sharing the same core system including AppArmor for application confinement and security updates. Initiated as an official Ubuntu flavor, Xubuntu's first release occurred on June 1, 2006, alongside 6.06 LTS (Dapper Drake), with development led by a volunteer team dedicated to enhancing usability and modularity. The project follows 's biannual release cycle, issuing interim versions every six months supported for nine months and long-term support (LTS) editions every two years backed for three years, all built on the foundation and for broad hardware compatibility. As of November 2025, the latest version is Xubuntu 25.10 (Questing ), released on October 9, 2025, featuring 4.20 for improved customization and Wayland support for enhanced graphics performance. Xubuntu stands out for its minimal resource usage—requiring at least a 64-bit or processor and 1 GB of RAM—making it ideal for netbooks, laptops, and desktops where efficiency is paramount, while offering two editions: the full Desktop for ready-to-use setups and Core for advanced customization. The distribution's open-source nature fosters community contributions in design, testing, and documentation, ensuring ongoing evolution aligned with the of accessibility and freedom.

Introduction

Overview

Xubuntu is a community-maintained official flavor of the , featuring the as its core interface since its establishment in 2006. Designed for efficient daily computing on desktops, laptops, and netbooks, it prioritizes a that performs well on older or resource-constrained hardware, typically using around 400–600 MB of RAM when idle, while maintaining an elegant, user-friendly experience. This focus on stability, configurability, and minimal resource usage distinguishes Xubuntu as an accessible option for users seeking a balance between performance and customization without compromising on modern usability, particularly appealing to those desiring a Windows-like experience on low-spec systems through XFCE's simple, traditional default layout that is easily adjustable and support for Windows applications via Wine, which is identical to Ubuntu due to shared repositories. Its straightforward installer, vast Ubuntu tutorials, and access to extensive software resources further enhance its beginner-friendliness. Available for download at xubuntu.org. Aligned with Ubuntu's development model, Xubuntu adheres to a biannual release schedule using the YY.MM versioning format, accompanied by whimsical animal-themed codenames, such as "Noble Numbat" for 24.04. Each release integrates the latest stable updates from Ubuntu's repositories, ensuring compatibility and security. As of November 2025, the most recent version is Xubuntu 25.10, codenamed "Questing ," which became available in October 2025 and receives support for nine months.

Design Philosophy

Xubuntu's design philosophy is rooted in and user-friendliness, aiming to provide an elegant, easy-to-use operating system that is particularly accessible to and users with low-spec hardware. By committing to principles and avoiding bloatware, it ensures a streamlined experience focused on essential functionality without unnecessary overhead. Central to this approach is the "lightweight by design" tenet, which optimizes to support older hardware and extend device lifespan, while prioritizing stability and conservative workflows over experimental or cutting-edge features. This philosophy delivers a stable, configurable desktop that emphasizes reliability for everyday tasks. Influenced by Ubuntu's open-source ethos of and , Xubuntu adapts these ideals to the desktop environment's modular and traditional paradigm, offering a familiar, customizable interface that aligns with user preferences. In versions following 2016, such as 22.04, Xubuntu has evolved to incorporate modern aesthetics through updates like enhanced theme support for contemporary toolkits and refreshed icons, all while preserving its core emphasis on lightness and performance.

Core Features

Xfce Desktop Environment

Xfce serves as the foundational for Xubuntu, providing a modular and lightweight interface built on the toolkit. This architecture allows for customizable components that adhere to the of simplicity and reusability, enabling users to mix and match elements without unnecessary bloat. Key components include , a versatile that supports bulk renaming and plugin extensions for added functionality; the Whisker Menu, an application launcher integrated into the panel that facilitates quick access to favorites, recent applications, and search capabilities; and XFWM, the responsible for handling decorations, placement, and workspace management across multiple virtual desktops. In Xubuntu, undergoes specific adaptations to enhance out-of-the-box usability, distinguishing it from vanilla installations. Default themes such as Greybird, which offers refined support for 3 and 4 with subtle color accents and consistent styling across applications, are pre-applied to create a cohesive and modern aesthetic. Panel layouts are pre-configured with a top horizontal panel featuring the Whisker Menu, system tray, and workspace switcher, while bottom panels can be added for additional applets; these setups prioritize and . The default layout is simple and traditional, making it easy to customize for a more Windows-like experience by adjusting panel positions, adding launchers, and modifying desktop icons. Pre-configured settings, accessible via the Settings Manager under the Personal category, include optimized profiles and keyboard shortcuts, ensuring immediate productivity without extensive tweaking. The integration of in Xubuntu emphasizes performance efficiency, making it ideal for resource-constrained environments such as netbooks, virtual machines, and low-spec hardware. Idle RAM usage typically ranges from 300 to 600 MB on a fresh installation, significantly lower than heavier desktops like , due to its modular design that loads only essential components. This lightness contributes to fast boot times, often under 20 seconds on modern hardware, and smooth operation in virtualized setups where overhead is a concern. Recent Xubuntu releases have incorporated advanced Xfce versions, starting with 4.18 in 24.04, 4.19 in 24.10, and 4.20 in 25.10. Versions 4.18 and 4.19 brought enhancements like improved support through configurable default behaviors for display attachment and refined window movement across screens, better Wayland compatibility for future-proofing, typeahead search in for quicker file navigation, and performance optimizations in components such as for faster application searching. Xubuntu 25.10 with Xfce 4.20 includes minor updates for improved stability and Wayland support.

Default Software Suite

Xubuntu's default software suite is curated to embody its core philosophy of providing a lightweight, efficient, and user-friendly computing experience on modest hardware, prioritizing open-source applications that consume minimal system resources while delivering essential functionality. As an official Ubuntu flavor, Xubuntu shares the same core system and security hardening mechanisms as Ubuntu, including AppArmor, a Linux Security Module that implements mandatory access control to confine applications and restrict their capabilities, thereby enhancing proactive security. This selection avoids proprietary software entirely, focusing instead on tools that integrate seamlessly with the Xfce desktop environment and emphasize simplicity and performance. The suite includes core applications for everyday productivity and multimedia needs. For web browsing and email, Xubuntu ships with as the default browser and Thunderbird as the email client, both distributed as Snap packages for streamlined updates and security. Office tasks are handled by the full suite, encompassing for word processing, Calc for spreadsheets, and Impress for presentations, ensuring compatibility with common document formats without additional bloat. Media playback is supported by , a lightweight media player for audio and video files, alongside for music library management. Xubuntu distinguishes itself with specialized, resource-efficient applications tailored to its lightweight ethos. The text editor offers a simple interface for editing files, serves as an with fast thumbnail generation, and provides a quick file search tool powered by locate for efficient querying. Other utilities include for file management, for remote file access, and Xfburn for disc burning, all designed to minimize overhead while maximizing usability. Over time, the suite has evolved to incorporate modern standards for better compatibility and performance. Starting with version 23.04, replaced as the default audio server, enabling improved support for advanced audio/video processing and devices with lower latency. These updates reflect Xubuntu's commitment to maintaining a lean footprint while adapting to upstream advancements in .

System Requirements and Compatibility

Hardware Specifications

Xubuntu is designed to operate efficiently on modest hardware configurations, making it suitable for reviving older systems while maintaining modern functionality. The minimum , as specified by the Xubuntu team, include an or 64-bit processor, at least 1 GB of RAM (with additional recommended for systems using integrated graphics), and 8.6 GB of free storage space for installation. These thresholds enable Xubuntu to run on computers manufactured as early as 2007 that originally shipped with operating systems like or Mac OS X 10.5. For optimal performance, particularly when multitasking or handling larger files, the recommended specifications are a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, and 20 GB of free storage space. Users with solid-state drives (SSDs) may experience further improvements in responsiveness, though this is not strictly required. A of at least 1024x768 is supported for standard usability, aligning with common hardware capabilities. In comparison to the standard Ubuntu Desktop edition, Xubuntu's requirements are notably lower due to the lightweight Xfce desktop environment, which reduces resource demands. Ubuntu specifies a minimum of a 2 GHz dual-core processor, 4 GB of RAM for physical installations, and 25 GB of storage, positioning Xubuntu as a more accessible option for low-end hardware without sacrificing core Ubuntu compatibility. Xubuntu's hardware testing and specifications are derived from official documentation and validation, ensuring reliability across diverse setups. Support for 32-bit architectures officially ended with the release of Xubuntu 19.04, shifting focus exclusively to 64-bit systems thereafter.

Software Ecosystem Integration

Xubuntu leverages the Advanced Package Tool (APT) for software management, providing seamless access to the extensive Ubuntu repositories that contain over 60,000 binary packages across main, universe, restricted, and multiverse components. As an official Ubuntu flavor, Xubuntu provides identical compatibility to other Ubuntu-based distributions for software such as Wine, which allows users to seamlessly run Windows applications. This extensive access to software repositories, along with the vast array of Ubuntu tutorials available, makes Xubuntu particularly suitable for beginners. This integration allows users to install, update, and remove software using standard commands like apt install or graphical tools such as Synaptic Package Manager, ensuring compatibility with the broader Debian-based ecosystem. Additionally, Xubuntu maintains specific Personal Package Archives (PPAs) hosted on Launchpad for customized themes, artwork, and development tools, such as the Extras PPA for previewing lightweight enhancements and the QA Staging PPA for testing updates before they reach stable releases. These PPAs can be added via add-apt-repository and integrated into APT sources lists, enabling targeted installations without disrupting core system stability. Support for universal package formats like and Snap is available in Xubuntu, with Snap enabled by default and Flatpak installable via the Flathub repository for users seeking additional sandboxed applications. This facilitates the installation of applications that run consistently across Linux distributions while prioritizing lightweight options suitable for the Xfce environment. Snap, developed by , is pre-installed with desktop integration for seamless app launching, and the Snap Store serves as the primary graphical interface for discovering and managing these containerized packages, including core system components like . Flatpak allows users to theme applications to match Xfce's Greybird aesthetic after installation and adding the Flathub repository. This dual-format approach enhances security and portability, with an emphasis on minimal overhead to align with Xubuntu's performance-focused philosophy. The in Xubuntu aligns precisely with 's versioning and enablement stack, utilizing the same General Availability (GA) kernel for initial releases and Hardware Enablement (HWE) kernels for ongoing hardware support in LTS versions, such as kernel 6.8 in Xubuntu 24.04 LTS. Driver integration draws from 's repositories, providing Xfce-optimized configurations for graphics via open-source Mesa drivers or proprietary options like through ubuntu-drivers, and audio via with ALSA backend for low-latency playback. These drivers ensure efficient resource utilization in the Xfce desktop, with automatic detection and installation during setup or via the Additional Drivers tool, maintaining compatibility for common hardware like / GPUs and Realtek sound cards. Upgrading Xubuntu benefits from 's unified release management, enabling seamless transitions to standard via the do-release-upgrade command, which updates the base system while preserving the Xfce desktop unless explicitly modified. After running sudo do-release-upgrade, users can switch to the GNOME-based desktop by installing the ubuntu-desktop meta-package (sudo apt install ubuntu-desktop), which pulls in necessary components without requiring a full reinstall, though a logout and session selection at are needed to activate the change. This process supports both interim and LTS upgrades, with Xubuntu's providing graphical notifications for new releases, ensuring minimal disruption across ecosystem variants.

History and Development

Origins

Xubuntu originated as a community-driven initiative within the project to create a variant using the . In September 2005, Jani Monoses proposed the development of an Xfce-flavored Ubuntu derivative on the ubuntu-devel , aiming to attract users of middle-range hardware and those familiar with Xfce from other distributions. The project quickly garnered interest from the MOTU (Master of the Universe) Xfce team and other contributors, forming the initial development group open to broader involvement. The primary motivation was to offer a more resource-efficient alternative to the GNOME-based Ubuntu, suitable for older or less powerful systems while maintaining Ubuntu's core stability and ease of use. Although the team targeted a release alongside Ubuntu 5.10 (Breezy Badger) in October 2005, the effort fell short due to the project's nascent stage, resulting in only a metapackage ("xubuntu-desktop") available for installation on standard Ubuntu. Xubuntu achieved official flavor status with its debut as an independent distribution in June 2006, coinciding with 6.06 LTS (Dapper Drake). Led by Jani Monoses, the early team faced challenges in securing this recognition from and the Ubuntu Council, as well as adapting the newly introduced Ubiquity installer for integration to enable a seamless experience. Additional hurdles included refining hardware compatibility, such as sound system integration, to ensure a polished out-of-the-box setup.

Key Milestones

From 2011 to 2015, Xubuntu maintained its commitment to the desktop environment amid Ubuntu's broader interface experiments, notably declining to adopt the Unity shell introduced in 11.04 and instead retaining its traditional Xfce layout for continuity and performance. This decision preserved Xubuntu's focus on simplicity and , avoiding the resource demands of Unity while ensuring compatibility with Ubuntu's core . In 2012, with the release of Xubuntu 12.04 LTS, support for non-PAE 32-bit processors ended, marking a shift toward modern hardware compatibility by providing only PAE-enabled 32-bit kernels, though full 32-bit ISOs continued until later versions. Between 2016 and 2020, Xubuntu advanced its desktop through the adoption of 4.12, which debuted in earlier releases but became a staple for stability in versions like 16.04 and persisted through 18.10, introducing refinements in panel customization and window management. The project then transitioned to 4.14 in Xubuntu 20.04 LTS, enhancing header bar integration and notification handling for better usability. Early experiments with Wayland support began emerging in Xfce development during this period, though full implementation remained experimental and limited to testing environments rather than default deployment. Releases during this time, particularly 20.04 in April 2020, delivered a robust LTS focused on reliability. Since 2021, Xubuntu has emphasized modern multimedia and interface standards, adopting as the default audio server starting with 23.04 to unify handling of consumer and professional audio streams, replacing for improved low-latency performance and compatibility. Efforts toward GTK4 transitions have progressed incrementally within components, with partial porting in apps like and ongoing work to leverage GTK4's rendering improvements while maintaining GTK3 compatibility for the core desktop. Enhanced accessibility features, aligned with Ubuntu's broader WCAG AA conformance goals, include better integration and high-contrast theming options refined in releases from 22.04 onward. The team has prioritized these updates to ensure long-term viability. Community growth has been evident in milestones like Xubuntu 20.04 LTS, which served as a stability benchmark with three years of support and 4.14's polished workflows, attracting users seeking dependable lightweight computing. Subsequent releases advanced the desktop further: Xubuntu 23.04 introduced 4.18 with improved theming and performance; Xubuntu 24.10 featured 4.19; and Xubuntu 25.10 brought 4.20, including default Wayland support for enhanced graphics performance. More recently, Xubuntu 25.04 introduced integrations supporting AI workloads through Ubuntu's enhancements, enabling secure on-device processing via features like shared GPU pass-through for tools on hardware such as H100.

Release History

Release Cycle and Support

Xubuntu adheres to a biannual release cycle, synchronized with , producing new versions every six months in April and October. This schedule ensures regular updates to the underlying base, incorporating the latest stable features while maintaining stability for users. Releases follow 's versioning convention using the YY.MM format, where YY denotes the year and MM the month of release; for example, 25.04 for the April 2025 version and 25.10 for the October 2025 version. Each release is assigned a codename consisting of an alliterative paired with an animal, a tradition inherited from to facilitate development tracking and —such as "Plucky Puffin" for 25.04 and "Noble Numbat" for 24.04. (LTS) releases occur every two years in April, providing extended stability for production environments. Support durations differ by release type: interim (non-LTS) versions receive nine months of updates, covering patches and until the subsequent release, while LTS versions are supported for three years—for instance, Xubuntu 24.04 is maintained until April 2027. Although Ubuntu's main edition offers five years of standard LTS support with options for extension via Expanded Maintenance (ESM) through , Xubuntu as an official flavor maintains the three-year LTS period without dedicated ESM extensions. Kernel versions align with Ubuntu's choices for compatibility; Xubuntu 24.04, for example, ships with Linux kernel 6.8, which receives ongoing security and stability updates throughout the support period. Updates in Xubuntu are managed through the APT package manager, drawing security patches and core package maintenance from Ubuntu's main repositories, while flavor-specific components like Xfce customizations are handled via Xubuntu's dedicated repositories to ensure seamless integration. Users can apply these updates graphically via the Software Updater or from the command line with apt update and apt upgrade, prioritizing security fixes to maintain system integrity.

Long-Term Support Releases

Xubuntu's (LTS) releases provide extended stability and security updates, typically lasting three years for recent versions, making them ideal for users seeking reliability without frequent upgrades. These releases align with Ubuntu's biannual cycle but emphasize conservative updates to the desktop environment, focusing on bug fixes, performance optimizations, and compatibility enhancements rather than experimental features. The first LTS release, Xubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake), marked the debut of Xubuntu as a standalone distribution on June 1, 2006, featuring the basic 4.2 desktop for lightweight performance on older hardware; it received support until June 1, 2011. Xubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron), released April 24, 2008, introduced an improved graphical installer based on Ubiquity, enhancing ease of installation while maintaining 4.4; support ended May 12, 2011. Subsequent LTS versions built on this foundation with incremental Xfce upgrades and ecosystem integrations. Xubuntu 12.04 (Precise Pangolin), released April 26, 2012, adopted 4.10 and added volume control (pavucontrol) along with revised default shortcuts for better usability; it was supported until April 2017. Xubuntu 16.04 (Xenial Xerus), released April 21, 2016, incorporated 4.12, adopted for service management, replaced the with GNOME Software, and included community-selected wallpapers; support lasted until April 2021.
VersionCodenameRelease DateSupport EndKey Xfce VersionUnique Aspects
6.06Dapper DrakeJune 1, 2006June 1, 20114.2First standalone release; basic lightweight setup for legacy systems.
8.04Hardy HeronApril 24, 2008May 12, 20114.4Graphical Ubiquity installer for simplified setup.
12.04Precise April 26, 2012April 20174.10 integration (pavucontrol); updated shortcuts and dual-head wallpapers.
16.04Xenial XerusApril 21, 2016April 20214.12 adoption; Software; community wallpapers; new power manager applet.
18.04Bionic BeaverApril 26, 2018April 20234.12Greybird theme with dark variant and HiDPI support; Xfce plugin; audio enhancements; MATE app swaps for lighter alternatives.
20.04Focal FossaApril 23, 2020April 29, 20234.14Optional Greybird-dark theme; community wallpaper contest winners; / 3.36 updates; Python 3.8 default.
22.04Jammy JellyfishApril 21, 2022April 20254.16 as Snap; Greybird with 4 support; Whisker Menu enhancements; improved via BlueZ 5.64.
24.04Noble NumbatApril 25, 2024April 20274.18 audio; Xubuntu Minimal install option; Firmware Updater Snap; brighter elementary-xfce icons; enhanced touchpad support.
Each LTS release plays a pivotal role in introducing refined defaults, such as updated themes (e.g., Greybird variants in 18.04 and 20.04) and hardware enablement stacks (e.g., in 24.04 for modern audio devices), ensuring broad compatibility while prioritizing stability. For instance, the shift to Snap packages in 22.04 and 24.04 facilitates sandboxed updates for core apps like and Thunderbird, reducing security risks without compromising Xfce's lightweight nature. LTS releases are the primary choice for enterprise and server deployments due to their extended , mirroring Ubuntu's pattern where approximately 95% of installations use LTS versions for long-term reliability. This focus on stability has sustained Xubuntu's appeal in resource-constrained environments, with updates like in 16.04 and in 24.04 enabling seamless integration with contemporary hardware stacks.

Interim Releases

Interim releases of Xubuntu, released biannually in and , provide nine months of support and act as platforms for introducing and testing innovative features that are refined in subsequent versions. These non-LTS editions align with Ubuntu's development cycle, enabling the Xubuntu team to experiment with desktop enhancements, software integrations, and hardware compatibility improvements while maintaining the distribution's emphasis on a lightweight environment. From Xubuntu 6.10 "Edgy Eft" in 2006 through 15.10 "Wily Werewolf" in 2015, early interim releases concentrated on refining the desktop for better and resource efficiency. Key efforts included streamlining panel configurations, improving theme consistency, and enhancing application integration to deliver a polished, low-overhead experience suitable for older hardware. A notable advancement came in 7.10 "Gutsy ," which introduced support, allowing users to boot and test Xubuntu directly from installation media without altering their systems. In the mid-period spanning 16.10 "Yakkety Yak" to 21.10 "Impish Indri," interim releases served as experimental grounds for broader ecosystem changes, such as accelerated adoption of containerized applications. Xubuntu 18.10 "Cosmic Cuttlefish" advanced Snap package integration, enabling easier access to a wider array of software through the Xfce software manager while preserving the desktop's simplicity. Similarly, 20.10 "Groovy Gorilla" previewed hardware accelerations and kernel updates that laid groundwork for future display protocol transitions, including initial explorations toward Wayland compatibility in Xfce components. More recent interim releases from 22.10 "Kinetic Kudu" to 25.10 "Questing Quokka" have emphasized modern hardware support and subtle desktop refinements. Xubuntu 23.10 "Mantic Minotaur" added color emoji rendering via Ctrl + . shortcuts and integrated updated Xfce 4.18 panels for smoother multitasking. The 24.10 "Oracular Oriole" edition improved Bluetooth connectivity, particularly for headphones and peripherals, through enhanced BlueZ stack updates. In April 2025, 25.04 "Plucky Puffin" incorporated Xfce 4.20 with bug fixes for virtualized environments and refreshed GNOME applications featuring dark mode toggles for better low-light usability. The latest, 25.10 "Questing Quokka" from October 2025, builds on this with stability enhancements in Xfce 4.20 and bolstered Wayland session previews.

Community and Derivatives

Xubuntu Team

The Xubuntu team is composed primarily of volunteers who coordinate their efforts through platforms such as Launchpad for project management and bug tracking, and for community discussions. Core roles include release managers, who oversee the preparation and rollout of new versions, and artwork leads, who guide the creation and selection of visual themes and icons. Membership in the core team is restricted to perpetual contributors who demonstrate ongoing commitment to areas like packaging, coding, documentation, translation, and testing. Governance of the Xubuntu team falls under the broader Ubuntu Community Council, which enforces the Ubuntu and serves as the highest community body, while the Ubuntu Flavors Team provides oversight for official variants like Xubuntu through regular sync meetings to align on development and release processes. Unlike the main project, which receives corporate funding from , Xubuntu operates without direct financial backing, relying entirely on volunteer contributions and shared Ubuntu infrastructure such as repositories and servers. Key contributions from the include bug triaging, where volunteers ensure bug reports are properly categorized and detailed for developers to address effectively. Translation efforts support localization into over 50 languages through dedicated teams on Launchpad and Transifex, enabling broader . Additionally, the organizes artwork contests, often themed around cycles, to select wallpapers and visual elements that enhance the desktop experience. Since its formation in 2006, the Xubuntu team has grown, reflecting increased in its developer and extended teams.

Forks and Variants

Xubuntu features official variants tailored to specific user needs, including the Minimal installation option. This allows users to deploy a stripped-down version of the with only core components and essential applications, resulting in a smaller disk footprint—for example, as of Xubuntu 24.04, approximately 7.6 GB compared to the standard edition's 9.9 GB. Introduced in the installer for Xubuntu 21.04 and refined in later versions such as 24.04, the Minimal variant avoids unnecessary packages and , enabling greater customization for advanced users. Community-endorsed configurations, such as those optimized for gaming, leverage Xubuntu's lightweight base to enhance performance on modest hardware by minimizing overhead from animations and resource-heavy elements. Among notable derivatives of flavors, Linux Mint's Xfce Edition, launched in 2011, derives from and incorporates the desktop with Mint's proprietary tools for improved multimedia support and update management, while remaining compatible with 's repositories. Other distributions using include , an Arch Linux-based rolling-release distribution since 2011, offering easier hardware detection and a stable yet up-to-date package system distinct from Xubuntu's roots. Other derivatives include Emmabuntüs, which in earlier versions like 3 (based on Xubuntu 14.04) focused on refurbished personal computers by pre-installing tools, , and hardware diagnostic utilities to extend device lifespans in humanitarian contexts; later versions, such as DE6 in 2025, are based on Stable. Ubuntu Studio, originally built with until its 20.10 release, incorporates tweaks for low-latency audio and graphics workflows, allowing users to select for a lighter alternative to its current Plasma default. UberStudent, an educational derivative built on with since its 2.0 release in and discontinued after version 4.3 in , bundled academic tools like citation managers, apps, and features to support higher education and secondary learning environments. These forks and variants generally evolve Xubuntu's core by prioritizing even lighter resource usage for aging hardware or niche applications, such as and multimedia production, while preserving the Xfce desktop's modularity.

Reception

Critical Reviews

Xubuntu has received consistent praise from professional reviewers for its design, making it an ideal choice for older hardware and resource-constrained systems. user ratings reflect this acclaim, with an average score of 7.9 out of 10 from over 66 reviews, frequently commending its stability and low overhead for everyday tasks. Critics have pointed to Xubuntu's slower integration of modern features like Wayland support and advanced gestures compared to GNOME-based distributions. A 2025 community discussion emphasized the need for a clear on Wayland rollout in Xubuntu, as Xfce's experimental support lags behind GNOME's mature implementation, potentially affecting setups and gestures. Linux Magazine noted in 2023 that overall Wayland adoption remains gradual across desktops like Xfce, with compatibility issues persisting for some users transitioning from X11. Xubuntu has earned recognition in community-driven polls among Ubuntu flavors. In a 2025 Ubuntu Discourse poll on preferred flavors, Xubuntu ranked highly alongside and for its balance of performance and familiarity. It also received positive mentions in LinuxQuestions.org's annual Members' Choice Awards, where Ubuntu variants like Xubuntu contributed to 's repeated wins as Distribution of the Year from 2018 onward. The 24.04 LTS release drew acclaim for enhanced stability and efficiency. Phoronix benchmarks in 2024 showed 24.04, including Xubuntu, achieving low CPU usage in server and desktop workloads, with optimizations like low-latency kernel options. A hands-on on MyDistroReview confirmed idle CPU near zero and RAM usage around 550 MB, underscoring its suitability for prolonged, stable operation on modest hardware.

User Adoption

Xubuntu has gained traction among beginners seeking an accessible entry into , thanks to its straightforward interface and minimal resource demands that simplify the transition from other operating systems. It is also favored by elderly users and those in developing regions where hardware constraints are common, as its lightweight desktop environment runs efficiently on older or low-spec machines, enabling broader accessibility without requiring hardware upgrades. Based on a 2020 survey, Xubuntu accounted for approximately 15% of installations at that time. Usage statistics reflect Xubuntu's niche but steady presence in the broader ecosystem. In the Hardware Survey for October 2025, Linux distributions overall reached a 3.05% share among gamers, with noted as a prominent option contributing to this growth, though specific Xubuntu breakdowns are not isolated. Globally, desktop holds approximately 3% as of October 2025, with Xubuntu benefiting from its role in Ubuntu's 33.9% dominance within Linux distros. Key drivers of Xubuntu's adoption include the availability of free ISO downloads, which lower barriers for users experimenting with , and its suitability as an upgrade path for aging systems facing end-of-support challenges. Its deployment in educational settings has further boosted uptake, with schools like Colegio Hispano Americano adopting it for administrative and teaching tasks due to its stability and pre-installed educational tools, while projects like XubEcol customize Xubuntu for classroom environments. Despite these strengths, Xubuntu faces competition from alternatives like , which offers extended support cycles—up to five years versus Xubuntu's three-year LTS—and enhanced Windows-like theming that appeals to migrants from proprietary systems. However, Xubuntu retains long-term users through its reliable LTS releases, providing security updates and stability for extended periods without frequent upgrades.

References

  1. https://xubuntu.org/about/
  2. https://xubuntu.org/tour/
  3. https://documentation.ubuntu.com/server/how-to/security/apparmor/
  4. https://xubuntu.github.io/xubuntu-docs/user/C/what-is-xubuntu.html
  5. https://xubuntu.org/releases/
  6. https://xubuntu.org/news/xubuntu-25-10-released/
  7. https://xubuntu.org/requirements/
  8. https://xubuntu.org/
  9. https://wiki.winehq.org/Ubuntu
  10. https://www.everydaylinuxuser.com/2012/11/xubuntu-1210-day-2-customise-desktop.html
  11. https://askubuntu.com/questions/726452/which-is-better-for-a-slow-computer-and-a-user-who-is-only-familiar-with-windows
  12. https://docs.xubuntu.org/contributors/xsd.html
  13. https://ubuntu.com/about/about-ubuntu/our-philosophy
  14. https://wiki.xubuntu.org/releases/22.04/release-notes
  15. https://www.xfce.org/about
  16. https://wiki.xubuntu.org/releases/24.10/release-notes
  17. https://xubuntu.org/news/small-details-panel-layouts/
  18. https://www.siberoloji.com/xubuntu-vs-lubuntu-which-one-wins-on-ram-usage/
  19. https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=15868
  20. https://wiki.xubuntu.org/releases/24.04/release-notes
  21. https://wiki.xubuntu.org/releases/25.10/release-notes
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