Ubuntu 18.04’s “end of life” has recently been announced. What should you do if you happen to be using this distro? Can you keep using it? Should you upgrade? Here are your options for when Ubuntu 18.04’s formal end-of-life arrives in May 2024.
Why Is Ubuntu 18.04 Support Going Away?
Ubuntu 18.04, codenamed “Bionic Beaver,” was originally released in April 2018. As along-term support (LTS) release of Ubuntu, it was entitled to five years of regular support from Canonical. Now that time has passed, and it’s now time for support for 18.04 to go away. According tothe official Ubuntu website, regular support for Ubuntu 18.04 will end on June 12, 2025.
This won’t mean the end of support options, though.
Upgrade to a Newer Version of Ubuntu
One way to keep receiving Canonical’s support for Ubuntu is to upgrade to a newer version of the distro. Conveniently, Canonical released a new LTS version in 2024, dubbed “Noble Numbat.”
Upgrading is the simplest solution if your hardware can take it, and the requirements haven’t changed that much over the past few years. The minimum required RAM is four gigabytes. Ubuntu is free, so for ordinary desktop users, upgrading is the best option.
If your hardware is older, you can choose a lighter-weight version of Ubuntu like Xubuntu, or change to a lightweight Ubuntu-based distro that’s not an official variant.
Ubuntu Pro offers up to ten years of support and you will have to upgrade once that’s up. This extended support will probably appeal to you more if you’re running a server than a desktop, which should be easier to upgrade.
Switch to Another Distro
Finally, you have the option of switching distros altogether. If you’re a desktop user with older hardware, lightweight distros are a good bet. The Ubuntu variant Xubuntu is based on the Xfce desktop and runs on older hardware. Another option is Lubuntu, based on LxQt.
You can also opt forother lightweight distros. There are many to choose from since Linux is popular for reviving older machines that may have stopped getting OS updates from Apple or Microsoft.
