The next LTS version (Long Term Support) of Ubuntu will be released in April 2024, exactly two years after the previous one. While these release supported in the long term (for 10 years from the date of publication) are evidently the most “popular” choice for professionals and companies, Ubuntu 23.10 Mantic Minotaur belongs to the category of “normal” releases, in which Canonical carries out experiments and integrates new features that will eventually become part of the next LTS versions in the future.
For this reason, Ubuntu 23.10 (downloadable from here) is supported for only 9 months, until July 2024: after this time window, users are required to upgrade to a later version of the Linux distribution.
Ubuntu 23.10 Mantic Minotaur it’s thelatest version that Canonical distributes while waiting for the launch of the next one LTS. For this reason, on server machines used on the cloud you always see the default releases 20.04 LTS and 22.04 LTS (supported until April 2030 and April 2032 respectively). From next year, 24.04 LTS will also be added, a version that will benefit from extended support until April 2034.
What’s new in Ubuntu 23.10
We said that the “normal versions” of Ubuntu anticipate the introduction of functionality which we will later see appear in the LTS releases. With Ubuntu 23.10, Canonical embraces the drive encryption of storage supported by the use of the TPM chip (Trusted Platform Module). Wider hardware support and a wider range of cryptographic options will be introduced with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
The new version of Ubuntu focuses on safety also thanks to the profiles AppArmor. These profiles are a representation of the security rules for a specific application or process. They define which resources (files, directories,…) and system privileges can be accessed by a specific application.
When you run an application, the Linux kernel consults the profiles AppArmor associated with it. If an AppArmor profile is configured for limit access of the application only to certain resources or privileges, the kernel will enforce those rules.
Marriage between Ubuntu, Raspberry Pi and RISC-V
A few days after the official presentation of Raspberry Pi 5, it emerges that Canonical and the foundation have worked together to optimize support for the single-board computer on Linux. There will therefore be both versions server That desktop on Ubuntu 23.10 per Raspberry Pi 5. The desktop version on Raspberry Pi 5 effectively turns the board into a desktop computer based on the Penguin operating system. As regards the RISC-V world, Ubuntu 23.10 extends support to the development board SiFive HiFive Pro P550.
It becomes easier and faster to find the apps you need
Ubuntu 23.10 introduces a App Center improved: Provides a fast and easy-to-use interface for finding applications. Apps can be installed using the ubiquitous .deb files and via i Snap packages by Canonical.
Using the App Center, it is now possible to locate the apps you need thanks to a rich amount of metadata provided through the Canonical Snap Store. Snap applications, Canonical is keen to underline, are subjected to rigorous security checks to ensure that they do not use potentially dangerous permissions.