Published Apr 1, 2023, 5:30 PM EDT
Ali is a Senior Writer and Newsletter Specialist at MUO. He's been a tech enthusiast all his life, starting with a 286 PC gifted to him at the age of 7. With time, he's grown into a power user of Android, Linux, and Windows, which are the main focus of his writing here at MUO. He's also got a proficient track record for bricking Android phones while trying to push the hardware and software to their limits.
Ali has an Advanced Diploma in Business Management from London, UK, and is an English Literature graduate from Punjab University, Pakistan. Other than MUO, he's written for publications like How-To Geek—however, most of his previous work was as a ghostwriter for high-profile clients.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Ali tried his luck at music production, graphic designing, teaching, business management, web development, and dropshipping. His writing often reflects all these experiences he's had in life.
Ubuntu is easily the most popular choice for an operating system if you're planning to switch to Linux. And if you want to make the transition easier, knowing the meaning of some common terms like sudo, package manager, LTS, and APT is a good idea.
Understanding Ubuntu’s terminology will help you gain knowledge of how it works, helping you utilize the operating system to its full potential. Besides, if you’re switching to Linux, you probably want to become a power user. Knowing the meaning of these terms is the first step to becoming one.
So let’s look at some common Ubuntu terms, jargon, and lingo that you should know about.
1. APT
APT, or Advanced Package Tool, is a command-line tool that allows you to interact with software packages. You can use it to install, remove, and update packages on Ubuntu.
APT provides a user-friendly and easy way of managing your apps. It saves you the hassle of manually building a program from the source.
2. dpkg
dpkg is also a package manager like APT. It provides the same functionality to install, remove and manage packages. But unlike APT, it can only work on one package at a time.
It is the older package manager of the two but is still pretty useful and widely used on Debian-based systems such as Ubuntu. APT is actually a front-end wrapper for dpkg, which works behind the scenes.
3. GNOME
GNOME is a graphical user interface (GUI) or desktop environment (DE) for Linux. It powers the Ubuntu desktop, providing it with handy features, apps, and its look and design.
GNOME aims to make Linux user-friendly by offering a visually appealing interface. If you’re new to Linux, this DE will help you navigate the system easily.
4. LTS
LTS stands for long-term support, and it is one of the versions of Ubuntu. Ubuntu LTS is released every two years and has free support for five years. This version is more stable as compared to other versions, making it suitable for use as a daily driver.
The updates you get are also highly stable, which is why you won’t get too many of them. If you’re looking for cutting-edge features, you probably want to go for a less stable version like the daily builds or interim releases.
5. Package Manager
A package manager is a tool responsible for installing, removing, and updating apps on Ubuntu. Software or apps come bundled as packages, so you need a package manager such as APT or dpkg to deal with these packages.
6. GDM and LightDM
GDM (GNOME Display Manager) and LightDM are display managers for Ubuntu, which provide the GUI you use to log into your Ubuntu device and start sessions on it.
GDM is the default display manager for GNOME and is prettier, while LightDM, as the name suggests, is the lighter version of it that has pretty much the same basic functionality.
7. sudo
You might have already used sudo in the Ubuntu terminal, especially when configuring your system for the first time. sudo is a command-line utility that provides you access to system-level operations.
These operations require administrative rights, so you must be the administrator of the system to use this command. It helps you perform package management operations, configure important system functions, and more.
8. Repository
A repository is a kind of storage with many configuration files bundled in different packages or folders. On Ubuntu, you can access software packages and install them on your computer using a software repository.
Most Debian-based software for Ubuntu is packaged with a DEB extension in the official Ubuntu repositories. You get different CLI and GUI tools to access the software from these repositories, like APT.
9. Shell
Shell is a command-line interpreter for Linux and is probably the most powerful tool in the Linux system. It is responsible for executing commands you write in the terminal, acting as a communication bridge between the OS and the user. It takes those commands and sends them to the OS to perform actions like running programs.
10. Terminal
A terminal is a text-based interface that helps you interact with the shell. It is an input-output environment where you provide text-based commands, and it displays the output provided by the shell.
You can use the default terminal on Ubuntu or check out these other terminal emulators available for Linux. The basic functionality is pretty much the same, but the look and feel might be different.