Credit: sdecoret / Shutterstock / Ubuntu
Published May 13, 2024, 9:00 AM EDT
David is a freelance writer based in the Pacific Northwest, but originally hailing from the Bay Area. A journalist by training who has been writing professionally since 2009, he discovered the power of Unix-like operating systems and the command-line interface while learning how to edit video on macOS. It also helped that he'd originally cut his computing teeth on MS-DOS in the '90s.
He has been using Linux regularly in some form since 2006. David has been able to combine his passion for computing and writing in his career as a freelance writer. His writing has appeared in Techopedia, TMCnet, and Walyou, among others.
David holds a B.A. in communication from California State University, East Bay. A dedicated lifelong learner, he's been using Linux-based CAS tools like SymPy and Sage on Linux to make sure he remembers what he learned in his math classes and maybe even pick up a few new concepts along the way. Linux and open source have allowed him to explore advanced topics like calculus and linear algebra more easily than he could with pencil and paper.
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Summary
- Ubuntu 18.04 LTS "Bionic Beaver" support ends on May 31, 2024.
- Upgrade to the newest Ubuntu version, "Noble Numbat," for continued Canonical support.
- Alternatives include an Ubuntu Pro plan, lightweight distros, or switching to other Linux distros.
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 a long-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 to the official Ubuntu website, regular support for Ubuntu 18.04 will end on May 31, 2024.
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One way to keep receiving Canonical’s support for Ubuntu is to upgrade to a newer version of the distro.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.
Sign Up for Ubuntu Pro
If you can’t upgrade, or would rather not, you can sign up for an Ubuntu Pro plan. The good news for desktop users is that it’s free for personal use and small-scale commercial use on up to five machines.
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 for other 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.