Last (and I do mean that alphabetically) on the list of official Ubuntu flavors, there’s Xubuntu, the unsung hero that has the power to breathe life into older machines as very few modern OSes can.
The latest release, Xubuntu 24.04 LTS Noble Numbat keeps the project focused on simplicity and lightness (as one might expect since it’s still powered by the awesome Xfce desktop), while also aligning it with the latest technologies brought by the mainline Ubuntu.
To my surprise, this latest release of Xubuntu is a very hefty one. That’s very good because an LTS has a longer support life than most interim releases.
Some of the highlights of this release include the Xfce desktop 4.18, the addition of the snap-based App Center (and the inclusion of Gdebi, but more on that a bit later), a brand new Firmware Updater, and a new installer.
Let’s start with the changes done to Xfce 4.18. If you’re coming from Xubuntu 23.10, then don’t expect anything too groundbreaking. However, there are massive differences when compared to 22.10.
For instance, there are Thunar improvements such as split view, image preview, folder color change, a new bookmark menu, a new Recent menu/shortcut, the option to undo and redo, as well as the option to verify checksums from FTP.
As mentioned before, Xubuntu now uses a snap-based App Center (like Ubuntu) in favor of the older GNOME Software (which you can still install, by the way). If we’re on the subject, GDebi is also offered by default, really handy for installing Debian packages from both official and unofficial repositories.
Snap Desktop integration is included for improved snap package support, and the Firmware Updater (snap:firmware-updater) is included to enable firmware updates from LVFS (Linux Vendor Firmware Service).
Apart from the core improvements from the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS release (of which are many), Xubuntu 24.04 LTS also features a brand new Flutter-based installer.
There’s also a new minimal ISO for all those who want Xubuntu as stripped down as possible (no web browsers and adjacent apps, just a simple file manager, terminal, and image viewer). What’s really cool about this Minimal ISO is that it takes around 8 GB of disk space (practically unheard of in this day and age). However, do be aware that it comes with all the Snap packages.
When it comes to picking which Ubuntu flavors have the most potential over the longest period of time, I’m inclined to pick Xubuntu among the favorites.
Sure, it’s not and probably won’t ever be the most sought-after Ubuntu flavor out there, but the fact that it manages to integrate most of the latest Ubuntu technologies and change so efficiently while remaining so lightweight and approachable is simply amazing to see.
