Canonical has made available to the community the beta of Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, the pre-release version ahead of the planned stable launch set for April 23, 2026. The new release, known as Resolute Raccoon, will be Ubuntu’s next major reference point for desktop and server, with five years of standard support until April 2031 and the option to extend it through Ubuntu Pro.
For a tech publication, the message is clear: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is not a minor update. Canonical has leveraged this cycle to consolidate many changes introduced in intermediate releases and make them the new foundation of their platform. This is evident in the jump to GNOME 50, the arrival of Linux 7.0, the definitive transition to Wayland as the official desktop session, and deeper decisions such as adopting sudo-rs, rust-coreutils, Dracut, and APT 3.
It’s worth clarifying one detail before the comparison: Ubuntu 25.04 is not an LTS. The most logical comparison would be between 24.04 LTS, 25.04 as an intermediate release, and this new 26.04 LTS Beta. The official documentation itself distinguishes 24.04 as an LTS, 25.04 as an “older release,” and 25.10 as the intermediate version immediately before 26.04.
Comparison Table: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS vs 25.04 vs 26.04 LTS Beta
| Feature | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | Ubuntu 25.04 | Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Beta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Version Type | LTS | Intermediate | LTS |
| Support | 5 years, until May 2029 | 9 months | 5 years, until April 2031 |
| Kernel | Linux 6.8 | Linux 6.14 | Linux 7.0 |
| GNOME Desktop | GNOME 46 | Intermediate evolution before GNOME 50 | GNOME 50 |
| Official session | Wayland already well established, with X.org still present | advanced transition | Wayland only on Ubuntu Desktop |
| Default Terminal | GNOME Terminal | transition underway | Ptyxis |
| PDF Viewer | Evince | Papers introduced | Papers |
| Image Viewer | Eye of GNOME | pre-transition | Loupe |
| Privilege Management | Traditional sudo | technical transition | sudo-rs by default |
| Basic Utilities | GNU coreutils | transition | rust-coreutils |
| Initramfs | initramfs-tools | transition | Dracut by default |
| Package Management | APT 2.x | transition | APT 3 |
| TPM Encryption | not a major highlight | partial advance | prominent in Desktop |
| Desktop Requirements | not specified here | not specified here | 2 GHz, 6 GB RAM, 25 GB disk |
Data based on the official notes of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, 25.04, and 26.04 LTS.
The table clearly leads to one conclusion: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS not only updates versions but also greatly changes the system’s technical foundation compared to 24.04 LTS. And compared to 25.04, which was a short nine-month transition release, the new LTS takes many of those innovations, stabilizes them, and packages them as a long-term platform.
What Actually Changes in Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
The desktop takes a significant leap with GNOME 50, improving fractional scaling, offering better auto-start configuration for applications, and introducing Sysprof as the default system profiling tool. Additionally, Ubuntu 26.04 completes the modernization of the graphical environment: the official Ubuntu Desktop session now operates only on Wayland, although X11 applications will still run via XWayland.
There’s also a push toward a more modern desktop environment with core applications. Papers replaces Evince as the document viewer, Loupe replaces Eye of GNOME as the image viewer, and Ptyxis becomes the default terminal. These are not cosmetic changes—they form part of a broader strategy to rely on newer applications, many developed with GTK4 and in some cases with Rust components.
Under the hood, Ubuntu 26.04 LTS updates to Linux 7.0, includes systemd 259, updates Netplan from 1.0 to 1.2, and debuts APT 3.1, which introduces a new dependency resolver, replaces OpenSSL with GnuTLS/gcrypt for certain internal functions, and permanently eliminates apt-key. Canonical also confirms that Dracut becomes the default initramfs infrastructure.
Another notable change is the adoption of sudo-rs as the default provider for sudo, while the classic sudo is renamed sudo.ws. Alongside this, Ubuntu adopts rust-coreutils for core system utilities, maintaining traditional GNU tools to ensure compatibility. This reflects a very specific direction: enhancing security, performance, and maintainability—even in historically untouchable components.
Compared to 24.04 LTS: More Disruption, More Ambition
Compared to Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, the new 26.04 LTS is significantly more aggressive. The previous LTS shipped with Linux 6.8, systemd 255, Netplan 1.0, Python 3.12, OpenJDK 21, and .NET 8, operating in a more conservative territory. Ubuntu 26.04 jumps to Linux 7.0, systemd 259, Python 3.13.9, OpenJDK 25, and .NET 10, also bringing noticeable advances in encryption, boot process, and core tools.
This makes Ubuntu 26.04 LTS particularly interesting for two profiles: first, for those upgrading from 24.04 LTS seeking a more current platform; and second, for developers, sysadmins, and infrastructure teams looking for a modern LTS with clear improvements in containers, virtualization, databases, and toolchains. Ubuntu 26.04 updates components like Docker, containerd, runc, libvirt, QEMU, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, and MySQL, among others.
Compared to 25.04: Now a Stable Foundation
The comparison with Ubuntu 25.04 is different. That version already introduced many of the pieces now being consolidated—such as Linux 6.14, the NTSYNC driver to improve Windows game performance in Wine and Proton, and new kernel and latency tweaks. But 25.04 was an intermediate release with only nine months of support, more a cycle shortcut than a long-term system.
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS inherits that history and adds contractual stability, extended support, and deeper technical foundation. In other words, it’s where Canonical makes what was once merely innovative a standard. This makes it more suitable for new deployments than 25.04, except in testing or early adoption scenarios.
Is It Worth Trying Now?
Yes, if your goal is to test, validate hardware, check application compatibility, or plan migrations. No, if you need a production environment. The beta still has known issues, including some related to the installer, accessibility, TPM encryption, and specific virtualization or hardware scenarios. Canonical makes it clear: this is a testing beta, not suitable for critical systems.
Nevertheless, the overall impression left by Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Beta is very solid. Canonical has not only updated packages but also clearly signals that Ubuntu’s future lies in Wayland, a more modern foundation, more components written in Rust, and a platform better prepared for development, cloud, security, and automation.
FAQs
Is Ubuntu 25.04 an LTS?
No. Ubuntu 25.04 is an intermediate release, not an LTS. The previous LTS is 24.04, and the next will be 26.04.
What is the main difference between 24.04 LTS and 26.04 LTS?
The new version makes a much bigger leap in kernel, GNOME, core tools, boot system, and security. It’s not just an incremental update.
Does Ubuntu 26.04 LTS now use only Wayland?
Yes, the official Ubuntu Desktop session runs solely on Wayland, though X11 applications remain compatible via XWayland.
When will the stable release arrive?
The planned final release date is April 23, 2026.
source: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Beta