Ubuntu made quite a splash when it came on the free software scene, and for good reason: Canonical Ltd., the company that created this distribution, started by hiring thirty-odd Debian developers and publicly stating the far-reaching objective of providing a distribution for the general public with a new release twice a year. They also committed to maintaining each version for a year and a half.

这样的目标是需要缩小关注范围的；Ubuntu 关注的软件包数量少于 Debian，且主要依赖于 GNOME 桌面（尽管还存在一个带有其它桌面环境的 Ubuntu 衍生版）。一切都是国际化的，且提供了很多种语言的支持。

So far, Ubuntu has managed to keep this release rhythm. They also publish Long Term Support (LTS) releases, with a 5-year maintenance promise. As of April 2024, the current LTS version is version 24.04, nicknamed Noble Numbat. The last non-LTS version is version 23.10, nicknamed Mantic Minotaur. Version numbers describe the release date: 24.04, for example, was released in April 2024.

Ubuntu 在普通大众中拥有广泛的用户。数以百万的用户对其安装之简单，桌面环境之易用留下了深刻的印象。

Ubuntu 和 Debian 过去曾经有过紧张的关系。由于 Canonical 市场要求 Ubuntu 成为自由软件界的良好公民与其实际操作中只是把应用于 Debian 软件包的改变简单公开的不同，让那些想让 Ubuntu 可以直接给 Debian 贡献而予以厚望的 Debian 开发者来说很失望。近年来情况有所好转，Ubuntu 现在的实际做法是把补丁提交到合适的地方。（尽管这只针对于它们打包的外部软件，不包括 Mir 或 Unity 之类的 Ubuntu 特定软件）。