Ubuntu 16.04 LTS released
“Xenial Xerus” comes with a new packages format and several improvements for the enterprise.
Canonical has announced the arrival of Ubuntu 16.04. The new release is a long-term support (LTS) release that’s suitable for servers and enterprise customers. LTS releases are supported for five years, whereas regular releases are supported for nine months.
Ubuntu 16.04 comes with many new technologies and features aimed at enterprise users. This release introduces snaps, a new package format for containerized Ubuntu apps. Snaps will continue to co-exist with .deb-based packages for a foreseeable time. Canonical has added new redundancy features to the ZFS filesystem. The company has also added LXD, a pure container hypervisor with support for the recently released OpenStack Mitaka. With this release, Ubuntu is now available on IBM’s z Systems and LinuxONE mainframe machines.
On the desktop, Ubuntu 16.04 comes with Unity 7.x, which disables the Dash online search by default. Users now have the ability to customize the appearance of menu items and can change the location of the Unity Launcher through the Unity Tweak tool. With this release, Ubuntu has dropped the homegrown Ubuntu Software Center and moved to Gnome Software.
Ubuntu 16.04 and its official flavors are available for download immediately.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
Arch Linux Available for Windows Subsystem for Linux
If you've ever wanted to use a rolling release distribution with WSL, now's your chance.
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.