Ubuntu Desktop 24.04 LTS, also called Noble Numbat, is a big update to the Ubuntu operating system. It brings new tools and improvements that make it better for people who write software and businesses.
This version of Ubuntu uses a new installer, the same one that Ubuntu Server uses. This makes setting up the system more flexible because it lets users customize their installation more deeply using tools like autoinstall and cloud-init.
The update improves security. For example, it introduces better handling of unprivileged user namespaces and stronger rules for Personal Package Archives (PPAs). These changes help make Ubuntu safer and more secure for its users.
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS works well in environments that use both Ubuntu and Windows. It now supports advanced group policies for Active Directory, which simplifies the management of these mixed systems.
The system now promises to support updates and security for up to 12 years, which includes 5 years of free support. This is particularly useful for businesses that need their systems to be stable and secure for a long time.
There’s also new support for confidential computing, which means better security for handling sensitive data, especially in cloud environments. This version supports the latest in hardware security on platforms like Microsoft Azure, which helps protect data even from threats that might come from within the hardware itself.