Canonical Unveils Plans for Immutable Ubuntu Desktop Empowered by Snap

posted by Arindam Giri on Jun 01, 2023,
updated Jun 08, 2023

Canonical, the company behind the popular Ubuntu operating system, is charting a new course for its upcoming release, Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

In a bid to provide users with enhanced reliability, security, and manageability, Canonical is planning to introduce an alternative to the traditional Ubuntu Desktop image- an "Ubuntu Core"-based immutable desktop OS flavour. This move signifies a shift in focus for Ubuntu Core, which has traditionally catered to the IoT market and specialized areas.

Read on

Update (by Roy)

The original message:

• Ubuntu Blog: Ubuntu Core as an immutable Linux Desktop base

  Canonical began the development of Ubuntu Core in 2014, to create a fully-containerised platform for IoT. In Ubuntu Core, we use the same kernel container technology that Docker and LXC are built on, to put every component of the system into a secure sandbox, with well-defined upgrade and rollback. We did this to enable autonomous connected Internet of Things devices to receive updates which they could apply without human intervention, to address security and business needs at the edge. Ubuntu Core’s minimal footprint lends itself to enabling a secure, resilient, evergreen operating system that can be relied upon in the most challenging environments.
  

Linux Magazine:

• An All-Snap Version of Ubuntu is In The Works

  Along with the standard deb version of the open-source operating system, Canonical will release an-all snap version.

Marius:

• Canonical: We Are Excited to Explore the Idea of a Fully Containerized, Immutable Ubuntu Desktop

  Canonical says that it's excited to explore the idea of a fully containerized and immutable Ubuntu desktop in the near future.

It's FOSS:

• Snap-based Immutable Ubuntu Desktop to Come With 24.04 LTS!

  Canonical's Snap packaging system has been the center of many controversies in the Linux world since its inception back in 2014.

  There are two sides to it, one side supports Snaps due to its ease of use, and the other side isn't a fan of Canonical's closed-source approach to it.

  And this upcoming move by them is just going to stir the pot even more.

Ars Technica:

• A Snap-based, containerized Ubuntu desktop could be offered in 2024 | Ars Technica

  Ubuntu published a blog post about its Ubuntu Core desktop work after this Ars Technica post was published. Noting that Snaps "are a little famous for having some rough edges on the desktop," Product Manager Oliver Smith writes that, "[n]evertheless, we are excited to explore the idea of a fully containerised [UK sic] desktop, where each component is immutable and isolated." Ubuntu, Smith writes, has been "steadily improving" desktop snaps, and, "in due course, when we think the entire system can be delivered this way," a desktop Core version will be offered.

  Ubuntu's post suggests that a Core-based desktop would allow for "secure boot, recovery states and hardware backed encryption," experiments "with alternative desktop environment snaps," and opting in to certain kernel channels, such as those with the latest NVIDIA drivers. Original post follows.]

  Ubuntu Core has existed since 2014, providing a fully containerized, immutable Linux distribution aimed at Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing applications. Each piece of the system contains all the dependencies it requires, and just enough of its own tiny Linux architecture, that applications are largely sandboxed from one another, providing better security and, in theory, stability and ease of upgrades and rollbacks.

WebProNews:

• An Immutable All-Snap Ubuntu Desktop Is Coming Next Year

  Ubuntu plans to release an all-snap immutable version of Ubuntu for the desktop, a move that could be a turning point for the Linux distro.

  Canonical and its Ubuntu have done more to popularize Linux than virtually any other Linux distro, making the open source operating system accessible to the masses. In recent years, however, the company has made a number of decisions that have alienated users, none as much as snaps.

  Snaps are Ubuntu’s universal package format, designed to work across all distros, including Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, openSUSE, and more — all without requiring developers to build their apps for the specific distro they’re targeting.

Slashdot also:

• Ubuntu Core as an immutable Linux Desktop base

ZDNet:

• There's a new Ubuntu Linux desktop on its way

  Built around an immutable Linux core, this new Snap-based Ubuntu should provide a remarkably stable Linux desktop.

Late coverage:

• Oh Snap... Desktop Ubuntu Core to arrive in 2024

  Initially leaked in a forum comment, it has been confirmed in a blog post: Canonical will soon snappily jump aboard the immutable distro bandwagon.

  Lead Snap developer Oliver Grawert casually dropped the announcement in a comment in a story on the popular OMG Ubuntu site, but the news was confirmed the very next day in a lengthy and very detailed blog post by Ubuntu desktop product manager Oliver Smith. As of the next LTS release, which will appear next April, numbered as version 24.04, the standard Ubuntu desktop distro will be joined by a new immutable desktop version, based on the existing Ubuntu Core immutable distribution.