Ubuntu 23.10, as the name suggests, launched in October of 2023. It's an interim release of the most popular version of desktop Linux, landing a mere six months after the previous release. And this version comes with quite a bit of personality.
If you're making the update from Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, or the previous interim release, here are the notable differences you will encounter.
1. Canonical's Brand New App Center
Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, has spent years developing and maintaining its online app store for Linux. Now there's a custom-built desktop client to go with it. This app store is unique to Ubuntu and goes by the name of App Center (not to be confused with the elementaryOS AppCenter).
Canonical created App Center using Flutter, the same Google-developed programming language Canonical has adopted for other newer tools, like the system installer that debuted as one of the new features in Ubuntu 23.04.
This app store is a place to discover and download apps from both Canonical's Snap Store and Ubuntu's DEB-based software repository. This software comes from a wide range of developers, with the vast majority consisting of open-source code. You can also find various non-open but well-known programs like Steam, Discord, and Slack.
Compared to Ubuntu's prior efforts, App Center also does a better job of curating software and presenting new apps in a way that makes them more discoverable.
App Center also handles app updates, though 23.10 still retains the "Software & Updates" and "Software Updater" apps for managing system updates more broadly.
2. A New Firmware Updater Tool
Ubuntu 23.10 sees not one but two new in-house tools from Canonical. The new Firmware Updater does what it says: update firmware. This was previously a task you had to launch the Ubuntu Software store to perform, but now it's been separated into its dedicated app.
Why the change? Ubuntu Software needed to run in the background to check for firmware updates, putting more strain on system resources, particularly on older or low-powered machines. Having a separate smaller tool lightens the load.
3. An Assortment of Minotaur-Themed Wallpapers
Thanks to a wide range of minotaur-themed wallpapers, Mantic Minotaur comes with some of the charm of older Ubuntu releases (search for "Hardy Heron," if you weren't an Ubuntu user back in those days).
You have quite the selection, ranging from abstract vector art to minotaur silhouettes and full-on detailed 3D renderings. The wallpapers, perhaps more than any feature, make Ubuntu 23.10 feel like distinctly its own thing.
4. GNOME 45's New Activities Indicator
Most of what constitutes the Ubuntu desktop interface comes from the GNOME community. GNOME 45 introduces several immediately noticeable changes, such as the new activities indicator in the top-left corner of the screen.
This replaces the former "Activities" button. In addition to bringing up the Activities Overview, the new button also shows at a glance how many virtual desktops you have open and allows you to switch between them using your mouse wheel.
GNOME 45 also showcases new full-height sidebars in certain apps such as the file manager and system settings. But Ubuntu doesn't adopt all of GNOME 45. The new Loupe image viewer is noticeably absent. Canonical has opted to stick with Eye of GNOME instead.
5. A More Minimal Install
When you're doing a clean install of Ubuntu, you won't find as many pre-installed apps. The new installer defaults to what was formerly considered the "minimal install" option. This means newcomers will need to dive into the App Center to find much of the software they need. It also means experienced users won't have to spend as much time removing programs that they don't have a use for.
If you want the full set of apps like before, a "Full Installation" option remains available, so be sure to toggle that during installation.
6. TPM-Backed Full Disk Encryption
23.10 can use Trusted Platform Modules to secure full-disk encryption. This is an experimental feature that allows you to use a trusted key, rather than a passphrase, to decrypt a device at boot.
Such an option not only speeds up the process of booting up your computer but also protects against malware or other attacks that log your passphrase to gain access to your files. The TPM will not let you or an attacker decrypt your disk if it notices any unexpected changes in files related to the boot process, such as firmware.
Plus Support for More Hardware
As usual, you can expect a newer version of the Linux kernel (in this case, version 6.5) bringing Ubuntu to more hardware and enabling support for more devices.
For the first time, Ubuntu 23.10 will also run on the Raspberry Pi 5 as soon as the latest version of that single-board PC hits the market. As for everyone already running Ubuntu, the latest version is a free upgrade available to all.