How to Check Your Ubuntu Version

How to Check Your Ubuntu Version

You may need to determine the distribution version of your operating system if you want to connect third-party repositories or install specific software on a server that was not built and configured by you. In this guide, we will explore three methods to check the version of Ubuntu.

Method #1: Using the command line

1. Connect to the server. 

2. Open the terminal window and execute the following command:

lsb_release -a

This command retrieves the release information of your Ubuntu system. Look for the line that starts with ā€œDescriptionā€ or ā€œReleaseā€ in the output.

Note: Ubuntu version numbers follow a pattern of <Year>.<Month>, representing the year and month of the release.

Method #2: Using the command line (alternative)

1. Open the Terminal.

2. Enter the following command:

cat /etc/lsb-release

This command displays the contents of the ā€œ/etc/lsb-releaseā€ file, which contains information about your Ubuntu version.

Look for the line starting with ā€œDISTRIB_RELEASE=ā€. The text after the equals sign (ā€œ=ā€) indicates your Ubuntu version number. Additionally, you can find information about the Ubuntu version on the line ā€œDISTRIB_DESCRIPTIONā€.

Method #3: Using the system settings

1. Connect to the server where a graphical user interface (GUI) such as GNOME is installed.

2. Search for and open ā€œSettingsā€.

3. In the ā€œSettingsā€ page, locate the ā€œAboutā€ section.

Under the ā€œOS Nameā€ section, you will find your Ubuntu version mentioned.

By following these methods, you can easily check the version of Ubuntu installed on your system.

Conclusion

Want to run Ubuntu in a virtual environment? With Gcore Cloud, you can choose from Basic VM, Virtual Instances, or VPS/VDS suitable for Ubuntu:

Choose an instance

How to Check Your Ubuntu Version

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