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 “Description” or “Release” in the output.

Check the Ubuntu version with the "lsb_release -a" command

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 “/etc/lsb-release” file, which contains information about your Ubuntu version.

Look for the line starting with “DISTRIB_RELEASE=”. The text after the equals sign (“=”) indicates your Ubuntu version number. Additionally, you can find information about the Ubuntu version on the line “DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION”.

Check the Ubuntu version with the "cat /etc/lsb-rekease" command

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 “Settings”.

Settings in the Ubuntu GUI

3. In the “Settings” page, locate the “About” section.

Open the About sections in the Ubuntu GUI

Under the “OS Name” section, you will find your Ubuntu version mentioned.

Check the Ubuntu version in the System settings

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

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