Ubuntu Flavors

What Are Ubuntu Flavors

Ubuntu Flavors are community-maintained variants officially recognized by Canonical. They share the same software repositories, the same Linux kernel, and the same security update infrastructure as standard Ubuntu — the key difference is the desktop environment and default applications they ship with.

Choosing a different Flavor is like choosing a different interior design for the same house — the foundation and plumbing (kernel and repositories) are identical, only the layout and decor (desktop environment and default apps) differ.

Tip

If you are not sure which version to pick, just go with the default Ubuntu (GNOME). It has the largest user community, the most comprehensive documentation, and is directly maintained by Canonical.

Comparison Overview

Flavor	Desktop Environment	Resource Usage	Best For	Website
Ubuntu	GNOME	Medium	Most users	ubuntu.com
Kubuntu	KDE Plasma	Medium	Customization enthusiasts	kubuntu.org
Xubuntu	Xfce	Low	Older hardware / lightweight needs	xubuntu.org
Lubuntu	LXQt	Very Low	Very old hardware / minimal setup	lubuntu.me
Ubuntu MATE	MATE	Low-Medium	Classic GNOME 2 fans	ubuntu-mate.org
Ubuntu Budgie	Budgie	Medium	Modern, clean UI lovers	ubuntubudgie.org
Ubuntu Studio	KDE Plasma	Medium	Audio/video creators	ubuntustudio.org
Ubuntu Cinnamon	Cinnamon	Medium	Linux Mint users	ubuntucinnamon.org
Ubuntu Unity	Unity7	Medium	Unity desktop fans	ubuntuunity.org
Edubuntu	GNOME	Medium	Educational institutions	edubuntu.org

Detailed Flavor Guide

Ubuntu (GNOME)

Ubuntu ships with the GNOME desktop environment by default and is the flagship edition maintained directly by Canonical. GNOME features a clean, modern design centered around the Activities Overview, with support for touchpad gestures and an immersive full-screen application launcher.

Minimum hardware requirements: Dual-core 2 GHz processor, 6 GB RAM, 25 GB disk space.

Best for: The vast majority of users, especially those coming from macOS who will find the workflow familiar. GNOME has the richest extension ecosystem and the largest community.

Installation: Download the ISO from ubuntu.com and install directly.

Kubuntu

Kubuntu ships with KDE Plasma, known for its exceptional customizability. From panel positions and window decorations to desktop widgets, nearly every visual element can be tweaked. KDE Plasma delivers a feature-rich experience while keeping resource usage reasonable.

Minimum hardware requirements: Dual-core 2 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM, 25 GB disk space.

Best for: Users who prefer a Windows-style layout and those who enjoy deep desktop customization.

Installation: Download the ISO from kubuntu.org , or install on an existing Ubuntu system:


sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop

Xubuntu

Xubuntu uses the Xfce desktop environment, striking a great balance between functionality and lightweight performance. Xfce offers a traditional, intuitive interface with fast startup times and low memory usage, while retaining full desktop capabilities.

Minimum hardware requirements: Single-core 1 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, 10 GB disk space.

Best for: Users with older hardware or those who prefer a lightweight experience. Xfce is stable and reliable, and does not frequently change its user interface.

Installation: Download the ISO from xubuntu.org , or run:


sudo apt install xubuntu-desktop

Lubuntu

Lubuntu ships with LXQt, the lightest desktop environment among all official Flavors. Built on the Qt toolkit, LXQt is lean and efficient, making it perfect for breathing new life into aging computers.

Minimum hardware requirements: Pentium 4 or equivalent processor, 512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended), 8 GB disk space.

Best for: Very old computers, netbooks, or anyone who wants the absolute lightest desktop experience.

Installation: Download the ISO from lubuntu.me , or run:


sudo apt install lubuntu-desktop

Ubuntu MATE

Ubuntu MATE uses the MATE desktop environment, a continuation of the classic GNOME 2 desktop. It retains the traditional menu bar and taskbar layout while adding modern features like HiDPI support and improved window tiling.

Minimum hardware requirements: Dual-core 1 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB disk space.

Best for: Users who miss the classic GNOME 2 or Windows XP/7 era desktop layout, and Raspberry Pi users — Ubuntu MATE is one of the most popular Ubuntu editions for the Pi.

Installation: Download the ISO from ubuntu-mate.org , or run:


sudo apt install ubuntu-mate-desktop

Ubuntu Budgie

Ubuntu Budgie features the Budgie desktop environment, designed for a modern, clean, and elegant user experience. Originally developed by the Solus project, Budgie has a polished interface with Raven, a sidebar that integrates calendar, notifications, and quick settings.

Minimum hardware requirements: Dual-core 1.5 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB disk space.

Best for: Users who want a beautiful, out-of-the-box experience with a clean interface that is not as “radical” in design as GNOME.

Installation: Download the ISO from ubuntubudgie.org , or run:


sudo apt install ubuntu-budgie-desktop

Ubuntu Studio

Ubuntu Studio is built on KDE Plasma and tailored for audio, video, graphics, and publishing creators. It comes preloaded with professional-grade creative tools and ships with a low-latency kernel by default to optimize real-time audio processing.

Minimum hardware requirements: Dual-core 2 GHz processor, 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended), 30 GB disk space.

Best for: Musicians, video editors, graphic designers, and other multimedia creators. Preinstalled tools include Ardour (digital audio workstation), Blender (3D modeling), Kdenlive (video editing), GIMP (image editing), and Inkscape (vector graphics).

Installation: Download the ISO from ubuntustudio.org , or run:


sudo apt install ubuntustudio-desktop

Ubuntu Cinnamon

Ubuntu Cinnamon ships with the Cinnamon desktop environment, the signature desktop of Linux Mint. Cinnamon offers a traditional desktop layout — a bottom taskbar, a Start Menu-style application launcher — making it visually very similar to Windows.

Minimum hardware requirements: Dual-core 1.5 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM, 20 GB disk space.

Best for: Linux Mint users who want to switch to official Ubuntu support, or Windows migrants who want a familiar layout.

Installation: Download the ISO from ubuntucinnamon.org , or run:


sudo apt install ubuntu-cinnamon-desktop

Ubuntu Unity

Ubuntu Unity revives the Unity7 desktop that Ubuntu used from 2011 to 2017. Unity is characterized by its left-side Dock launcher, top global menu bar, and HUD (a feature that lets you search menu items by typing commands).

Minimum hardware requirements: Dual-core 1.5 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM, 20 GB disk space.

Best for: Long-time Ubuntu users who miss the Unity desktop, or power users who appreciate the global menu and HUD quick-search functionality.

Installation: Download the ISO from ubuntuunity.org , or run:


sudo apt install ubuntu-unity-desktop

Edubuntu

Edubuntu targets educational environments. Based on standard Ubuntu (GNOME), it comes preloaded with educational software including GCompris (children’s educational suite), KDE Education tools, and classroom management software.

Minimum hardware requirements: Dual-core 2 GHz processor, 4 GB RAM, 30 GB disk space.

Best for: Schools, training centers, and families with children. It provides a ready-to-use educational toolkit, and administrators can easily deploy it across classroom computers.

Installation: Download the ISO from edubuntu.org , or run:


sudo apt install edubuntu-desktop

Switching Desktop Environments on an Existing Ubuntu Install

You do not need to reinstall your system to try a different desktop environment. Simply install the corresponding desktop package:


# Example: installing KDE Plasma
sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop
 
# After installation, log out of your current session
# On the login screen, select the new desktop environment
# from the session chooser (usually in the bottom-right corner)
# Enter your password and log in to the new desktop

After installation, use the session selector on the login screen (GDM, SDDM, or LightDM) to switch to the newly installed desktop environment.

Warning

Installing multiple desktop environments simultaneously may cause the following issues:

Theme conflicts — different desktops’ GTK/Qt themes may override each other
Default application confusion — file managers, text editors, etc. may get replaced
Display manager conflicts — GDM, SDDM, and LightDM may interfere with one another
Increased disk usage — each desktop environment brings its own set of default applications

Consider trying alternatives in a virtual machine first, and only install on your main system once you have decided.

Tip

If you are upgrading from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS to 26.04, the upgrade process is the same regardless of which Flavor you use. See Upgrading from 24.04 to 26.04.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install multiple desktop environments at the same time

Yes. Ubuntu allows you to install multiple desktop environments on the same system and switch between them freely on the login screen. However, as noted above, you may encounter theme and default application conflicts. For the cleanest experience, download the corresponding Flavor’s ISO and do a fresh install.

Is there a significant performance difference between Flavors

The differences mainly show up in memory usage and boot speed. Here are approximate idle memory usage figures for reference:

Lubuntu (LXQt): ~400-500 MB
Xubuntu (Xfce): ~500-700 MB
Ubuntu MATE: ~600-800 MB
Ubuntu (GNOME): ~800-1200 MB
Kubuntu (KDE Plasma): ~600-1000 MB

For modern computers with 4 GB or more RAM, any Flavor will run smoothly. Only on older devices with less than 2 GB of RAM does choosing Lubuntu or Xubuntu provide a noticeable advantage.

Do Snap and Flatpak work the same across all Flavors

Yes. All official Flavors share the same Ubuntu repositories, and Snap works out of the box on every version. Flatpak can be enabled by installing the flatpak package, and it works identically across all Flavors. Application behavior and functionality do not change based on the desktop environment.

How do I remove an unwanted desktop environment

Use the apt remove command to uninstall the corresponding desktop metapackage:


# Example: removing KDE Plasma
sudo apt remove kubuntu-desktop
sudo apt autoremove

Note

The apt autoremove command cleans up packages that are no longer needed as dependencies. After removal, it is recommended to reboot your system to ensure the display manager returns to normal.