Next time you stop by Launchpad.net you’ll notice it has a new look.
Canonical’s designers have given Launchpad’s landing page a novel appearance that is more in-keeping with Canonical’s other websites.
It’s the first significant redesign to the project hosting site since 2016, and, for your convenience, here’s a description of the new homepage:
Imagine the sleek redesign of Launchpad.net in 2024. With a leaner, more streamlined look, the website allows for easier navigation. The visual layout is simplified, making the site more user-friendly. The design aesthetic aligns more closely with Canonical’s other websites, creating a more cohesive brand experience.
Launched in 2004, Launchpad serves as the pivotal point in Ubuntu development. It’s the center where developers engage, commit code, plan updates, file bugs, add translations, and handle many other tasks related to developing a new release.
However, Launchpad’s popularity is not only confined to Canonical’s immediate circle.
Thousands of other free, open-source projects also utilize the service to manage all or some of their development and/or distribution. Furthermore, the service is frequented by scores of end-users seeking to use personal package archives (PPAs).
Open-source development is moving more towards Git-based services, with Gitlab and Github providing similar issue tracking and planning features. Meanwhile, software distribution has transitioned from PPAs to distro-agnostic formats like Snap and Flatpak.
Despite changes, Launchpad still remains significant, and this update lends a fresh and inviting vibe that appeals to newcomers.
At present, the redesign only touches upon the homepage, with the goal of modernising and refreshing its design (hence, no new features have been introduced). All the functions found in the old version are still in place, including my favorite feature: stats!
The layout and ambiance of the remainder of the site, which is code-focused, may undergo similar improvements in the future, as hinted by Canonical’s Inês Almeida, who is a software engineer working on Launchpad.
Lastly, if you encounter any problems, peculiarities, or faulty aspects upon loading Launchpad’s new homepage in your browser, you are always welcome to, report a bug against Launchpad.net on Launchpad.