Canonical has recently released the public beta version of Ubuntu 25.04, codenamed Plucky Puffin, marking an important step towards the anticipated final release on April 17th, 2025. This beta is equipped with the latest Linux 6.14 kernel and features GNOME 48, promising several enhancements and new functionalities.
Among the notable features are the inclusion of the triple buffering feature, a new default document viewer called Papers (replacing Evince), and advanced geolocation services powered by BeaconDB. Additionally, the Ubuntu Desktop installer now offers an option to replace existing Ubuntu installations and improves the dual boot experience, especially for users with BitLocker-protected Windows systems. This allows installations alongside existing BitLocker partitions if sufficient unallocated space is available.
Networking enhancements include support for wpa-psk-sha256 Wi-Fi connections in Netplan, new routing-policy configurations on the NetworkManager backend, and improved DNS server management within systemd-networkd-wait-online.
A user-friendly adjustment has also been made with the xdg-terminal-exec package, which is now installed by default, allowing quick access to the terminal using Ctrl+Alt+T. Users can also find GIMP 3.0, LibreOffice 25.2, and Mozilla Firefox 136, included as part of the standard software offerings.
The updated toolchain for this release features GCC 14.2, GNU Binutils 2.44, and several other development tools, enhancing overall performance and compatibility.
Those interested in trying out Ubuntu 25.04 can download the beta from the official website. However, users are advised against using this pre-release version in production environments due to its beta status. This version is available in multiple flavors, including Ubuntu Desktop, Ubuntu Server, and various community editions such as Xubuntu, Lubuntu, and Ubuntu MATE.