Ubuntu 24.10 may have only just been released, but development on the next version is getting underway and the codename for Ubuntu 25.04 revealed.
Since codenames are alphabetical (as of Ubuntu 6.06 LTS; restarted at ‘A’ with 17.10) it means the Ubuntu 25.04 codename will start with the letter ‘P’…
- Praying for a Piquant Pika? You’ll be perplexed to hear it wasn’t picked…
- Pining for a Percipient Panda? You’ll be put-out to know it got passed over…
- Prefer the sound of a Plucky Puffin? You’ll be pleased as punch because…
Ubuntu 25.04 is the ‘Plucky Puffin’.
Yup, it seems a fellow feathered mascot is following in the footsteps – or rather the talon steps – of the ‘Oracular Oriole’.
The ‘Plucky Puffin’ is only the 2nd ‘P’ codename in Ubuntu’s 20 year history, the other one being Ubuntu 12.04 LTS ‘Precise Pangolin’.
But what does the name mean, and does it indicate what we can expect from the next release?
Ubuntu 25.04 Codename Meaning
“Plucky” is an adjective often used to refer to someone/something showing courage, determination, or assurance in the face of challenges or obstacles. In some contexts it’s also a synonym of Gutsy, the adjective used in the Ubuntu 7.10 codename (and my first Ubuntu release).
A “Puffin” is a small seabird known with a brightly coloured beak, black and white feathers, and a somewhat squat shape. I’ve heard them (informally) described as “sea parrots” due to their coastal habitats and their vivid beaks.
Although the exact word and animal used in codenames no longer relate to the upcoming release as they once did, perhaps Ubuntu 25.04 will facing (and overcoming) a challenges of its own during the next development cycle.
There was talk of the first public preview of an Ubuntu Core Desktop image in 2025…
Why does Ubuntu use codenames at all?
Ubuntu version numbers are date based. Ubuntu 25.04 will (aim to) be release in the 4th month of 2025 – April.
However, when Mark Shuttleworth began his Super Secret Debian Startup1 20 years ago, there was no name, no release date, no version number. Some sort of label was needed for repos, files, discussions, etc, so a codename was chosen.
“Warty” was a fitting choice since the first release of what-was-to-become-known-as Ubuntu would likely arrive in a fairly raw, unpolished state compared to future release, i.e., released ‘warts and all’.
But the animal mascot element in the codename came a bit later – why?
It depends on who you ask.
One version (told over a drink with a member of the original Ubuntu team so accuracy may be moot) is flying developers to South Africa to ‘sprint’ in a small room working on warm laptops in temperate climes meant people sweated.
Because of that the original Ubuntu development team were often referred to as ‘the warthogs’ (an animal known for being a bit smelly) and to honour of their effort the final Ubuntu release launched as the Warty Warthog.
The other version? Branding: the warthog is native to Africa, Ubuntu’s founder Mark Shuttleworth is South African, ‘Ubuntu’ is an African word, initial development/sprint work took place there, and a ‘mascot’ helps with marketing.
Regardless of how ‘warthog’ came to be, an animal mascot stuck and is now a key part of branding/marketing each release.
The adjective parts is less superfluous since it is integral to differentiating each release in Ubuntu’s development infrastructure and configuration files, and effectively hardcoded to require a distinct one – though the Ubuntu wallpaper filename remains warty_final.png!
Plus, muscle memory is a powerful thing: witness how often I write “24.04” instead of “25.04” in upcoming coverage. No major drama – but if I was a developer committing code or editing a vital configuration file, such a typo could cause issues.
Opting for a completely new, unique word lessens the chances of that.
So yeah: as goofy and gimmicky as Ubuntu codenames can seem, they’re both an important and indelible part of Ubuntu’s iconic lineage and a vital part of its development infrastructure.
Next year, Ubuntu’s playful personality is fronted by a Plucky Puffin – a fitting choice, IMO.
What are your thoughts on this codename? What animal would have you picked if you had the choice?
- Before Ubuntu was called Ubuntu, it was referred to as this ↩︎