How do I check my Ubuntu Version?

There are two ways to check which version of Ubuntu you are running. You can either check from within Unity, or put in a short command line in the Terminal.

Option 1: Using lsb_release command

Below is easiest and fastest way for checking Ubuntu version through terminal is:

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install lsb-release
$ sudo lsb_release -a

Output will be similar to below one:

Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS
Release: 18.04
Codename: bionic

Some useful lsb_release command hacks!

1. Use -r for printing only release.

$ lsb_release -r

Output:

Release: 18.04

2. Use -s with -r for short printing.

$ lsb_release -r -s

Output:

18.04

3. Prining Codename using -c.

lsb_release -c

Output:

Codename: bionic

4. Prining Description using -d.

lsb_release -d

Output:

Description: Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS

Option 2: Using lsb-release file

$ cat /etc/lsb-release

Output will be same as above.

DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu DISTRIB_RELEASE=18.04 DISTRIB_CODENAME=bionic DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION=”Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS”

Option 3: Using /etc/*release file

$ cat /etc/*release

You will output similar to below:

DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu DISTRIB_RELEASE=18.04 DISTRIB_CODENAME=bionic DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION=”Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS” NAME=”Ubuntu” VERSION=”18.04.2 LTS (Bionic Beaver)” ID=ubuntu ID_LIKE=debian PRETTY_NAME=”Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS” VERSION_ID=”18.04” HOME_URL=”https://www.ubuntu.com/” SUPPORT_URL=”https://help.ubuntu.com/” BUG_REPORT_URL=”https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/” PRIVACY_POLICY_URL=”https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy” VERSION_CODENAME=bionic UBUNTU_CODENAME=bionic