Ubuntu MATE brings the MATE desktop, the direct continuation of the classic GNOME 2 interface, into the official Ubuntu family. Its personality comes from choice: the MATE Tweak tool switches the entire desktop between named layouts, from traditional two-panel arrangements to configurations echoing other operating systems, a degree of built-in flexibility few desktops offer. The environment is mature, stable, and lighter than modern compositing desktops while remaining full-featured, and the flavor has a history of strong support for single-board computers alongside ordinary PCs. Underneath sit the usual Ubuntu mechanics: the shared deb archive with APT, Snap availability, April and October releases, and long-term-support versions. Ubuntu MATE particularly suits people who formed their habits in the GNOME 2 era and never found a modern desktop they liked better. Flipping through its layout presets inside an OpenFactory browser VM is an entertaining five minutes.
Select a version of Ubuntu MATE to try online:
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Need Ubuntu MATE for more than a quick browser preview?
The buttons above launch an ephemeral browser VM, perfect for kicking the tires. Paid plans unlock the things you'd actually use it for:
- ✓Persistent VMs you can SSH into and customize
- ✓Snapshots, your own packages, a downloadable ISO
- ✓Fleet deployment to your own machines (on-prem or cloud)