How to find your Ubuntu version

2 easy ways find out what version of Ubuntu you’re running.

First option,

cat the /etc/issue file.

danny@family-desktop:/etc$ cat /etc/issue
Ubuntu 8.04.1 \n \l

Second option

cat the /etc/lsb-release file.

danny@family-desktop:/etc$ cat /etc/lsb-release
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=8.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=hardy
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 8.04.1"

or

run the lsb_release command with the “-a” switch.

danny@family-desktop:/etc$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 8.04.1
Release:        8.04
Codename:       hardy