Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Aiming For GNOME 42, Avoiding GTK4 Where Possible

Ubuntu developers have laid out their GNOME versioning plans for this spring's release of Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.

While Ubuntu has been behind upstream when it comes to GNOME 40+ packaging, with Ubuntu 21.10 they are on GNOME 40 and for April's release of Ubuntu 22.04 LTS they are planning to get to GNOME 42. They are currently shifting to GNOME Shell 41 and then working on moving to GNOME 42 updates. GNOME 42 will be officially out in March and the plan is for that new upstream release to be powering this next Ubuntu Long Term Support release.

Ubuntu 22.04 LTS though will be trying to avoid the GTK4 toolkit where possible and stick to the proven GTK3. Due to many GNOME components not yet being ported over to GTK4 or only being ported for this current cycle, they are concerned about sufficient testing. They will be focusing on updating GNOME application components for those still on GTK3. Concerns are also raised over applications this cycle switching to libadwaita and current theming/coloring issues there right now.

So long story short for this all-important Ubuntu 22.04 Long Term Support release they are aiming for the GNOME 42 desktop and focusing on the GNOME components still relying on GTK3.

More details on the Ubuntu Discourse by Sebastien Bacher.