Ubuntu ceases to provide packages for 32-bit x86 architecture

Two years after stopping the creation of 32-bit installation images for the x86 architecture, Ubuntu developers have made the decision announced the complete end of the lifecycle for this architecture in the distribution. Starting with the autumn release of Ubuntu 19.10, packages in the repository for the i386 architecture will no longer be created.

The last LTS branch for users of 32-bit x86 systems will be Ubuntu 18.04, which will be supported until April 2023 (and under a paid subscription until 2028). All official editions of the project (Xubuntu, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, etc.), as well as derivative distributions (Linux Mint, Pop_OS, Zorin, etc.) will no longer provide versions for the 32-bit x86 architecture, as they are built from the shared package base with Ubuntu (most editions have already stopped providing installation images for i386).

To ensure the operation of existing 32-bit applications that cannot be rebuilt for 64-bit systems (for example, many games on Steam remain exclusively in 32-bit builds), in the environment of Ubuntu 19.10 and newer releases it is recommended to it is recommended to use a separate environment with Ubuntu 18.04, installed in a container or chroot, or to package the application into a snap package with core18 runtime libraries based on Ubuntu 18.04.

The reason cited for ending support for the i386 architecture is the inability to maintain packages at the level of other supported architectures in Ubuntu due to the insufficient level of support in the Linux kernel, toolchains, and browsers. In particular, the latest developments in enhancing security and measures to protect against fundamental vulnerabilities are no longer timely developed for 32-bit x86 systems and are only made available for 64-bit architecture.

Moreover, maintaining the package base for i386 requires significant resources for development and quality control, which are not justified due to the minimal user base still using outdated hardware. The number of i386 systems is estimated to be 1% of the total number of installed systems. Most PCs and laptops with Intel and AMD processors released in the last 10 years can easily shift to using 64-bit mode. Hardware that does not support 64-bit mode is already so outdated that it lacks the necessary computing resources to run the latest releases of Ubuntu Desktop.

Source: opennet.ru