How to Tell If Ubuntu Is Desktop or Server
This post describes how to check the installed Ubuntu variant (Desktop vs. Server), the OS version, and the kernel version — all from the terminal without a GUI.
Environment: Ubuntu 20.04 / 22.04 / 24.04
[01] Check Ubuntu Desktop vs. Server
Ubuntu Desktop and Ubuntu Server share the same base packages. The easiest way to tell them apart is to query whether the ubuntu-desktop meta-package is installed.
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dpkg -l ubuntu-desktop
When it is Ubuntu Desktop:
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root@gedgeworker1:~# dpkg -l ubuntu-desktop
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name Version Architecture Description
+++-==============-============-============-=================================
ii ubuntu-desktop 1.450.2 amd64 The Ubuntu desktop system
The ii prefix in the first column means the package is installed and configured.
When it is Ubuntu Server:
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root@gedgemaster:~# dpkg -l ubuntu-desktop
dpkg-query: no packages found matching ubuntu-desktop
No output (or the “no packages found” message) means the ubuntu-desktop meta-package is absent — this is a Server install.
Figure 1. dpkg -l ubuntu-desktop on a Desktop install — note the ii status prefix.
Figure 2. The same command on a Server install — the package is not found.
| Result | Meaning |
|---|---|
ii ubuntu-desktop ... |
Ubuntu Desktop |
dpkg-query: no packages found |
Ubuntu Server |
This check works because ubuntu-desktop is a meta-package — it has no files of its own but pulls in all Desktop-specific packages (GNOME, display manager, etc.). Its presence or absence is the canonical marker.
[02] Check the Installed OS Version
To see the full Ubuntu version, codename, and distribution information, read the release files:
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cat /etc/*release
Sample output (Ubuntu 24.04):
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root@gedgeworker1:~# cat /etc/*release
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=24.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=noble
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS"
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION="24.04.1 LTS (Noble Numbat)"
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS"
VERSION_ID="24.04"
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=noble
UBUNTU_CODENAME=noble
Key fields to note:
| Field | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
DISTRIB_RELEASE |
24.04 |
Major release version |
DISTRIB_CODENAME |
noble |
Release codename |
PRETTY_NAME |
Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS |
Human-readable label |
ID_LIKE |
debian |
Parent distribution |
Alternatively, use lsb_release for a shorter summary:
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lsb_release -a
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No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS
Release: 24.04
Codename: noble
[03] Check the Kernel Version
The uname command reports the running kernel version and system architecture:
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uname -a
Sample output:
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root@gedgeworker1:~# uname -a
Linux gedgeworker1 5.4.0-125-generic #141-Ubuntu SMP Wed Aug 10 13:42:03 UTC 2022 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
| Field (positional) | Example value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Kernel name | Linux |
OS type |
| Hostname | gedgeworker1 |
Machine name |
| Kernel release | 5.4.0-125-generic |
Kernel version string |
| Build info | #141-Ubuntu SMP ... |
Build number and date |
| Architecture | x86_64 |
CPU architecture (repeated for machine / processor / platform) |
To show only the kernel version string:
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uname -r
# 5.4.0-125-generic
[04] Quick Reference
| Goal | Command |
|---|---|
| Desktop vs. Server | dpkg -l ubuntu-desktop |
| OS version (detailed) | cat /etc/*release |
| OS version (short) | lsb_release -a |
| Kernel version (full) | uname -a |
| Kernel version (short) | uname -r |
| CPU architecture | uname -m |
| Hostname | hostname |