Canonical has announced Ubuntu Core 18, their open source platform for IoT devices. Ubuntu Core 18 is based on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS code-base and will be supported for 10 years.

At 260MB, Ubuntu Core is one of the smallest IoT platforms. They achieved this size by stripping unnecessary components from the core. However, the overall size of the OS would grow depending on the IoT device.

Reduction in size also improves security. “The attack surface of Ubuntu Core has been minimized, with very few packages installed in the base OS, reducing the size and frequency of security updates and providing more storage for applications and data,” Canonical said in a blog post.

Thanks to the popularity of Ubuntu, Canonical’s IoT platform has a wider range of applications at its disposal. “Ubuntu Core enables a new class of app-centric things, which can inherit apps from the broader Ubuntu and Snapcraft ecosystems or build unique and exclusive applications that are specific to a brand or model,”continued the post.

Smaller size, combined with a refined app delivery mechanism (Snap), enable Canonical to enhance its security further.

“All snaps distributed to devices are scanned regularly for known weaknesses and devices, enabling enterprises and manufacturers to learn quickly about potential risks in their ecosystem,” Canonical said.

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