Mainline (Ubuntu Mainline Kernel Installer) is a graphical tool that allows you to install the latest version of the Linux kernel in Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and related derivatives. It is a fork of the much better known Ukuu. Ukuu has become a paid tool because the developers could no longer follow it simply with the proceeds of the (few) donations. Hence the idea of an open-source and free to use fork.
What is a mainline kernel?
Before going into the explanation of how the app works, it is necessary to provide some details. The so-called Mainline kernels are made available by the Ubuntu Kernel Team and are unstable versions. They are not supported in the same way as a version offered on official channels or through the LTS/HWE process. These kernels should not be used every day and, as the British would say, "install them at your own risk". You can find more information on these kernels here. The main use you can make of mainline kernels is for testing purposes but they could also be useful to check if a specific kernel fixes a hardware problem (or related to a filesystem) that occurs on your pc.
Mainline, tool to install the Linux kernel
This tool allows you to install a kernel with one click and then allows you to remove it just as easily. This is a summary of the features:
- Simple interface
- List of kernels available for installation
- Notification (optional) when a new kernel is loaded
- Automatic download and installation of new packages
- Installing and removing kernels from GUI (including headers and modules)
The installation procedure is trivial. Open the terminal and add this PPA:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cappelikan/ppa
then you can update and install through these commands:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install mainline
Once the software is installed and opened, choose a kernel and click "Install". You will be prompted for the system password and the program will proceed to install the kernel.
If the installation was successful you will see the “Installed” entry next to the kernel you have chosen. I opted for Linux 5.8.1, the latest stable version available:
To uninstall the kernel, give "Purge" instead. If you want to remove the PPA and uninstall Mainline, the commands to be given are the following:
sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:cappelikan/ppa
sudo apt remove mainline
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