Setup Ubuntu and ROS

Note: Ubuntu needs to be installed prior to installing ROS.

Ubuntu Environment

Our dev environment needs Ubuntu 24.04 because we want to run the version of ROS called 'jazzy'. This is the latest released ROS2 version.

These are the options:

• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Docker Container: Docker Container Setup (RECOMMENDED)
• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS dual booting: Follow the step-by-step tutorial -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq-7X8zLP7g
• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS in a Virtual Machine

It is strongly recommended to run Ubuntu as a Docker container, as this creates a consistent, isolated environment and saves time on figuring out/resolving issues in other setups — especially when converting work to a hardware system such as the Jetson Orin Nano or Raspberry Pi.

NOTE: If you choose a method that isn't the Docker container, you will need to install ROS 2 manually. That's because the Dockerfile handles that installation step for you.