Who is this for?
This Learning Path is for software developers who want to install Ubuntu and other Linux distributions on their Arm-based Chromebook with ChromeOS file sharing and GUI support.
What will you learn?
After completing this Learning Path, you'll be able to perform the following tasks:
- Create and run an Ubuntu 24.04 container on ChromeOS Crostini using LXC and Termina shell
- Set up ChromeOS integration for file sharing and GUI applications
- Manage LXC containers on ChromeOS
- Enable file sharing between ChromeOS and Ubuntu containers
- Run Linux GUI applications on your Chromebook with Sommelier integration
Prerequisites
Before starting, you'll need the following prerequisites:
- A ChromeOS device with the Linux development environment enabled. The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is recommended.
- Basic knowledge of the Linux command line
Summary
This summary was drafted with an approved AI-assisted workflow and reviewed by Arm contributors before publication.
Human technical review remains part of the process so the final page reflects engineering rigor, accuracy, and Arm editorial standards.
You’ll set up an Ubuntu 24.04 container on an Arm-based Chromebook with ChromeOS Crostini and LXC from the Termina shell. You’ll create and manage the container, share ChromeOS folders with Linux, configure Sommelier, and install a minimal desktop stack. You’ll then launch a GUI test app and use lxc commands to inspect, stop, and remove the container.
Frequently asked questions
These FAQs were drafted with an approved AI-assisted workflow and reviewed by Arm contributors before publication.
Human technical review remains part of the process so the final page reflects engineering rigor, accuracy, and Arm editorial standards.
Run lxc list to confirm the container appears with Status set to RUNNING. Use lxc info for details such as Architecture, PID, and creation time that match the example output.
In the ChromeOS Files app, right-click a folder and choose Share with Linux. The folder becomes available to Linux apps and the command line inside the container. If the folder doesn’t appear, ensure the container is running.
After enabling Sommelier and installing the minimal desktop packages, start a test application such as terminator from the container shell. A window should open on the ChromeOS desktop. If a window doesn’t open, revisit the display configuration steps.
From the Termina shell, run lxc exec <container> -- bash (for example, lxc exec u1 -- bash). This places you in the container’s shell to install packages and run commands.
Use lxc stop <container> to stop the container, then lxc delete <container> to remove it. Deletion is permanent, so run the delete command only when you no longer need the container.