# ROS - Robot Operating System

## About this Install Guide

| Reading time:      | 30 min           |
|---------------------|------------------|
| Last updated:       | 31 Aug 2026      |
| Author:             | Odin Shen, Arm [GitHub](https://github.com/odincodeshen) [LinkedIn](https://linkedin.com/in/odin-shen-lmshen) |
| Official docs:      | [View](https://www.ros.org/blog/getting-started/) |

This guide shows you how to install and use the tool with the most common configuration. For advanced options and complete reference information, see the official documentation. Some install guides also include optional next steps to help you explore related workflows or integrations.

The Robot Operating System ([ROS](https://www.ros.org/)) is a set of software libraries and tools for building robot applications. ROS 2 is the latest version, designed to enhance security, improve distributed system communication, and support real-time performance, addressing some of the limitations of ROS 1.

## What do I need before installing ROS 2?

ROS 2 is available for Ubuntu Linux 22.04, 24.04, 26.04, and Windows.

This article provides a quick solution to install ROS 2 for Ubuntu on Arm. You can use Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, or Ubuntu 26.04 LTS.

Confirm you are using an Arm machine by running:

```
uname -m
```

The output should be:

```
__output__ aarch64
```

If you see a different result, you are not using an Arm computer running 64-bit Linux.

## What are the ROS 2 dependencies?

First, install the general dependencies:

```
sudo apt update
sudo apt install curl software-properties-common build-essential -y
```

## How do I Install ROS 2 for Ubuntu on Arm?

You can install ROS 2 using the APT package manager.

The Ubuntu package lists do not include ROS 2, so you need to add the repository.

```
sudo curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ros/rosdistro/master/ros.key -o /usr/share/keyrings/ros-archive-keyring.gpg
echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/ros-archive-keyring.gpg] http://packages.ros.org/ros2/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ros2.list > /dev/null
sudo apt update
```

Install the ROS 2 dependencies:

```
sudo apt install -y \
        python3-pip \
        python3-rosdep \
        python3-colcon-common-extensions
```

There are three LTS releases of ROS 2 that you can install based on your Ubuntu version.

- For Ubuntu Linux 26.04, install Lyrical Luth
- For Ubuntu Linux 24.04, install Jazzy Jalisco
- For Ubuntu Linux 22.04, install Humble Hawksbill

## How can I install ROS 2?

Install ROS 2 based on your Ubuntu version:

```bash
# Install ROS2 packages
sudo apt install -y ros-lyrical-desktop
# Initialize rosdep
sudo rosdep init
rosdep update
```

```bash
# Install ROS2 packages
sudo apt install -y ros-jazzy-desktop
# Initialize rosdep
sudo rosdep init
rosdep update
```

```bash
# Install ROS2 packages
sudo apt install -y ros-humble-desktop
# Initialize rosdep
sudo rosdep init
rosdep update
```

## How do I configure the environment?

Add ROS 2 setup to your shell startup script:

```bash
echo "source /opt/ros/lyrical/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
```

```bash
echo "source /opt/ros/jazzy/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
```

```bash
echo "source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
```

Confirm ROS 2 is installed by using printenv:

```
printenv ROS_DISTRO
```

The output should print `lyrical`, `jazzy`, or `humble`, depending on your Ubuntu version.

## How can I test the ROS 2 installation?

In one terminal run a `talker`:

```
ros2 run demo_nodes_cpp talker
```

The output is similar to the following, indicating that ROS 2 is publishing the “hello world” string along with a sequence number.

```
__output__ [INFO] [1741389626.338343545] [talker]: Publishing: 'Hello World: 1'
__output__ [INFO] [1741389627.338329328] [talker]: Publishing: 'Hello World: 2'
__output__ [INFO] [1741389628.338317118] [talker]: Publishing: 'Hello World: 3'
__output__ [INFO] [1741389629.338322551] [talker]: Publishing: 'Hello World: 4'
__output__ [INFO] [1741389630.338318200] [talker]: Publishing: 'Hello World: 5'
__output__ [INFO] [1741389631.338334884] [talker]: Publishing: 'Hello World: 6'
__output__ [INFO] [1741389629.338322551] [talker]: Publishing: 'Hello World: 7'
__output__ [INFO] [1741389630.338318200] [talker]: Publishing: 'Hello World: 8'
__output__ [INFO] [1741389631.338334884] [talker]: Publishing: 'Hello World: 9'
__output__ ...
```

Then, open another terminal and run the `listener`:

```
ros2 run demo_nodes_cpp listener
```

If you see “I heard [Hello World: ]” in the second terminal, ROS 2 is successfully installed.

```
__output__ [INFO] [1741389927.137762134] [listener]: I heard: [Hello World: 1]
__output__ [INFO] [1741389928.125120177] [listener]: I heard: [Hello World: 2]
__output__ [INFO] [1741389929.125042010] [listener]: I heard: [Hello World: 3]
__output__ [INFO] [1741389930.125046472] [listener]: I heard: [Hello World: 4]
__output__ [INFO] [1741389931.125055785] [listener]: I heard: [Hello World: 5]
__output__ [INFO] [1741389932.125434760] [listener]: I heard: [Hello World: 6]
__output__ [INFO] [1741389933.125044887] [listener]: I heard: [Hello World: 7]
__output__ [INFO] [1741389934.125124370] [listener]: I heard: [Hello World: 8]
__output__ [INFO] [1741389935.125036222] [listener]: I heard: [Hello World: 9]
__output__ ...
```

You are now ready to use ROS 2.

## Where can I learn more about ROS 2?

- Explore the [ROS 2 Tutorials](https://docs.ros.org/en/lyrical/Tutorials.html)
- Learn about [ROS 2 Command Line Tools](https://docs.ros.org/en/lyrical/Concepts/About-Command-Line-Tools.html)