How to Get Started with ROS According to ros.org

Updated

To get started with ROS, go to ros.org and use its Getting Started section, which points to ROS 2 documentation and tutorials. Before installing, check which ROS 2 release matches your operating system: the site highlights Lyrical Luth (long-term support until 2031, targeted at Ubuntu 26.04 and Windows 11) and Jazzy Jalisco (LTS, targeted at Ubuntu 24.04 and Windows 10). Both pages note that other systems are supported to varying degrees, so confirm your platform on the release page before committing.

What ROS is, in one paragraph

ROS (Robot Operating System) is a set of open-source software libraries and tools for building robot applications. It covers drivers, algorithms, and developer tools, so it is a toolkit you assemble a project from rather than a single program you run.

Step-by-step path from the site

  1. Read the overview. The ros.org home page explains what ROS is and links to "What is ROS?" and ROS Videos if you want context before installing.
  2. Pick a release. Compare Lyrical Luth and Jazzy Jalisco against your OS. Choose the release whose targeted platform matches your machine; this avoids the "supported to varying degrees" gray area on other systems.
  3. Install via the release page. Each release has a "Learn More" / "Install" entry. Follow the documentation linked there rather than third-party guides, since install steps differ by release and platform.
  4. Work through the ROS 2 tutorials. The Documentation section hosts documentation and tutorials for ROS 2; this is the site's designated learning path.
  5. Ask when stuck. Use the community channels below.

Expected result: after steps 3–4 you should have a working ROS 2 installation and have completed the introductory tutorials. The site does not publish a single checklist, so treat "tutorials completed without errors" as your verification point.

Where to get help

Channel Best for
Documentation Reference and tutorials for ROS 2
Robotics Stack Exchange Specific technical questions with answers
Forums (Discourse) Discussions and announcements, e.g., recent posts on ROS 2 Kilted on macOS Apple Silicon and synchros2
Zulip Chat Direct chat with maintainers and the community

Common sticking points

  • OS mismatch. Installing a release on a non-targeted OS is the most likely source of trouble; the site explicitly hedges support for other systems.
  • Mixing ROS 1 and ROS 2 material. The site's learning path is ROS 2; older tutorials elsewhere may not apply.
  • Skipping the tutorials. The site frames documentation and tutorials as the support mechanism for learning, not optional reading.

Beyond installation

The home page also links to the Ecosystem (packages) and Community sections, plus ROSCon 2025 recordings (published December 2025 on Vimeo, the ROSCon website, and the ROS Documentation). These are useful once you have a working setup and want to see how others structure projects.