Ubuntu System Upgrade: do-release-upgrade vs APT for Updating Ubuntu Releases
do-release-upgrade is the safer default for moving Ubuntu from one release to another, while APT is best for routine package updates inside the same release. Ubuntu’s own server documentation points administrators to do-release-upgrade for release upgrades, especially when moving between LTS versions such as 22.04 and 24.04 [source: Ubuntu]. APT can be used for a release jump, but only after changing repository entries by hand, which is exactly where mistakes tend to creep in.