The latest stable Ubuntu: Check the Ubuntu download page for the latest version and for any specific changes that may affect installation or use on your Mac.

If you can figure out a way to remove, add and control partitions in detail in Mac OS X, you can do that instead, but Diskutils in OS X doesn’t seem to have the necessary control to do this.

25GB free drive space: This is the minimum size recommended for the desktop version of Ubuntu more space to work with can be a benefit. Boot from the Ubuntu Live CD, start Partition Editor (Under System->Administration).

If you're using a MacBook, you probably don't have to worry.

A USB keyboard and mouse: You need a USB-based keyboard and mouse because it's highly likely that the Ubuntu Bluetooth drivers will need to be installed or updated before a wireless keyboard or mouse can work.

It is a great way to test whether your Mac and Ubuntu can get along. This version can run directly from the USB flash drive without modifying anything on your Mac.

A 2GB or larger USB flash drive: The flash drive is used as a bootable Ubuntu installer that contains not only the basic installer but also a live version of Ubuntu.

If you have problems getting your older Mac to work with Ubuntu, stop by the Ubuntu forums and search for install guides for your Mac model. If you plan to use an older Mac, you should still be able to install Ubuntu, but you need to pay attention to how the boot process works for older hardware.

The installation described here is on a 2014 27-inch Retina iMac running macOS Sierra, but the process should work for any Mac released since 2011.

A Mac with at least 2GB of RAM and a 2 GHz dual-core processor: These are the bare minimums more RAM and faster processor speeds or additional processor cores are helpful.

After you have a recent backup of all your data, disconnect it from your Mac to ensure that the clone backup isn't accidentally erased during the Ubuntu installation.

A recent backup: Use Carbon Copy Cloner or a similar utility to clone an external bootable drive that includes a copy of the Recovery HD volume.

Install linux on a mac partition