Choosing the right server version is very very very important otherwise you are just gonna create a huge amount of problems for yourself.
Every version of the ubuntu server has default versions of Apache, PHP, and MYSQL and a lot more other software come with it. Some of them are installed and some of them are ready to be installed.
Before choosing a version ask these questions;
What PHP version do you want?
What MYSQL version do you want?
| Ubuntu Version | PHP Version |
|---|---|
| Ubuntu 22.04 | PHP 8.1 |
| Ubuntu 20.04 | PHP 7.4 |
| Ubuntu 18.04 | PHP 7.2 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 | PHP 7.0 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 | PHP 5.5 |
Let’s say you want PHP 8.1 you can install the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS version.
Here are the official release notes and PHP version information https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/jammy-jellyfish-release-notes/24668
Let’s say you want PHP 7.4 you can install the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS version.
Here are all Ubuntu Server versions, release notes, and other stuff you can find https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases
By the way, I think I don’t have to say never install the middle versions only install LTS versions.
Long Term Support is more important than you think.