Why Compile from Source?

The advantage of compiling from source is that you can compile packages with certain flags/options which may be missing/disabled in stock-standard Ubuntu packages. Also, it makes it easy to have multiple versions of the same program installed.

What does it mean to compile from source?

Installing a program "from source" means installing a program without using a package manager. You compile the source code and copy the binaries to your computer instead. Most of the time, you can download a project's source code from hosting services such as GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket.

Is building from source safe?

In that regard, source code is safer, but only if you're actually reviewing it. It is possible for malicious binaries to be put in place, or to have the packaging developer's system compromised with a malicious compiler, but recorded instances of the former are rare, and the latter all but unheard of.