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To install an app on Linux, first identify your distribution, then use its software center or native package manager when the app is available there. Ubuntu and Debian commonly use APT for Debian packages; Fedora documents DNF. Flatpak, Snap, and AppImage are other options, but they have different installation, update, and permission models.
Start with your distribution’s software center
Linux distributions do not all use the same package manager or command. If you are new to Linux, the graphical software center is usually the simplest place to look: it presents apps by name and handles the installation steps for you.
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Ubuntu Desktop
- Open App Center.
- Search for the app and select it.
- Choose Install, then enter your password if prompted.
Ubuntu’s App Center lists Snap applications by default and also offers deb packages. The Ubuntu Desktop guide describes this flow at Install additional applications.
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A package manager downloads software from configured repositories, checks dependencies, and applies package changes. Use instructions written for your distribution; a command for Ubuntu or Debian is not automatically right for Fedora or another Linux system.
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Ubuntu and Debian: APT
Ubuntu documents these commands for installing a Debian package:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install <package-name>apt update refreshes the local package index; it does not install app updates by itself. Replace <package-name> with the package’s actual name, which may differ from the name shown in a menu or app listing. For a beginner, searching the software center can help identify the right app and package. See Ubuntu’s package management documentation.
Fedora: DNF
Fedora documents dnf install <spec> to install a package and its required dependencies, and dnf upgrade to upgrade installed software. DNF shows the proposed transaction and asks for approval before proceeding. Fedora’s DNF guide is the place to check syntax for your current Fedora release.
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When to use Flatpak or Snap
Flatpak and Snap can make apps available across distributions, but they are separate packaging systems with their own sources and update flows. Use them when your distribution supports the format and the app is available from a source you trust.
Flatpak
Flatpak commands can search, install, update, list, and uninstall apps. These examples use GIMP and the Flathub remote:
flatpak search gimp
flatpak install flathub org.gimp.GIMP
flatpak update
flatpak list --app
flatpak uninstall org.gimp.GIMPAn app may need a runtime, which Flatpak can install before the app. Ubuntu’s overview says Flatpak is not installed by default on Ubuntu; check the documentation for your distribution before using it. For command details, see Using Flatpak.
Snap
Ubuntu Desktop’s App Center shows Snap apps by default. Ubuntu says Snaps are usually sandboxed and update daily by default, but some use classic confinement and are not sandboxed. Do not assume every Snap has the same restrictions. Ubuntu explains the distinction in Snap and deb packages.
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How the main package formats differ
The format affects where an app comes from, how it updates, whether it uses shared or bundled components, and what access controls apply. The comparison below reflects the Ubuntu Wiki’s overview; behavior can vary by app, source, and distribution.
| Format | Typical source | Dependencies and updates | Permissions and caveats |
|---|---|---|---|
| deb / APT | Configured software repositories | Typically uses system libraries; updates are managed through the package system. | Ubuntu Desktop says deb apps have full access to system resources and their permissions cannot be changed in app settings. |
| Snap | Snap store | Overview describes bundled components and automatic updates. | Ubuntu says Snaps are usually sandboxed, but classic confinement is an exception. |
| Flatpak | A configured remote, such as Flathub | Uses runtimes; apps and runtimes can be updated with Flatpak. | Setup and availability depend on distribution and configured remotes. |
| AppImage | A download from the app’s publisher or another source you trust | Self-contained bundle; no automatic updates or central repository in the Ubuntu Wiki overview. | You manage the downloaded file and its updates yourself. |
| Vendor binary | Software vendor’s site | The Ubuntu Wiki overview describes these as not automatically updated. | Trust and update handling depend on the vendor and package. |
The Ubuntu Wiki’s Software Packaging Formats page provides the overview. Ubuntu’s desktop guidance is more specific about permissions: it says deb apps have full system-resource access, while most Snaps are sandboxed.
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Install an AppImage or a vendor download carefully
An AppImage is a downloadable executable bundle rather than a package installed through APT, DNF, Flatpak, or Snap. The Ubuntu Wiki describes this basic workflow:
- Download the AppImage from a source you trust.
- Make the file executable, for example:
chmod +x Application.AppImage. - Run the file, for example:
./Application.AppImage.
Because the Ubuntu Wiki says AppImages have neither automatic updates nor a central repository, you must check for and install updates yourself. Vendor downloads similarly require you to understand how that publisher distributes and updates its software.
Choose a source you trust
Prefer your distribution’s software center or configured repositories when they offer the app. Ubuntu describes repository deb packages as coming from the official Ubuntu repositories and discourages third-party deb apps. Ubuntu Desktop states, “Using deb apps from third party developers is discouraged.”
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- Before installing a third-party package, confirm it comes from the app developer or another source you trust.
- A third-party deb may add its own repository and can have unrestricted access to system resources.
- Do not assume Snap sandboxing is universal; check whether an app uses classic confinement.
Ubuntu’s guidance on third-party software and package permissions is in Install additional applications and Snap and deb packages.
Update or remove an app with the tool that installed it
Use the same packaging system to manage an app after installation. For example, Flatpak apps can be updated with flatpak update and removed with flatpak uninstall <app-id>. Apps installed through a distribution package manager should be updated or removed through that manager or its software center.
If you are unsure how an app was installed, check the software center or the relevant package manager’s installed-app list before removing files manually. Flatpak documents its commands, including listing installed apps, in Using Flatpak.
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