If my Linux install died tomorrow, I’d start with the tools that restore everyday work: a browser, password manager, office suite, media player, image editor, code editor, and installation USB. This is a personal-style shortlist, not a universal essentials list; your distribution may already include some of these, and your own work may call for different picks.
A clean install is not the same as a restored setup. Reinstalling an app gives you the program, but its profile, files, preferences, and account access may need separate recovery.
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First, check what the fresh install already includes
A new Linux desktop is not necessarily an empty system. Ubuntu’s 26.04 desktop documentation, last updated June 17, 2026, says many useful programs are installed by default; users can add software from Ubuntu or third-party sources. The exact defaults and installation choices vary by distribution, so check the application menu before reinstalling anything. Ubuntu: Install or remove software
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The seven things I’d put back on my shortlist
1. Firefox, if it is not already installed
A browser is a practical starting point for signing into services, finding documentation, and downloading tools. I’d check the distribution’s app manager first rather than assume a single installation method suits every Linux system. Mozilla documents distribution packages, Mozilla’s DEB and RPM repositories, Flatpak, Snap, and tarball builds. Its guidance says the distribution package manager handles Firefox and required libraries in the distribution’s configuration, though the distribution may provide updates later than upstream. Mozilla: Install Firefox on Linux
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Plan for the profile separately. A fresh Firefox installation does not by itself restore bookmarks, settings, or other profile data. Mozilla documents migration from prior Snap or Flatpak profile locations and also points to Sync; the relevant profile location depends on the package format.
2. A password manager
I’d restore access to my password manager early because it can unlock accounts needed for the rest of the setup. Installing the app is only one part of recovery: make sure you can sign in, complete any required authentication, and retrieve the vault using the account’s recovery arrangements.
For Bitwarden, the Linux local-storage location differs between standard, Flatpak, and Snap installations. Bitwarden says point-in-time restore is for vendor disaster recovery, and that users and organizations are responsible for creating and securely storing their own vault backups. Reinstalling the client should not be treated as a substitute for a backup. Bitwarden: Data Storage
3. An office suite
I’d install an office suite only if I need to create or edit documents, spreadsheets, or presentations locally. Check whether the chosen distribution already supplies one; if it does, reinstalling a second suite may add little. Keep working files in a separate backup or synced location, since installing the application does not recover documents.
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4. A media player
A dedicated media player is useful if the default desktop tools do not handle the files or controls I need. I’d test what is already installed before choosing another player. Playlists, libraries, and preferences may live separately from the application, so preserve those only if they matter to your setup.
5. An image editor
I’d add an image editor if image work is part of the routine, whether for cropping, annotations, or more involved edits. This is an optional workflow tool, not a Linux requirement. Back up source images and project files independently; the editor itself cannot restore them.
6. A code editor
For scripting or development, I’d install the editor I use regularly and then restore extensions, settings, and project files as needed. If you do not write or maintain code, this slot is better spent on an application that solves a real problem in your own workflow.
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7. A USB flash drive for Linux installation media
This is not an app, but it belongs on my recovery checklist: a USB flash drive can hold bootable installation media for a future reinstall. Ubuntu’s desktop documentation links to instructions for creating a bootable USB stick. Requirements vary by distribution; the documentation cited here does not establish a capacity for every distribution or recommend a particular drive. Ubuntu Desktop documentation
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Restore the working setup, not just the application list
Before reinstalling, identify what must survive: documents and projects, application profiles, configuration, and credentials. These are separate recovery needs. A package manager can put software back, but it cannot supply files or settings that were not backed up or synced.
- Applications: check the distribution’s defaults, then install missing software using a method supported for that distribution.
- Files: restore personal documents and project data from a backup or sync service.
- Profiles and settings: use each application’s documented migration or sync method. Firefox profile locations differ by package format.
- Credentials and vaults: confirm account access and follow the password manager’s recovery and backup guidance.
- Installation media: prepare a bootable USB using the chosen distribution’s instructions.
Why the list changes with the distribution and the person
Linux distributions differ in their default applications and supported package formats, and a person’s needs differ just as much. Mozilla’s Linux installation guidance illustrates the trade-off: a distribution package manager integrates the app and required libraries with that distribution, while upstream update timing may differ. Other supported routes include DEB/RPM repositories, Snap, Flatpak, and tarballs. There is no single installation route or seven-app list that fits every system.
I’d use this list as a starting point, cross off anything already present, and replace any item that does not serve my actual work. The recovery plan for data and profiles matters at least as much as the applications chosen.
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