How to Install Software on Linux: apt, snap, and flatpak

Linux Package Managers Explained

Unlike Windows or macOS where you download installers from websites, Linux uses package managers — tools that handle downloading, installing, and updating software safely. In 2026 there are three main options you will encounter.

apt — The Traditional Way (Ubuntu and Debian)

apt installs software from your distribution's official repositories. It is fast, well-integrated, and the right choice for most software on Ubuntu and Debian-based systems.

# Search for a package
apt search firefox

# Install a package
sudo apt install vlc

# Remove a package
sudo apt remove vlc

# Remove with config files
sudo apt purge vlc

Pros: Fast, stable, well-tested, deep system integration.
Cons: Packages may be older than the latest release; not available on non-Debian distros.

snap — Self-Contained Packages from Canonical

Snaps bundle the app and all its dependencies into one file. They auto-update and work across different Linux distributions.

# Search
snap find spotify

# Install
sudo snap install spotify

# List installed snaps
snap list

# Remove
sudo snap remove spotify

Pros: Always up to date, sandboxed for security, cross-distro.
Cons: Slower to start, larger disk footprint, some privacy concerns about Canonical's snap store.

flatpak — The Community-Preferred Universal Format

Flatpak is similar to snap but decentralized — the main source is Flathub, a community-run repository with thousands of apps.

# Add Flathub (one-time setup)
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

# Install an app
flatpak install flathub org.gimp.GIMP

# Run it
flatpak run org.gimp.GIMP

# Update all flatpaks
flatpak update

Pros: Wide app selection, cross-distro, sandboxed, community-driven.
Cons: Larger initial downloads, slower first launch.

Which Should You Use?

• Use apt (or dnf/pacman) for system tools and anything in the official repos
• Use flatpak for desktop apps like GIMP, VLC, LibreOffice, and games
• Use snap mainly for tools that Canonical maintains (like lxd or microk8s)

When in doubt, check if the app is in your distro's repos first. Official packages get security updates fastest.