How to install and remove programs in Linux
Table of Contents
When starting to use Linux distributions, performing simple tasks like removing and installing programs can be a novelty. O linux terminal and graphical program managers are the main tools for uninstalling and installing programs on Linux.
Read also what is artificial intelligence, Older technologies and their replacements e Google AutoDraw.
What are Linux distributions?
The operating systems Linux they fell into the favor of many users. System stability, Linux distribution communities, and Linux program management are strong points in contrast to the Windows, contributing to the family of systems created by Linus Torvalds stay popular.
Linux is a family of operating systems that use the same kernel. O kernel is the main component of every operating system, bridging the gap between the physical components, or hardware, and the software layer, which includes applications or programs. Every operating system, including proprietary systems such as Windows e MacOS, has one kernel, but the kernel alone does not make an operating system.
The combination of kernel Linux created by Linus Torvalds and from the software collection of GNU Project, created by the father of the movement free software, Richard Stallman, form a complete operating system. How the kernel Linux and GNU software can be freely modified and distributed, this makes GNU / Linux an operating system composed entirely of free software!
In general, Linux distributions are a customization of GNU/Linux, with a wide range of system utilities, libraries and programs. Some distributions are built directly on top of GNU/Linux, while others are based on existing distributions.
Linux distributions based directly on GNU/Linux include Debian, Fedora, OpenSUSE, Slackware, Gentoo e Arch Linux. Linux distributions based on other distributions include Ubuntu (based on Debian), Linux Mint e Elementary OS (based on Ubuntu).
In this tutorial, methods for removing and installing programs on the Ubuntu, developed by Canonical, at Linux Mint, maintained by the community, and in the Fedora, financed by Red Hat, a company purchased by IBM in 2019.
Distributions were used Ubuntu LTS 22.04.3, Linux Mint 21.2 e Fedora 39 in this tutorial.
Uninstall and install programs on Linux with graphical managers
For those who prefer graphical interfaces to uninstall and install programs, the Ubuntu Software, Mint Application Manager and GNOME Software from Fedora are good options for each of the distributions. They allow you to install applications on Linux in a visual and intuitive way and are installed by default in distributions. The usage methods are similar between these graphical managers across Linux distributions.
Remove and install programs on Ubuntu with Ubuntu Software
Step 1: Open Activities in the top left corner of the Ubuntu home screen and search for Ubuntu Software.
Step 2: Search for the program you want to install or uninstall on the Ubuntu Software.
Step 3: Choose whether you want uninstall ou to install the program with Ubuntu Software; If necessary, enter the superuser, or administrator, password to complete the operation.
Remove and install programs in Mint with Application Manager
Step 1: Open the menu in the bottom left corner of the Mint home screen and search for Application Manager.
Step 2: Search for the program you want to install or uninstall on the Mint Application Manager.
Step 3: Choose whether you want uninstall ou to install the program with Mint Application Manager; If necessary, enter the superuser, or administrator, password to complete the operation.
Remove and install programs on Fedora with GNOME Software
Step 1: Open Activities in the top left corner of the Fedora home screen and search for GNOMEsoftware.
Step 2: Search for the program you want to install or uninstall on the GNOME Software on Fedora.
Step 3: Choose whether you want uninstall ou to install the program with GNOME Software from Fedora; If necessary, enter the superuser, or administrator, password to complete the operation.
Uninstall and install programs on Linux using the terminal
To open the terminal in Linux, use the standard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T, which works with Ubuntu, Mint and Fedora. To uninstall, install and update programs through the terminal, we will use the programs sudo, apt e dnf.
What is the Linux terminal?
Terminal is a physical device used to interact with a computer, such as a monitor and keyboard. We also call it terminal the graphical application that simulates this device. When we open the Linux terminal, we are actually opening the terminal emulator, which, in general, automatically starts a shell, or interpreter Command Line. While the terminal emulator provides the window for interacting with the shell and runs the shell, the shell is the program that interprets and executes user commands.
The default graphical environment Ubuntu and Fedora is GNOME. On Linux Mint, the default graphical environment is Cinnamon, based on GNOME. Both use terminal emulator gnome-terminal. O shell default for Linux distributions is the Bash, a program launched by GNU Project in 1989. There are others shells, like csh or its latest version tcsh, shells that use the C programming language on the command line.
O shell is the program that interprets commands like sudo apt get update ou sudo dnf check-update. In these examples, the shell executes the programs in sequence: in this way, we guarantee superuser privileges with the execution of the sudo and then, with superuser privileges, we update the list of programs with the apt ou dnf.
What is sudo?
Sudo is a command-line utility program created for systems based on Unix, like Linux; Linus Torvalds relied on the Unix operating system to develop the kernel Linux. The name "Sudo” is an acronym for “SuperUser, DO!” (“superuser, do it!”). When executed, after the user enters the password superuser, or administrator, the program sudo temporarily gives it privileges to perform tasks that require these permissions.
Removing and installing programs are system tasks that require superuser permissions. Therefore, we need to use the command sudo to remove and install programs on the Ubuntu, Mint e Fedora.
Remove and install programs on Ubuntu and Linux Mint with APT
Released in 2014 with Debian 12, the apt is a simplified interface for the APT, default package manager Debian and Debian-based Linux distributions such as Ubuntu e Mint. Other older APT manager tools are the commands apt-get e apt-cache.
To install programs on Ubuntu ou Mint through the command line in Linux, we use the command apt, as it simplifies the program management.
Command sudo apt install
Open the terminal in Ubuntu ou Mint with Ctrl + Alt + T and update the program list:
sudo apt updateNow just install the program with the command sudo apt install:
sudo apt install nomedoprogramaFor example, to install the image editor GIMP, run:
sudo apt install gimpThis command requires access privileges. superuser, or administrator. After entering the password, the packages are prepared for installation. Confirm the installation by typing “Y” and pressing Enter.
Command sudo apt remove e sudo apt purge
To uninstall programs in the terminal Ubuntu e Mint, we also use the apt:
sudo apt remove nomedoprogramaFor complete removal of the program, including user settings, perform:
sudo apt purge nomedoprogramaFor example, to completely remove the GIMP, type it:
sudo apt purge gimpRemove and install programs in Fedora with DNF
DNF is the default package manager for Fedora, CentOS and other distributions of Red Hat such as RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux). O DNF replaced the package manager YUM in Fedora 22, in 2015. The command dnf is the interface for interacting with the manager in the Fedora, in a similar way to apt No. Ubuntu e Mint.
Command sudo dnf install
To install programs on Fedora through the terminal, open the terminal with Ctrl + Alt + T and run:
sudo dnf install nomedoprogramaTo install the GIMP, for example, use:
sudo dnf install gimpThere is no need to update the program list on the Fedora.
sudo dnf remove command
To uninstall programs on Fedora From the terminal, run:
sudo dnf remove nomedoprogramaTo uninstall the GIMP do Fedora, for example, run:
sudo dnf remove gimpThe package manager DNF does not have an equivalent to the command sudo apt purge do Ubuntu e Mint.
Install programs with .deb or .rpm file on Linux
Some programs have a proprietary license and, therefore, are not distributed on systems Linux. In this case, just download the installer .deb all with Ubuntu e Mint and install with APT, or . Rpm protocols for Fedora and install with DNF.
O .deb and . Rpm are the most common installation packages for Linux distributions. The files .deb are used to install programs on the Ubuntu, Mint and other distributions based on Debian, and the files . Rpm (Red Hat Package Manager) to install programs on Fedora and other Red Hat Linux distributions.
Install Google Chrome on Ubuntu, Mint and Fedora
To install the Google Chrome, proprietary software and which is therefore not present in the Ubuntu, Mint ou Fedora, follow the following steps.
Step 1: Download from official download page Google Chrome.
The page must detect that the user is using a Linux system and offer a file .deb all with Ubuntu e Mint or a file . Rpm all with Fedora.
Step 2: Open the terminal with Ctrl + Alt + T and use one of the following commands to change to the default downloads directory:
cd ~/DownloadsExplanation: The ~ (tilde) is a shortcut that represents the main directory (home) from your Linux user. The command cd changes directory, in this case to the user's downloads directory.
ou
cd /home/”${USER}”/DownloadsExplanation: This command is an alternative to the first and works in a similar way. Here, $USER is a variable that the Bash automatically replaces it with your username. The quotation marks and curly braces ("${USER}") are used to ensure that the user name is correctly recognized by the shell even if it contains spaces or special characters.
Step 3: Install the Google Chrome No. Ubuntu ou Mint using:
sudo apt install ./arquivobaixado.debFor Fedora, use:
sudo dnf install ./arquivobaixado.rpmUninstall and install programs on Linux with global installers
Global installers like Snap, Flatpak e AppImage are tools for managing programs in the Linux. With them, the programs already come with all the necessary dependencies, meaning there is no need to install other programs on the system to complete the installation. The list of programs offered by Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Mint e Fedora are constantly updated, there is no need to use global installers. However, Snap and Flatpak are used by the graphical installers of Ubuntu, Mint and Fedora, and it is important to understand how they work.
What is Snap?
O Snap is a package system developed by Canonical all with Ubuntu, but also available on other Linux distributions. Being developed by Canonical, which maintains Ubuntu, it comes pre-installed on Ubuntu 22.04.3 and is used by default by the graphics manager Ubuntu Software for installing programs.
What is Flatpak?
Flatpak is a software management system that delivers applications in containers, isolating them from the system. This allows users to install newer versions of programs without affecting the rest of the system, ensuring compatibility and security. Flatpak comes pre-installed on Linux Mint 21.2 and Fedora 39, being used by Mint Application Manager and by GNOME Software from Fedora for installing programs.
What is AppImage?
AppImage is a software distribution format that allows users to run applications on different Linux distributions without requiring installation or superuser permissions. Created in 2004, AppImage focuses on portability and ease of use.
How to install programs on Linux with AppImage
Step 1: Install the FUSE, necessary to run programs in format AppImage. Use the apt all with Ubuntu ou Mint.
sudo apt install fuseOr use the dnf to install the FUSE No. Fedora.
sudo dnf install fuseStep 2: Download the program in format AppImage.
Passo 3: Make the AppImage file executable with chmod +x nomedoarquivo in the terminal or with the distribution's default file manager.
Passo 4: Run the program by double-clicking on the file.
O AppImage It makes life easier for developers who want to distribute their applications in a universal format that can run on any Linux distribution.
These methods demonstrate the flexibility and control that Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Mint and Fedora offer users to manage their programs, whether via graphical application managers or the terminal.
Sources:
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reviewed by Glaucon Vital in 19 / 1 / 24.
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