Six Practical Ways to Install Apps on Ubuntu (Beginner-Friendly Guide)

Ubuntu offers several ways to install applications. Understanding each method helps you pick the right tool, avoid duplicates, and maintain a clean system. This guide covers six installation methods, includes Windows, iOS App Store, and Android Play Store analogies, plus...

November 16, 2025 Linux 8 min read

The App Center is simply the storefront, not a packaging format.

You want the simplest point-and-click experience
You don’t care whether apps install as Snap, DEB, or Flatpak
You’re new to Linux and prefer a familiar app store interface

Easy to use
Integrated updates
Good for beginners
Ubuntu 24.04+ includes Flatpak support

Often installs Snap versions without warning
Not always the latest builds

Ubuntu App Center ≈ Microsoft Store

≈ App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android) — a graphical front-end listing apps, regardless of how they’re packaged.

APT is Ubuntu’s primary command-line package manager. It installs DEB packages from official Ubuntu repositories and handles all dependencies automatically.

You’re following a tutorial that uses apt commands
You want system-integrated software with automatic dependency management
You need command-line tools or development packages
You want the most stable, tested versions

Automatic dependency resolution
Pulls from trusted Ubuntu repositories
Fast and lightweight
Easy updates with sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
Most reliable method for system utilities

Requires terminal/command line
Sometimes has older versions than Snap or Flatpak
Repositories might not include niche applications

APT ≈ Windows Package Manager (winget) — command-line installer from official repositories

Installing from the official App Store/Play Store via command line (if that were possible)

Installing:

# Update package lists first
sudo apt update

# Install a package
sudo apt install

# Search for packages
apt search

Upgrading:

# Update package lists
sudo apt update

# Upgrade a specific package
sudo apt install --only-upgrade

# Upgrade all installed packages
sudo apt upgrade

# Full system upgrade (handles dependency changes)
sudo apt full-upgrade

Uninstalling:

# Remove package but keep configuration files
sudo apt remove

# Remove package and configuration files
sudo apt purge

# Remove unused dependencies
sudo apt autoremove

DEB is the classic installer format used by Debian- and Ubuntu-based systems. You download a .deb file directly from a developer’s website and install it manually.

The developer provides an official .deb download on their website
The software isn’t available in Ubuntu repositories
You want native performance
You prefer non-containerized apps

Fast and lightweight
Uses system libraries
Direct from the developer

Updates require manual downloads (unless the DEB adds a repository)
Can break if dependencies aren’t available
Security risk if downloading from untrusted sources

DEB ≈ EXE installers — system-integrated, not containerized

Closest equivalent: APK sideloading on Android (installing a standalone app package directly)

Usually in: ~/Downloads

Yes. It’s only the installer.

Only download .deb files from official developer websites or trusted sources. Verify checksums when provided.

Installing:

sudo dpkg -i file.deb

If you encounter dependency errors:

sudo apt --fix-broken install

Installing via GUI:

Double-click the .deb file in your file manager, and it will open in the App Center or Software Install tool.

Upgrading:

Manual DEB packages don’t auto-update. You need to:

Download the new .deb file from the developer’s website
Install it the same way (it will upgrade the existing version)

Some DEB packages add repositories during installation, enabling auto-updates via APT.

Uninstalling:

# Find the exact package name
dpkg -l | grep

# Remove the package
sudo apt remove

# Or remove with configuration files
sudo apt purge

You can also uninstall via the App Center GUI.

Snap is a packaging and sandboxing format used heavily by Ubuntu.

The app is officially distributed as Snap
You want auto-updates
You need an isolated/sandboxed application

Safe (sandboxed)
Auto-updates
Easy rollback to previous versions
Cross-distro compatibility

Often slower to launch
Larger disk footprint
Some file system access limitations due to sandboxing

Snap ≈ MSIX (self-contained, auto-updating, sandboxed)

Similar to how iOS/Android install apps with bundled dependencies, ensuring consistent behavior across devices.

Installing:

sudo snap install

Upgrading:

# Snaps auto-update by default, but you can manually update
sudo snap refresh

# Update all snaps
sudo snap refresh

# Check for available updates
snap refresh --list

Uninstalling:

sudo snap remove

# Remove a snap and its saved data
sudo snap remove --purge

Listing installed:

snap list

Flatpak is a cross-distro packaging system that competes with Snap.

You want the newest versions
You want apps isolated from system dependencies
You prefer Flathub’s large catalog
The app isn’t available via APT or Snap

Updated frequently
Huge catalog on Flathub
Works across almost all Linux distros
Good sandboxing

May require adding Flathub manually (on older Ubuntu versions)
Larger disk usage than DEB
Can have similar startup delays as Snap

Flatpak ≈ MSIX packages distributed outside the Microsoft Store

Equivalent to enabling a trusted external app repository, similar to:

Adding TestFlight sources (iOS, conceptually)
Adding external stores like F-Droid (Android)

One-time setup (if Flathub not already configured):

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Installing:

# Install an app
flatpak install flathub md.obsidian.Obsidian

# Search for apps
flatpak search

Upgrading:

# Update a specific app
flatpak update md.obsidian.Obsidian

# Update all Flatpak apps
flatpak update

# Check for available updates
flatpak remote-ls --updates

Uninstalling:

# Remove an app
flatpak uninstall md.obsidian.Obsidian

# Remove unused runtimes and dependencies
flatpak uninstall --unused

Running and listing:

# Run an app
flatpak run md.obsidian.Obsidian

# List installed apps
flatpak list

Note: Ubuntu 24.04+ includes Flatpak support in the App Center, so you can install, update, and remove Flatpak apps graphically without terminal commands.

AppImage is a single-file portable app that requires no installation.

You want a fully portable app
You don’t want changes to your system
You want to try beta versions safely
You need multiple versions of the same app

No installation required
No dependencies
Works across most Linux distros
Fully portable (can run from USB drive)

No automatic updates
Not added to the app menu automatically
No centralized management

AppImage ≈ portable ZIP folder containing a portable EXE

There is no iOS equivalent (iOS doesn’t allow portable apps).

Closest Android comparison: running a standalone APK extracted from a ZIP, but even that isn’t truly portable.

Usually downloaded to: ~/Downloads

Users often move them to custom folders like:

~/Applications
~/AppImages

(you create these folders manually)

No. The file is the app.

Consider using AppImageLauncher, which automatically integrates AppImages into your system menu.

Note: The PPA is deprecated. Instead, download the .deb package directly:

Visit the AppImageLauncher releases page
Download the appropriate .deb file for your system (usually amd64 for most computers)
Install it:

cd ~/Downloads
sudo dpkg -i appimagelauncher_*.deb

If you encounter dependency errors, run:

sudo apt install -f

How AppImageLauncher works:

AppImageLauncher is not an app you open directly – it’s a background helper that automatically activates when you interact with AppImage files.

When you download an AppImage and double-click it (or try to run it), AppImageLauncher will intercept it and show a dialog asking:

“Do you want to integrate this AppImage into your system?”
Options to integrate it (moves it to ~/Applications and adds it to your app menu) or just run it once

To verify it’s installed:

which AppImageLauncher
# Should show: /usr/bin/AppImageLauncher

To see integrated AppImages:

ls ~/Applications

Note: The ~/Applications folder is created automatically the first time you integrate an AppImage. If you haven’t integrated any AppImages yet, this folder won’t exist.

Alternative: AppImageLauncher Lite

If you prefer not to install system-wide, try AppImageLauncher Lite, which is an AppImage itself and doesn’t require root access:

Download appimagelauncher-lite*.AppImage from the releases page
Make it executable: chmod +x appimagelauncher-lite*.AppImage
Run: ./appimagelauncher-lite*.AppImage install

AppImages require FUSE (Filesystem in Userspace) to run. On newer Ubuntu versions, you may need to install it manually:

sudo apt install libfuse2

Common error without FUSE:

dlopen(): error loading libfuse.so.2
AppImages require FUSE to run.

If you see this error, install libfuse2 as shown above.

Installing/Running:

Make it executable (first time only):

chmod +x MyApp.AppImage

Run it:

./MyApp.AppImage

If you get a FUSE error:

sudo apt install libfuse2

Upgrading:

AppImages don’t auto-update. To upgrade:

Download the new version from the developer’s website
Delete or rename the old AppImage
Make the new one executable and run it

Some AppImages have built-in update checkers that will notify you.

Uninstalling:

Simply delete the AppImage file:

rm ~/Applications/MyApp.AppImage

If you used AppImageLauncher, right-click the app in your menu and select “Remove”.

Method	Ubuntu Concept	Windows Analogy	iOS/Android Analogy	Best For
App Center	Storefront	Microsoft Store	App Store / Play Store	Beginners, GUI users
APT	System package manager	winget	Official store CLI	System tools, CLI users
DEB (manual)	Native installer	EXE installer	APK sideload	Developer downloads
Snap	Modern sandboxed apps	MSIX	Standard mobile app	Auto-updating apps
Flatpak	Universal sandboxed apps	External MSIX	F-Droid / external repos	Latest versions
AppImage	Portable executable	Portable ZIP + EXE	No real equivalent	Portable apps, testing

For complete beginners:

Start with App Center for most apps
Learn APT for following tutorials and installing development tools

For daily desktop apps:

Flatpak (Flathub) for the latest versions
APT for system utilities and command-line tools

For official developer downloads:

DEB packages from trusted sources

For portable/testing apps:

AppImage when you need something temporary or portable

For Snap:

Only use if no alternative exists, or if the app’s official distribution is Snap-only

“I want to install Firefox/LibreOffice/GIMP” → Use App Center or APT

“I’m following a tutorial that says sudo apt install“ → Use APT in the terminal

“I need the absolute latest version of OBS Studio” → Use Flatpak from Flathub

“The developer’s website has a .deb download” → Download the DEB and install it

“I want to test beta software without affecting my system” → Use AppImage

“I need multiple versions of the same app” → Use AppImage or Flatpak

You can have the same app installed multiple ways simultaneously (e.g., Firefox as both a Snap and DEB). To avoid confusion:

Check what’s installed:

# List APT packages
dpkg -l | grep

# List Snaps
snap list

# List Flatpaks
flatpak list

# Check for AppImages
ls ~/Applications ~/AppImages

Remove duplicates by uninstalling the versions you don’t want using the appropriate method.

Ubuntu’s flexibility in installation methods can seem overwhelming at first, but each serves a specific purpose. Start with the App Center and APT for everyday needs, then explore Flatpak and AppImages as you become more comfortable. Understanding these options will help you maintain a cleaner, more organized system.

Happy installing!