Some Linux distributions ship with plenty of pre-installed apps, whereas others tend to be a bit leaner. Even those distributions that include a host of applications don’t always get the collection of pre-installed apps quite right.
From my experience, there are certain apps that should be considered “must haves” for every new user, and it often confuses me why they aren’t included in many of the major distributions.
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The good news is that there are plenty of apps to easily install, most of which are found in the standard repositories.
What is my list of “must haves” for Linux? Let’s find out.
1. LibreOffice
Standard office suite
LibreOffice is the de facto standard office suite for Linux and comes pre-installed on some distributions. If you find it missing from yours, this should be the first app you install.
LibreOffice includes all the tools you’re accustomed to in an office suite: documents, spreadsheets, presentations, formulas, drawing, and even a database. The tools are compatible with the MS Office equivalent, and you can even configure them to default to the Office file format (such as .docx). LibreOffice also has a customizable UI, so you can have the interface you want. LibreOffice is free to install and use on as many computers as needed.
2. VLC
Media player
Forget whatever media player your distribution includes and jump right to VLC. VLC is, hands down, the best video player on the market — and it’s not even close. VLC is a lightweight, no-frills app with tons of customization and is capable of playing nearly any video file format (audio as well).
VLC also allows you to add subtitles, fix subtitle timing, and adjust audio dynamics. VLC can play local and remote files and can be installed on almost all platforms. VLC is available in the standard repositories, so you should be able to install it from your GUI app store for free.
3. GIMP
Photoshop alternative
If you work on images, GIMP is your tool. This is essentially the Linux equivalent of Photoshop, and it has all the power and features to prove it. I’ve been using GIMP for decades and find the UI to be intuitive and clean.
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If you do adopt GIMP as your image editor of choice, I highly recommend you also install the G’MIC plugin, as it can elevate your work with tons of filters. GIMP does have a bit of a learning curve, but so does any tool this powerful. You’ll find GIMP in the standard repositories for your distribution, so it can be installed from within the GUI app store.
4. Simple Note
Note-taking app
Simple Note is one of the best note-taking applications available on the Linux platform.
Simple includes features like a clean interface, note sharing and collaboration, real-time sync across devices, and note tagging. Simple Note doesn’t include all the bells and whistles of some other apps in this space, but as far as taking quick notes goes, you cannot beat this app. You won’t find Simple Note in the standard repositories; instead, install it via Flatpak or Snap. Simple Note is free to use and can be installed on as many Linux devices as needed.
5. GNOME Tweaks
Customize your GNOME desktop
If you’re a tinkerer who likes to make things just so — even on your desktop — GNOME Tweaks should be considered a must. GNOME Tweaks offers quite a few customizations to the GNOME desktop for appearance, fonts, keyboard and mouse, startup applications, window title bars, windows, power settings, touchpad behavior, and more.
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If you really want to get the most out of GNOME, this is one of the first apps you should install. You’ll find GNOME Tweaks in your distribution’s standard repository, so you can install it on all of your GNOME-based desktop machines.
6. Thunderbird
Email client
If you need an email client, you might as well start with one of the best available for the Linux operating system. Thunderbird has been around for a very long time and has evolved into a lean, mean emailing machine. Thunderbird includes support for all types of email servers (including Outlook and Gmail), tasks, a calendar, and more.
Because the Thunderbird UI hasn’t changed much over the years, it will be highly familiar to anyone who uses it. Thunderbird makes it easy to use GPG encryption for your more sensitive email and includes plenty of filters and other features to make keeping your inbox organized a snap. Thunderbird can be installed (for free) from the standard repositories.
7. Bitwarden
Password manager
You need a password manager. You do. If you haven’t made the choice yet, let me help you out by recommending Bitwarden. Bitwarden is one of the best password managers on the market, and it’s open-source. You’ll find strong encryption, a random password generator, folders, TOTP authenticator keys, master password re-prompt, notes, custom fields, Send (to send secure files and texts), identities, secure notes, and much more.
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If there were only one password manager I could recommend, it would be Bitwarden, hands down. You can download the desktop client for Linux from the official Bitwarden download page, where you can also install the browser extension to make using Bitwarden even easier. Bitwarden can be used for free, or you can upgrade to a paid account for more features. Check out the Bitwarden pricing matrix for more details.
8. Timeshift
Similar to the Windows System Restore tool
Timeshift is similar to the Windows System Restore tool. Timeshift takes incremental snapshots of the Linux file system at regular intervals, which can be used to restore the system at a later date. This should be considered a necessity, as it will save you from having to reinstall the OS should something go wrong — not that anything will go wrong, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Timeshift offers both a command-line tool and a GUI, so you can be sure you won’t have any trouble using the app. Timeshift can be installed from the standard repositories for free.
9. Flatpak or Snap
Universal package managers
Flatpak and Snap are universal package managers that give you access to even more apps to install on your system. Even better, these two package managers offer apps you might not otherwise be able to install. Why? Flatpak and Snap bundle everything necessary to run an app in a single container that is sandboxed on your system so it can’t interfere with other apps. These two features make it easier for companies who might not normally release versions of their apps for Linux to do so.
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With Flatpak and Snap, you can easily install apps like Slack and Spotify on any Linux distribution. Both Snap and Flatpak are available from the standard repositories.
10. Stacer
Gives real-time information about your system
Stacer is a fantastic app that gives you real-time information about your system, allows you to manage startup applications, helps you clean various caches, reports, and logs, search for files and directories, manage services and processes, uninstall applications, add or remove repositories, manage your hostname, and more.
Although this tool might seem a bit overkill for new Linux users, it’s always good to have installed, even if only for the cache/log cleaner. Stacer can be installed (for free) from the standard repositories.