Pop!_OS uses the APT (Advanced Package Tool) package management system, which is common to all Debian-based Linux distributions like Ubuntu. It also provides access to the Pop!_Shop, a graphical interface for managing software.
Here’s an overview of how package management works on Pop!_OS:
APT is the main tool for installing, updating, upgrading, and removing software via the terminal in Pop!_OS.
Update the package list:
This command refreshes the list of available packages from the repositories:
sudo apt update
Upgrade installed packages:
This will upgrade all installed packages to the latest version available in the repositories:
sudo apt upgrade
Install a new package:
You can install a package by specifying its name:
sudo apt install [package_name]
Remove a package:
To remove a package but keep its configuration files, use:
sudo apt remove [package_name]
To remove the package along with its configuration files:
sudo apt purge [package_name]
Search for a package:
You can search for a package in the repositories:
apt search [package_name]
Clean up unused packages:
After removing packages, you can clean up dependencies that are no longer needed:
sudo apt autoremove
Upgrade the entire system (distribution upgrade):
This upgrades the whole distribution to a new release:
sudo apt dist-upgrade
Add new repositories:
To install software from external repositories, you can add repositories manually:
sudo add-apt-repository [repository_name]
sudo apt update
Pop!_Shop is the user-friendly graphical software manager in Pop!_OS. It provides an easy way to install, update, and remove applications with a few clicks.
Flatpak is an alternative package management system to APT. Pop!_OS natively supports Flatpak and integrates it with Pop!_Shop, where you can install Flatpak apps directly from the Flathub repository.
Install Flatpak applications via the terminal:
You can install Flatpak applications from Flathub or other sources by first enabling Flatpak and Flathub:
sudo apt install flatpak
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
After adding Flathub, you can install apps with:
flatpak install flathub [app_name]
Managing Flatpak apps:
flatpak list
flatpak run [app_name]
flatpak uninstall [app_name]
Although Snaps (Canonical’s universal package system) aren’t installed by default, you can still use them in Pop!_OS if desired. Snaps are similar to Flatpaks but are provided via Snapcraft.
Install Snapd (Snap Daemon):
sudo apt install snapd
Install a Snap package:
sudo snap install [package_name]
After uninstalling packages, Pop!_OS can accumulate unnecessary files and dependencies. You can clean them up with:
Autoremove:
This removes orphaned packages that were installed as dependencies but are no longer needed:
sudo apt autoremove
Clean:
To remove downloaded package files stored in the cache:
sudo apt clean
Purge:
To completely remove a package and its configuration files:
sudo apt purge [package_name]
Pop!_OS inherits Ubuntu’s software repositories but also includes additional repositories maintained by System76 for Pop-specific packages. If you want to install software from external repositories or PPAs, the command is:
sudo add-apt-repository [ppa:repo_name]
sudo apt update
This flexible combination of package managers makes Pop!_OS suitable for users of all skill levels, whether they prefer using the command line or a graphical interface.
Pop!_OS Overview
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Pop!_OS FAQ
Support & Service for Pop!_OS