Installing apps on Linux? 4 ways it’s different than any other OS – and mistakes to avoid

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

When I first started using Linux in the late 90s, there was really only one way to install an application. You would download the app, unpack the archive, run the ./configure command, build the app with make, and then install it with make install. Inevitably, when you ran through that course, you would stumble because of dependencies and have to locate the dependency, run through the same process as you just did (only with the new software), and then find out the new dependency had dependencies of its own.

That was always a fun time.

Also: 6 reasons why I’ve stuck with Ubuntu-based Linux distros for the last 20 years

Modern Linux distributions don’t require users to install applications from source, which is a good thing. Imagine if users still had to jump through those same hoops to get software installed. If that were the case, Linux wouldn’t have finally broken the 5% market share barrier recently. Thankfully, Linux distributions now ship with their own built-in package managers that handle the complicated process of installing software. For instance, apt and dnf are very good at checking for dependencies and then installing them for you.

Although simplicity is a very good reason to use the built-in package managers, there are other reasons for doing so, and those reasons are more important than you might know.

1. Keeping it all in check

If there’s one reason why you should use the built-in package manager to install all of your software, it’s this. When you use the distribution’s package manager to install an app, the package manager is then aware of the application it installed. Because of that, any time the app has an available update, the package manager does its thing by downloading the updated software (and any required dependency), and then upgrades the app.

Your distribution’s package manager is very good at keeping tabs on what’s installed on your system, what version of the app is on your system, and when or if there are available updates.

If you were to compile and install that app from source, there would be no automatic updates. Instead, you’d have to download the latest version and go through the same process. Even worse is the fact that you’d have to manually check to see if there’s a new version by going to the site for the app, locating the latest version, finding the version you have installed, and then compiling and installing the latest.

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Updates are a key component of keeping your system safe and running smoothly. Updates often contain security patches, which could prevent unwanted users from breaking into your computer and doing bad things. You want updates, and you want them regularly (and easily).

That’s not the only reason to install software this way.

2. Security is key

Generally speaking, software available from the standard repositories for your distribution has been vetted, so it is far less likely to contain problems. The software you downloaded from some rando website and installed from source isn’t. When installing from source that was created by an unknown developer, you run the risk of adding malicious code to your system.

It’s like downloading an Android APK from some unknown site and installing it as if it’s perfectly fine to do so.

Also: While Windows 10 users panic, Ubuntu makes extending support easy – here’s how

It’s not. It rarely is. Because of this, you should always use your package manager for installing applications. Speaking of which…

3. Unknown repositories

Almost every Linux distribution uses a standard repository. What does that mean? Think of it as a sort of “official repository” that is maintained by a group of trusted people who actually have your best interests in mind.

But just because your distribution has an official repository, it doesn’t mean you can’t add other repositories. When you do, you take a risk that the software contained within could include malicious code.

Also: 10 Linux apps I install on every new machine (and why you should, too)

Recently, it was discovered that the Arch AUR repository (a community-driven repository) contained a few malicious packages that included a remote access trojan. Those packages were librewolf-fix-bin, firefox-patch-bin, and zen-browser-patched-bin. Immediately upon discovery, the packages were removed, but there’s no telling if the malicious code was installed on anyone’s machine.

Also: 5 of the easiest, quickest Linux distros to install – and I’ve tried them all

I’m not saying that you should never add a non-standard repository to your system, but you should always vet any repository you include because not doing so could cause any number of headaches.

4. Uninstalling apps

Finally, uninstalling applications is far easier with the default package manager. If you installed the app from source, you’d have to manually remove the application and all of its dependencies, which can be a serious problem because how would you remember all of the dependencies you had to install? On top of that, you might accidentally remove a key piece of software, rendering other software unable to run.

You don’t want that.

Uninstalling applications with the built-in package manager is not only easy, it’s clean. And some package managers even have an autoremove function that will remove all unnecessary software that remains on your system. That’s smart.

Also: The best Linux distributions for beginners: Expert tested and reviewed

How you install applications on Linux is far more important than on any other system, mostly because you have options available, but not all options are always the best route. If you install applications on Linux the right way, you’ll enjoy a problem/worry-free system for a very long time.

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