Please Share!

Share

LinkedIn

Tweet

Pin 1 shares

Here is a list of my must-have Linux applications by category.

Multimedia

Audacity – Audacity is free, open source, cross-platform software for recording and editing sounds.

Audio-recorder – The name speaks for itself — it’s an audio recorder.

Clementine – A modern music player and library organizer.

VLC – Simple, fast and powerful media player.

Chat / Instant Messaging

Pidgin – Graphical multi-protocol instant messaging client for X

Skype – client for Skype VOIP and instant messaging service

Text Editors

FocusWriter – FocusWriter is a simple, distraction-free writing environment.

LibreOffice – LibreOffice is a powerful office suite.

Medit – is a programming and around-programming text editor.

Command Line Tools

curl – A command line tool for transferring data with URL syntax.

git – Fast, scalable, distributed revision control system

pandoc – general markup converter

pdftk – tool for manipulating PDF documents

screen – Terminal multiplexor with VT100/ANSI terminal emulation

Miscellaneous Graphical Applications

Kupfer – fast and lightweight desktop summoner/launcher

Shutter – feature-rich screenshot program

Xmind – Professional & Powerful Mind Mapping Software.

Comprehensive Must-Have Linux Application List

By scouring the web and reading various forums and blog posts, I’ve come up with this comprehensive list. These applications kept making appearances on many peoples must-have lists.

7Zip – 7-Zip is a file archiver with a high compression ratio.

amarok – Amarok is a powerful music player for Linux, Unix and Windows with an intuitive interface.

audacity – Audacity is free, open source, cross-platform software for recording and editing sounds.

autojump – Autojump provides a faster way to navigate your filesystem, with a “cd command that learns.”

avconv (ffmpeg) – avconv is a very fast video and audio converter.

banshee – media management and playback application.

bleachbit – Delete unnecessary files from the system.

bluefish – Bluefish is a GTK+ HTML editor for the experienced web designer.

calibre – ebook manager.

chrome (chromium) – A web browser.

clementine – A modern music player and library organizer.

devede – A simple application to create Video DVDs

empathy – A multi-protocol chat and call client.

evince – Document (PostScript, PDF) viewer.

evolution – E-mail client.

ffmpeg (avconv) – avconv is a very fast video and audio converter.

filezilla – Full-featured graphical FTP/FTPS/SFTP client.

firefox – Safe and easy web browser from Mozilla.

gajim – GTK based jabber client.

geeqie – Image viewer using GTK+.

gimp – The GNU Image Manipulation Program

git – Fast, scalable, distributed revision control system

Google Earth – Google Earth is a virtual globe, map and geographical information program.

gparted – GNOME partition editor

grafx2 – ultimate 256-color bitmap paint program

gthumb – Image viewer and browser.

guake – Drop-down terminal for GNOME Desktop Environment

gwenview – Image browser.

handbrake – Open Source Video Transcoder

htop – interactive processes viewer

imagemagick – image manipulation programs

inkscape – vector-based drawing program

jabref – graphical frontend to manage BibTeX databases

joe – user friendly full screen text editor

k3b – Sophisticated CD/DVD burning application

keepassx – Cross Platform Password Manager

libreoffice – office productivity suite (metapackage)

mc – Midnight Commander – a powerful file manager

meld – graphical tool to diff and merge files

mpd – Music Player Daemon

mplayer – movie player for Unix-like systems

mtpaint – painting program to create pixel art and manipulate digital photos

mupdf – lightweight PDF viewer

mutt – text-based mailreader supporting MIME, GPG, PGP and threading

mypaint – paint program for use with graphics tablets

ncdu – ncurses disk usage viewer

ncmpcpp – ncurses-based client for the Music Player Daemon (MPD)

newsbeuter – text mode rss feed reader with podcast support

openshot – Create and edit videos and movies

parcellite – lightweight GTK+ clipboard manager

picasa – Organize, edit, and share your photos

ranger – File manager with an ncurses frontend written in Python

recordmydesktop – Captures audio-video data of a Linux desktop session

rhythmbox – music player and organizer for GNOME

rsync – fast, versatile, remote (and local) file-copying tool

rubber – automated system for building LaTeX documents

samba – SMB/CIFS file, print, and login server for Unix

scrot – command line screen capture utility

shotwell – digital photo organizer

shutter – feature-rich screenshot program

skype – client for Skype VOIP and instant messaging service

sxiv – simple X image viewer

synapse – semantic file launcher

terminator – multiple GNOME terminals in one window

thunderbird – Email, RSS and newsgroup client with integrated spam filter

timeshift – Bacukp software similar to Time Machine in Mac OS

tmux – terminal multiplexer

transmission – lightweight BitTorrent client

tree – displays directory tree, in color

units – converts between different systems of units

vim – Vi IMproved – enhanced vi editor

virtualbox – x86 virtualization solution – base binaries

vlc – multimedia player and streamer

w3m – WWW browsable pager with excellent tables/frames support

weechat – Fast, light and extensible chat client

wine – Microsoft Windows Compatibility Layer

xbmc – XBMC Media Center

xchat – IRC client for X similar to AmIRC

xmobar – lightweight status bar for X11 window managers

xmonad – Lightweight X11 window manager written in Haskell

xsane – featureful graphical frontend for SANE (Scanner Access Now Easy)

But wait. There’s more.

If you enjoyed the resources in this article, you’ll find Linux for Beginners invaluable.

Your Turn

Let me know your must-have Linux applications in the comments.