If you use modern technology regularly, there are doubtless certain apps difficult to imagine going without. In the world of Linux distributions, there’s no universal default set of apps, so you sort of have to forge your own path. After countless Linux desktop setups, here are my software essentials.
Nextcloud
First, I get theNextclouddesktop client installed. I run Nextcloud as a home cloud storage system using aRaspberry Pi. I use it to sync a lot of important files, including my passwords (more on that later).
It’s a quick way to share files across my devices with minimal effort: I put the file in a folder within the Nextcloud directory and the file becomes available for all devices where I’ve synced that folder. I have different folders for different purposes, so as to avoid wasting storage and bandwidth on syncing to devices where I don’t need those files. Where I need any of them, though, I’ve got to install a Nextcloud client.
KeePassXC
Password managers are a must these daysif you want to avoid losing account logins or falling victim to someone stealing your login. There are manypassword managers to choose from, but I chooseKeePassXC.
Notably, there’s no built-in cloud storage for KeePassXC. That’s both a benefit (because my data stays offline) but also a problem because, without cloud syncing, I have to manually copy storage files to each of my devices. Even if I do that, I have to keep doing it every time I add or edit a login if I want each device to stay current. That’s obviously a huge hassle.
I get around that problem by syncing my KeePassXC files over my aforementioned Nextcloud server. The server isn’t connected to the internet outside my house, so my passwords stay relatively secure.
Firefox
The browser wars are weird these days. Many insist on including scam-coded features likeblockchain integration,loan offers, andgenerative AI. Such antics have made me kind of ping-pong between browsers, and presently I have multiple browsers I switch between for different uses. For personal use, though I’m rely onFirefoxfor the time-being. At the risk of sounding jaded, I don’t really think Firefox is great but more that it’s the least bad.
Fortunately, Firefox is often installed by default on Linux distriubtions. That means I typically don’t have to go out of my way to install it, I just open it up and log into myFirefox Sync account.
KDE Connect
I’ve harped onKDE Connectbefore, and again I’ll harp. This app is kind of a Swiss Army Knife for local area network connectivity. Any two devices on your Wi-Fi network with KDE Connect (or the GNOME implementationGSConnect) installed can communicate with each other in very helpful ways. I can share clipboards, send hyperlinks, ping (in the case of a lost device), and much more. It even lets you use a smartphone as an input for your computer, like a mouse or computer.
As a tinkerer and remote worker, these features are invaluable. Critically, KDE Connect isn’t limited to Linux. I can also install it on Windows and Mac devices as needed.
Steam (and steam-devices)
This kind of goes without saying for anyone who does much gaming on Linux, but I always install Valve’sSteamgaming platform. Valve has played a huge role in enabling and popularizing Linux gaming, thanks to itsProton compatibility layerand theSteam Deck.
Steam is an app whose icon many distros put in their “Look at all this stuff you may install!” promotions, so it’s easy to find. However, I often need to go a step further and install a package called “steam-devices” so that my 2010s-eraSteam Controllerworks. It’s a bit annoying having to do that package search, but it’s worth it. Certain distros I’ve found actually include it by default, which is nice.
If you’re interested in trying a Linux distribution yourself, see our recommendations forgaming-oriented distrosandlightweight distros that run great on old hardware.
