Table of Contents
Overview
On a typical Linux desktop, the software center is the main graphical place to find, install, update, and remove applications. It presents software in categories, provides search and reviews, and handles all the packaging details in the background. While the exact look and name differ between distributions, the basic ideas are the same.
This chapter focuses on using the software center itself, not on how package managers work internally or how command line tools manage packages. Those topics are covered elsewhere.
Finding and starting the software center
After your first login, look for an icon labeled something similar to “Software,” “App Center,” “Software Center,” or “Discover.” On GNOME based desktops such as Ubuntu, this is often called “Software” or “Ubuntu Software.” On KDE Plasma systems it is usually called “Discover.” XFCE based systems might ship with a lighter tool, sometimes called “Add/Remove Software.”
You can usually open it in two ways. The first is through the main application menu or launcher, in a category such as “System,” “Settings,” or “Utilities.” The second is via the desktop’s search function. Open the activities or application overview, type “software,” “app,” or the specific name like “Discover,” and click the result.
Behind the scenes, the software center connects to your distribution’s repositories or to additional application sources configured on your system. You do not need to handle any of these details to use it, but you might see references to them when reading package descriptions.
Understanding the main interface
Once opened, most software centers show a main page with featured applications or categories. There is usually a top bar with a search box and one or more tabs or side panels that switch between browsing, installed software, and updates.
The “Explore” or “Browse” section lets you look through categories such as “Productivity,” “Games,” “Internet,” or “Development.” Categories help you discover software when you do not know the name of the application. Some centers provide subcategories or filters such as “Free,” “Open Source,” or “Proprietary” to narrow your selection.
You will typically find a separate “Installed” section that lists applications already present on your system. From here you can open, update, or remove them. Another separate “Updates” or “Updates & Security” section handles system and application updates in one place.
If your distribution supports different packaging types side by side, such as traditional distribution packages and sandboxed formats, you may see indicators in the interface that show which format each application uses. These details are helpful if you want consistent behavior across systems, but basic installation and removal are the same from the user’s perspective.
Searching for applications
The search feature is central to the software center. At the top of the window you will usually see a search icon or an input field. Click in it and type the name of the application you want, such as “GIMP,” or a generic description such as “image editor,” “video player,” or “note taking.”
The software center searches its list of available applications and displays matching results. The results often include both applications that are already installed and ones you can install. Installed applications may be marked as such or appear in a separate section.
Clicking on a search result opens a detailed page for that application. Here you typically see a short description, longer summary, screenshots, version information, and possibly ratings and reviews from other users. Pay attention to the summary and screenshots to confirm that the application does what you expect.
If more than one result looks similar, check the name, description, and publisher. A well known project often uses a recognizable name and lists the official project or distribution as the publisher. Third party or unofficial variants usually mention that in the description.
Always read the description and publisher information before installing an application from the software center. This helps you avoid installing tools that do not match your needs or that come from untrusted sources.
Viewing application details
The application detail page gives you more context before installation. Besides description and screenshots, you may see information such as the project website, license, source of the package, size on disk, and supported languages.
Version information helps you know how recent the software is. Some centers show the version number, such as 2.10.36, and when it was last updated. If the application is installed, you might see the currently installed version and the candidate version available from the repository or other source.
The source field indicates where the application comes from. On some distributions this could be something like “Official repositories,” “Community,” or a specific flatpak or snap channel. If you see multiple sources for the same application, your software center may let you choose which one to use. As a beginner, it is usually safer to prefer official or default sources chosen by your distribution.
Installing new applications
To install an application, open its detail page and look for a button labeled “Install,” “Get,” or something similar. Clicking this button starts the installation process. The software center resolves dependencies and downloads the necessary packages automatically.
For system wide installations, the software center may ask for your password. This is a normal security measure. By entering your password here, you authorize changes to the system. After you confirm, you will typically see a progress bar or spinner while the download and installation take place.
When installation finishes successfully, the “Install” button usually changes to “Remove,” “Open,” or both. At that point, the application is available from your main menu or search, just like the preinstalled tools.
If an error occurs, the software center might display a message about missing dependencies or network issues. Network problems are often solved by checking your connection and trying again later. More complex error messages usually involve the underlying package system and are handled in greater detail when you learn about command line package management.
Updating applications and the system
Most software centers include an “Updates” or “Updates & Security” section. This view shows available updates for installed applications and often for the core system as well. You may see different categories such as “OS updates,” “Application updates,” or “Security updates.”
When the software center checks for updates, it contacts your configured sources and compares available versions to the ones installed on your system. This process can take a short time. Once complete, you typically have two main options. You can install all available updates, or you can choose specific applications or components to update.
Installing updates usually requires authorization. Enter your password if asked. While updates are downloading and installing, it is best not to close the software center or power off the machine. Some updates may require a reboot, especially if they involve low level parts of the system. In that case you will be informed.
You may also find settings that control how often the software center checks for updates and whether it installs some types of updates automatically. Consider enabling automatic checks so that you are notified about security fixes and bug corrections in a timely manner.
Keep your applications and system up to date through the software center. Regular updates improve security, fix bugs, and add features without requiring you to manage packages manually.
Managing installed applications
The “Installed” section of the software center helps you review and control what is already on your system. Applications are usually grouped by type or name, and you can often search inside this list.
Clicking an installed application in this view opens its detail page. In place of the “Install” button, you will see buttons such as “Remove,” “Uninstall,” or “Launch.” The “Launch” button opens the application directly, which is helpful if you want to check what it does before deciding whether to keep it.
If you need to reclaim disk space or clean up unused software, you can remove applications from here. Confirm the removal when prompted. The software center usually removes the main package and any automatically installed dependencies that are no longer needed. Some configuration files might remain so that your settings can be restored if you reinstall the application later.
Occasionally, installed applications may appear “orphaned” or “not found” if their source has changed or disappeared. In these cases, the software center might suggest removal or show an error during updates. Handling these special cases in depth is more related to package management internals, which you will see elsewhere, but from the software center’s point of view you usually just choose to remove or ignore these entries.
Handling multiple sources and formats
Some modern software centers can display and manage applications from several sources at once. These may include traditional packages from your distribution, as well as formats such as snaps, flatpaks, or others. Each of these formats has its own characteristics, but the software center hides most of the complexity.
In the interface, you might notice different labels for the same application, such as “Source: Distribution,” “Source: Flatpak,” or “Source: Snap Store.” When you click install, the software center uses the chosen source. If you see duplicate entries for the same application, they probably correspond to different formats or repositories.
You may also find settings where you can enable or disable certain sources. For example, you might enable a flatpak repository or a third party source that provides additional software. Only adjust these settings if you understand where the software comes from and trust it.
Do not enable unknown or unofficial software sources in the software center without understanding the risks. Software from untrusted sources can compromise system stability or security.
Permissions and integration
For some application formats, the software center can display and manage permissions. On the application detail page or an additional permissions dialog, you might see options controlling access to files, cameras, microphones, or devices. Adjust these only if you know why the application needs that access.
System wide integration, such as adding menu entries and file associations, is usually handled automatically at installation time. If you remove an application from the software center, its menu entries and launchers are also removed. If a removed application still appears in your menu, logging out and logging in again or restarting the desktop session typically resolves it.
Troubleshooting common issues
If the software center fails to start, the most basic step is to log out and log in again, or reboot the system. Temporary glitches in the graphical environment can prevent it from opening correctly. If the program continues to fail, you might try launching it from a terminal to see what error messages are printed, which is a useful technique described elsewhere in this course.
If downloads are very slow or fail halfway, first check your internet connection in a web browser. If other sites are slow or unavailable, the issue is likely with the network. If your network is fine, the problem may be with the specific software source or repository. Waiting and trying again later often works, because mirrors or servers can be temporarily overloaded.
Sometimes the software center may complain about “broken packages” or “dependency problems.” These messages come from the underlying package system. Resolving them often requires the use of command line package tools or more advanced repair features in the software center, depending on your distribution. At the beginner level, the simplest approach is often to avoid interrupting installations and updates and to avoid adding unknown sources, so these issues are less likely to occur.
Using the software center effectively
In daily use, the software center is your main graphical tool for managing applications. Use it to discover new programs, install only what you need, and keep everything updated. For now, treat it as your primary interface to software on your system. As you progress, you will learn the command line package tools that sit underneath it, but the workflow of searching, reading details, installing, updating, and removing remains the same.
By becoming comfortable with the software center early, you reduce the friction of trying new tools and adjusting your system to your needs, while the system handles the low level details behind the scenes.