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The plain idea
This is a running list of Linux software I have found useful, sorted roughly by what each is for: admin tools, animation, speech, downloading, games and odds and ends. It is a personal toolbox, not a definitive guide, the kind of list I wish I had found when I switched to Linux.
Why Linux software is different
On Linux you mostly install software from a package manager (apt, pacman, dnf) or a universal format (Flatpak, Snap, AppImage) rather than downloading installers from random websites. That means most of the tools below are a one-line install away and are kept updated for you, a big part of what makes Linux pleasant and safe to run.
A 2026 note on this list
Software comes and goes, and a few entries here have aged out, so treat the list as a starting point rather than gospel:
- Nylas Mail was discontinued years ago; good modern Linux mail clients include Thunderbird, Geary and Evolution.
- Keybase still exists but has stagnated since its 2020 acquisition; for encrypted chat most people now use Signal or Element/Matrix.
- The creative and admin staples below, GIMP, Blender, Synfig, htop, Redshift, are all alive and excellent; Blender in particular has become world-class.
- For a terminal file manager and system monitor, newer favourites like
btop,batandripgrepare worth adding to any toolbox.
Linux Tools and Sofware
Admin Tools
- htop a great alternative to top
- EternalTCP Shell
Animation Tools
Synfig, Blender, Pencil2D, Tupi, GIMP.
Online Tools, Software & Educations
Speech
Downloading
Games
OpenTDD, Warzone