Computer usage changes with the tide. One minute it’s all about locally installed applications and the next everything’s in the cloud. You’ve been using application X for task Y when out of the blue, task Y becomes task Z and application X no longer applies.
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For me, however, a few applications have remained on my list of requirements for a long time. Without those apps, getting things done would be more a challenge than I care to consider.
What are those apps? Let’s have a seat on the sharing carpet and chat.
1. Opera web browser
Opera has been my web browser of choice for a long, long time. Browser choice aside, it’s almost impossible to work without a web browser these days, and on Linux you have so many options. For me, that choice is Opera. Why? The main reason I’ve stuck with Opera over the years is it has the best tab management on the market.
Now, if Browser Company would finally develop a version of Arc browser for Linux, Opera would have some serious competition. Until that day, Opera’s my choice of browser on Linux.
2. LibreOffice
As with browsers, there are several office suite choices from which you can select. But if you ask any die-hard Linux user, the right choice is LibreOffice. LibreOffice is not only the best office suite on the market, but it’s also open-source. LibreOffice includes all of the standard office suite tools and allows users to configure the UI to their liking.
LibreOffice has been a staple on my Linux desktops for years and I simply cannot imagine getting things done without it. I’ve written over 60 novels with the help of LibreOffice, a fact that speaks highly of the application. I trust it. I rely on it.
3. A terminal
Although using the command line isn’t really required for Linux desktop usage, being an old-school type of user, I rely on it every day. The command line is an efficient and powerful way of getting things done and, over the years, it’s become habitual for me to turn to the CLI.
Also: 5 Linux terminal apps that are better than your default (and why)
My terminal of choice is Warp Terminal because I find it far more powerful and flexible than most.
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4. Bitwarden
In this era of constant cybersecurity threats, using a password manager has become a must. You shouldn’t be working with passwords that are easy to memorize or have very little complication to them. Because I use very long and very complex passwords, I can’t remember them without a password manager.
Also: 7 password rules to live by in 2024, according to security experts
For me, there’s no better password manager than Bitwarden. Not only does Bitwarden use strong end-to-end encryption, it also includes all the features you need: a user-friendly UI, versions available for all platforms, a great browser extension, and it’s open-source. If you’re really adventurous, you can even deploy a Bitwarden server on your network, so you don’t even have to use Bitwarden’s servers.
5. Geary
I’ve gone back and forth with email clients over the years but this past cycle around the sun saw me make the permanent switch to Geary. I find Geary strikes the right balance between simplicity and feature set, has a well-designed UI, and simplifies the managing of my emails.
Also: 5 best open-source email clients for Linux (and why Geary is my go-to)
Geary might not have all the bells and whistles of, say, Evolution but the trimmed-down email client is very good at the one task it does and that goes a long way for me.
6. SSH
I use SSH throughout the day. Of all the Linux commands I run, ssh is at or near the top of the “most used” list.
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Without SSH, I can’t imagine how I’d remotely manage or access other computers on my LAN. Because I work with several different computers throughout my day, SSH has been a must-have for me for decades.
7. Audacity
At one point in my life, I had 7 different podcasts going. To make those happen, I used Audacity as my go-to audio editor. I’ve also used Audacity for voice-over work, creating music and sound effects, and more. For me, there’s no better (and easier to use) audio editor for Linux on the market.
Although Audacity isn’t a full-blown DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), it’s certainly not just a simple audio recorder. Audacity has tons of built-in effects and filters, allows multiple tracks, can work with many different audio servers, and has an interface that is simple to learn.
8. Slack
Slack is my go-to tool for collaborating with others. The main reason I have to depend on Slack is because several clients use it and it’s not my place to tell them, “Hey, there’s this open-source alternative…” Ergo… Slack. Slack is a powerful and easy-to-use collaboration/communication tool I depend on daily.
Also: How to supercharge your productivity by linking Slack and Trello
Although Slack is proprietary, the good news is that Slack can be installed via Snap or Flatpak, so any Linux distribution that supports one of those universal package managers can enjoy this collaboration tool. The Slack app is free to install and can be used with either free or paid Slack accounts.
9. Spotify
Spotify is my jam. When I’m not listening to vinyl, I’m streaming music via Spotify. I most often use Spotify to find new music to purchase. There are plenty of music services available, but I find the Spotify Linux desktop app to be the best on the market.
10. VirtualBox
Given how I have to test and review Linux distributions regularly, VirtualBox is an absolute must for me. With this manager, I can quickly spin up a virtual machine of any Linux distribution I need and run it almost as if it were bare metal. I’ve tried other virtual machine managers, and none come close to the ease of use of VirtualBox.
Also: How to create a Linux virtual machine with VirtualBox
And there you have it, the ten Linux apps I cannot do without. Of course, this doesn’t include the various utilities (such as Settings, a file manager, etc) but without these 10 apps, my day would be considerably more challenging.
