GNOME Software is a utility for installing applications and updates on
Linux
Linux ( ) is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an kernel (operating system), operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically package manager, pac ...
. It is part of the
GNOME Core Applications
The GNOME Core Applications (also known as Apps for GNOME) are a software suite of software applications that are packaged as part of the standard free and open-source GNOME desktop environment. GNOME Core Applications have a consistent look and ...
, and was introduced in GNOME 3.10.
It is the
GNOME
A gnome () is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and widely adopted by authors, including those of modern fantasy literature. They are typically depict ...
front-end to the
PackageKit, in turn a front-end to several
package management systems, which include systems based on both
RPM
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or r⋅min−1) is a unit of rotational speed (or rotational frequency) for rotating machines.
One revolution per minute is equivalent to hertz.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 def ...
and
DEB.
The program is used to add and manage
software repositories as well as
Ubuntu
Ubuntu ( ) is a Linux distribution based on Debian and composed primarily of free and open-source software. Developed by the British company Canonical (company), Canonical and a community of contributors under a Meritocracy, meritocratic gover ...
Personal Package Archives (PPA). Ubuntu replaced its previous
Ubuntu Software Center program with GNOME Software starting with
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, and re-branded it as "Ubuntu Software".
It also supports
fwupd for servicing of system firmware.
GNOME Software supports automatic updates for Flatpak applications, but not for system packages or updates. This was introduced in GNOME 3.30 released in 2018. Users can control whether Flatpak updates are automatically downloaded and installed
GNOME Software removed
Snap support in July 2019, due to code quality issues, lack of integration (specifically, the user can't tell what snap is doing after they click "install" and that it generally ignores GNOME's settings), and the fact that it competes with the GNOME-supported
Flatpak standard.
Features
The goals and use cases that GNOME Software targets as of November 2020:
;Primary goals
* Allow people to find apps by browsing or search:
** a specific app that they're looking for, or
** apps in a particular category, or with particular functionality that they require
* Allow people to effectively inspect and appraise apps before they install them (screenshots, descriptions, ratings, comments, metadata)
* Allow people to view which apps are installed and remove them
* Present a positive view of the app ecosystem
** Reinforce the sense that there are lots of high quality apps
** Encourage people to engage with that ecosystem, both as users and as contributors
** When browsing, present and promote the best apps that are available
** Facilitate accidental discovery of great apps
* Handle software updates. Make software updates as little work for users as possible. To include: apps, OS updates (PackageKit, eos, rpm-ostree), firmware
* Support multiple software repositories, defined by both the distributor and users.
** Show which repos are configured. Allow them to be added/removed.
** Handle cases where the same app can be installed from multiple sources.
;Secondary goals
* OS upgrades
* Hardware driver installation
* Input method installation
* Respond to application queries for software (apps, codecs, languages)
* Offline and metered connections
* OS updates end of life
* App end of life
;Non-goals
* Not a package manager front-end
* Not all repos are equal
* Not all apps are equal
See also
*
gnome-packagekit – another GTK-based front-end for PackageKit, which unlike GNOME Software can handle packages, not just applications, and has some advanced features that are missing in GNOME Software
*
*
AppStream
*
Synaptic (software)
References
External links
{{Software digital distribution platforms
Free software programmed in C
GNOME Core Applications
Package management software that uses GTK
Software that uses Meson
Software update managers