5 open-source apps I install immediately after installing Linux
5 open-source apps I install immediately after installing Linux
https://www.makeuseof.com/open-source-apps-i-install-immediately-after-installing-linux/
Publish Date: 2026-02-07 10:00:00
Source Domain: www.makeuseof.com
After procrastinating for a long time, I finally moved to Linux after eight long years from Windows. And it felt like a breath of fresh air. My old laptop was as snappy as it was on day one; every click felt responsive, and now it had an app store built right in.
There are many good Linux distros to choose from, and this time around, I went with Zorin OS. It comes preloaded with many of the apps I need right out of the box, which is a plus, but I still needed a few. If you are switching to Linux, I believe you need these apps too.
Timeshift
Your system’s “undo” button
If you are new to Linux, this must be the first app you install upon first boot. Timeshift creates a recovery point. Linux gives you the freedom to manage and fondle every aspect of the OS. It’s exhilarating, but it’s all fun and games until you install a rogue PPA or a botched configuration file and you break your Linux installation. This is where Timeshift saves the day.
It works the same as System Restore on Windows, but is more robust and made for Linux. It protects your system by taking incremental file-system snapshots at regular intervals. If you decide to experiment with a new desktop environment or a complex kernel tweak and everything goes sideways, you can simply roll back to a state where everything worked perfectly.
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