What This Guide Achieves
A comprehensive mapping of common Windows software to their Linux equivalents, with install commands that fit Ubuntu 24.04-based distros.
The Problem (Windows User Perspective)
You’re used to specific apps on Windows and want to find their Linux equivalents. Some apps (like VLC, Chrome, VS Code) work identically on Linux. Others (like Microsoft Office, Adobe suite) have no official Linux version and need alternatives. This guide maps everything out.
Install With Clean System Control
This guide gives quick app recommendations, but the clean-system rule still applies: install one app from one source, update it from that same source, and uninstall it with the matching package manager.
Before adding several apps from this list, read the clean installation and removal best practices. That guide explains when to use apt, Snap, Flatpak, .deb files, AppImage, and source builds without losing track of what owns your files.
Essential Software by Category
Web Browsers
| Windows App | Linux Equivalent | Install |
|---|
| Chrome | Chrome (same) | wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb && sudo apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb |
| Edge | Edge (same) | See Browser Setup Guide |
| Firefox | Firefox (often pre-installed) | Already installed on many Ubuntu-based desktops, including the tested setup |
| Brave | Brave (same) | See Browser Setup Guide |
Office & Productivity
| Windows App | Linux Equivalent | Install |
|---|
| Microsoft Office | LibreOffice (often pre-installed) | Already installed on many Ubuntu-based desktops |
| Microsoft Office (better compat) | OnlyOffice | sudo snap install onlyoffice-desktopeditors |
| Notepad | Text Editor (often pre-installed) | Already installed on many Ubuntu-based desktops |
| Notepad++ | VS Code or Gedit | sudo apt install code (see VS Code Setup) |
| OneNote / Notion | Obsidian | sudo snap install obsidian --classic |
| Standard Notes | Standard Notes | sudo snap install standard-notes |
| Windows Clipboard History | Windows 11 Clipboard History for Linux or CopyQ | See Clipboard Manager Guide |
Communication
| Windows App | Linux Equivalent | Install |
|---|
| Zoom | Zoom (same) | wget https://zoom.us/client/latest/zoom_amd64.deb && sudo apt install ./zoom_amd64.deb |
| Discord | Discord (same) | sudo snap install discord or download .deb from discord.com |
| Slack | Slack (same) | sudo snap install slack |
| Telegram | Telegram (same) | sudo apt install telegram-desktop |
| Thunderbird (email) | Thunderbird (same) | sudo apt install thunderbird |
| Signal | Signal (same) | sudo snap install signal-desktop |
| Windows App | Linux Equivalent | Install |
|---|
| VLC | VLC (same) | sudo apt install vlc |
| Windows Media Player | Celluloid | sudo apt install celluloid |
| iTunes / Groove Music | Rhythmbox (often pre-installed) | Already installed on many GNOME-based desktops |
| Spotify | Spotify | sudo snap install spotify |
| uTorrent / BitTorrent | qBittorrent | sudo apt install qbittorrent (see BitTorrent Guide) |
Photos & Graphics
| Windows App | Linux Equivalent | Install |
|---|
| Photoshop | GIMP | sudo apt install gimp |
| Illustrator | Inkscape | sudo apt install inkscape |
| Windows Photos | Shotwell | sudo apt install shotwell |
| Paint | Drawing or another basic image editor | Install availability depends on distro flavor |
System & Utilities
| Windows App | Linux Equivalent | Install |
|---|
| System Restore | Timeshift | Included on some distros; otherwise install it first. See Timeshift Guide |
| CCleaner | BleachBit | sudo apt install bleachbit |
| Task Manager | System Monitor (often pre-installed) | Already installed on many desktop installs |
| Everything (file search) | Catfish or your distro’s built-in search tool | Availability depends on distro flavor |
| 7-Zip | File Roller (often pre-installed) | Already installed on many desktop installs |
| KeePass | KeePassXC | sudo apt install keepassxc |
| Bitwarden | Bitwarden | sudo snap install bitwarden |
| Windows App | Linux Equivalent | Install |
|---|
| VS Code | VS Code (same) | sudo apt install code |
| Git | Git (same) | sudo apt install git |
| GitHub Desktop | GitHub Desktop (community) | See install commands below |
| Stata | Stata (same, Linux version) | See Stata Guide |
| MiKTeX | TeX Live | See TeX Live Guide |
GitHub Desktop on Linux:
# Add the community repository
wget -qO - https://apt.packages.shiftkey.dev/gpg.key | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/shiftkey-packages.gpg > /dev/null
sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/shiftkey-packages.gpg] https://apt.packages.shiftkey.dev/ubuntu/ any main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/shiftkey-packages.list'
sudo apt update && sudo apt install github-desktop
| Tool | Install | Uninstall |
|---|
| Claude Code (Anthropic CLI) | curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash | claude uninstall && rm -rf ~/.claude |
| Codex CLI (OpenAI) | npm install -g @openai/codex | npm uninstall -g @openai/codex && rm -rf ~/.codex |
Package Managers: Which to Use?
| Manager | Best For | Speed | Disk Usage |
|---|
| apt | System packages, drivers, libraries | Fast | Small |
| Flatpak (Flathub) | Desktop apps — latest versions, sandboxed | Medium | Larger |
| Snap | Quick installs, auto-updates | Slower to launch | Larger |
| .deb download | Official packages from vendor websites | Fast | Small |
| AppImage | Portable apps — no install needed | Fast | Varies |
General rule:
- Check
apt first — fastest, best integrated
- If not in apt or version is old, use Flatpak from Flathub
- Use Snap when it’s the only option
- Download
.deb from vendor website for Chrome, Zoom, Discord, etc.
- Use AppImage for portable/trial apps
File Search: Windows “Everything” Equivalent
The user tried FSearch but didn’t like it. Better alternatives:
| Tool | Type | Install |
|---|
| Catfish | GUI search (available on Ubuntu-based distros) | Install if needed, or use the file manager’s built-in search |
| Recoll | Full-text content search | sudo apt install recoll |
| locate | Lightning-fast terminal search | sudo apt install mlocate && sudo updatedb |
What Didn’t Work (and Why)
| Approach Tried | Why It Failed |
|---|
| FSearch (file search tool) | User didn’t like the interface — removed it and PPA |
| Official uTorrent on Linux | Abandoned, v3.3 alpha, web-only UI |
| Looking for Microsoft Office on Linux | No official Linux version — use LibreOffice or OnlyOffice |
| Looking for Adobe suite on Linux | No official Linux version — use GIMP (photos), Inkscape (vectors), Kdenlive (video) |
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