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I've been a Linux user all this week and graduated to finding programs in a repository, marking and applying while the system installs. I search everywhere and cannot find anything.

Is there a step by step guide for this?

I don't see how you guys win over MS Windows users... but I'm still trying.

Marvin Swordenski
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  • To start with, which version of Linux have you installed  (Ubuntu server, Ubuntu desktop, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Xubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, et al.) , and which release number? Are you using virtualization, and if so, which package? Please click [edit] and add that vital information to your question so all the facts we need are in the question. Please do not use Add Comment. – K7AAY Feb 27 '20 at 22:45
  • Your question is not clear. Are you asking where packages download to? Are you asking how a package knows where to install which files? Are you asking how dependencies get resolved? What, exactly, do you want to know? Would providing an example help? – user535733 Feb 27 '20 at 22:51
  • The command $ dpkg -L [program name] will print a list with file locations. – Knud Larsen Feb 28 '20 at 01:58

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Windows scatters bits and pieces of programs all over its filesystem; in %APPSDATA, the Registry, and C:\Program Files\PROGRAMNAME .

Linux is much more consistent, just different. In a terminal window, do which PROGRAMNAME substituting the name of your program you are looking for in place of PROGRAMNAME. This finds programs installed by Synaptec, by Ubuntu Programs, by manually installs using sudo apt install PROGRAMNAME, and also for preinstalled programs.

Usually you will find programs in /sbin, /usr/sbin, /usr/local/bin, or under ~ AKA /home/YOURUSERNAME as a hidden directory.

Once a program is installed, it is added to Ubuntu's menu, or if it's a command-line-only program, you can launch it by typing its name in a terminal window.

Just like with Windows, some programs are so trementously useful that they are built into the Kernel, the heart of the OS. These are things like ls (the list files command). However, you can find the basics of how to use them by typing man PROGRAMNAME at a shell prompt. aka the Terminal Window.

Also please note that PROGRAMNAME is not the same as ProgramName, Programname, or programname, as Linux file naming is case sensitive.

K7AAY
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