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How to Install Geany on Ubuntu 22.04 | 20.04
Last Updated on by Joshua James
Geany is a versatile, lightweight, and efficient Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that Ubuntu users find incredibly useful for their programming and development tasks. It is a popular choice among developers due to its wide range of features, excellent performance, and ease of use. Some of the key benefits of using Geany on your Ubuntu system include:
Cross-platform compatibility: Geany is available for various operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and Windows, ensuring a consistent development experience across platforms.
Support for multiple programming languages: Geany supports a vast array of programming languages, such as C, C++, Java, Python, and many others, making it a versatile tool for different types of projects.
Customizable interface: Geany’s user interface can be tailored to your preferences, with features like customizable color schemes, toolbar, and editor settings.
Code navigation: Geany makes navigating your code easy with features like symbol lists, code folding, and search functionality.
Plugins: Geany has a robust plugin system, allowing users to extend its functionality with various add-ons to suit their specific needs.
Built-in tools: Geany includes built-in tools like a compiler, debugger, and version control integration to streamline your development workflow.
This comprehensive guide will demonstrate how to install Geany on Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish or Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa using Ubuntu’s default repository or, for those who prefer using Flatpaks, installing Geany from the Flathub repository. Note that for short-term Ubuntu releases, the methods for the LTS release in this article will also work unless your Ubuntu short-term release has reached the end-of-life status.
Table of Contents
Section 1: Install Geany with APT
Step 1: Update Ubuntu
To ensure your Ubuntu system is up-to-date and has the latest packages, run the following command:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
This command synchronizes your package index with the remote repositories and upgrades any outdated packages.
Step 2: Install Geany
The first method to install Geany is by using the default Ubuntu repository. This approach is recommended for users who want to maintain their system solely with APT packages and avoid third-party package managers.
To install Geany, execute the following command:
sudo apt install geany
Section 2: Install Geany with Flatpak and Flathub
This section will explore an alternative method for installing Geany using the Flatpak package manager. Flatpak is a popular option similar to Snap and is featured across many Linux distributions as a third-party installation package manager for obtaining the latest packages.
Note: If your system does not have Flatpak installed, please refer to our own guide on “How to Install Flatpak on Ubuntu” for step-by-step instructions on installing the most recent supported version of Flatpak.
Step 1: Enable Flathub for Geany
Before installing Geany through Flatpak, you must enable the Flathub repository, a primary source for Flatpak applications. To enable Flathub, execute the following command in your terminal:
This command adds the Flathub repository to your Flatpak configuration, ensuring you have access to a wide variety of applications, including Geany.
Step 2: Install Geany
With Flathub enabled, you can now proceed to install Geany using the flatpak install command. Run the following command in your terminal:
flatpak install flathub org.geany.Geany -y
This command installs the Geany IDE from the Flathub repository, providing you with the latest version of the application.
Section 3: Launching Geany
Once you have successfully installed Geany on your system, there are multiple ways to launch the application. This section will guide you through the different methods to start Geany, whether you’ve installed it via APT or Flatpak.
Step 1: Launch Geany using the Terminal
For users who prefer using the terminal, you can launch Geany with a simple command. If you have installed Geany using APT, execute the following command:
geany
For those who have installed Geany using Flatpak, use the following command instead:
flatpak run org.geany.Geany
Step 2: Launch Geany from the Desktop
For a more user-friendly approach, particularly for desktop users, you can easily launch Geany through the graphical interface. To do this, follow the path below:
Activities > Show Applications > Geany
Example in Show Applications of Geany application icon on Ubuntu Linux:
Section 4: Getting Started with Geany on Ubuntu Linux
This section will explore various tips and tricks to help you get the most out of Geany on Ubuntu Linux. From general tips to customizations, these suggestions will help you enhance your experience and productivity while using Geany.
General Tips
Syntax highlighting: Geany automatically recognizes and applies syntax highlighting to a wide range of programming languages. To enable or disable syntax highlighting for specific languages, go to View > Highlight Mode and select the desired language.
Auto-completion: To make coding faster and more efficient, Geany offers auto-completion for various programming languages. You can enable or disable this feature by going to Edit > Preferences > Editor > Completions and checking or unchecking the appropriate options.
Code folding: To enhance code readability, Geany allows you to fold and unfold sections of code. Simply click on the small arrow in the margin or use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+Shift+F (fold) and Ctrl+Shift+U (unfold).
Customizations
Customizing the theme: To personalize Geany’s appearance, you can change the color scheme by going to View > Change Color Scheme and selecting a preferred theme from the list.
Adjusting the interface: Geany allows you to customize the interface by rearranging, docking, or undocking various panels. To access these options, right-click on the panel’s tab or go to View > Show Sidebar to toggle the visibility of the sidebar.
Keyboard shortcuts: For a more efficient workflow, you can customize Geany’s keyboard shortcuts by going to Edit > Preferences > Keybindings. From there, you can assign new shortcuts or modify existing ones.
Other Tips
Using the terminal: Geany has a built-in terminal emulator that allows you to execute commands without leaving the application. To access the terminal, go to View > Show Message Window and click on the Terminal tab.
Project management: Geany provides project management features that can help you organize and manage your code. To create a new project, go to Project > New and configure the project settings.
Section 5: Additional Geany Commands with Ubuntu Linux
This section will discuss additional commands related to Geany on Ubuntu Linux, such as updating and removing the software. These commands will vary depending on the installation method you used initially (APT or Flatpak).
Updating Geany
To keep Geany and its associated system packages up-to-date, you can use the following commands depending on your installation method. It is a good practice to use terminal commands for updates even if you have auto-updates enabled in your desktop GUI.
APT Update Method
sudo apt upgrade && sudo apt upgrade
This command updates the package lists and upgrades any outdated packages, including Geany, when installed using the APT package manager.
Flatpak Update Method
flatpak update
This command updates all installed Flatpak applications, including Geany, to their latest versions.
Removing Geany
If you no longer require Geany, you can use one of the following commands to remove the software based on your original installation method.
APT Remove Method
sudo apt remove geany
When installed using the APT package manager, this command removes Geany from your system.
This command uninstalls Geany and removes its associated data when installed using Flatpak.
Conclusion: Installing Geany on Ubuntu Linux
In conclusion, we’ve explored installing Geany on Ubuntu Linux using different methods, such as APT and Flatpak. We’ve also covered how to update, remove, and get started with Geany and some helpful tips for using the software effectively. We hope this guide has given you a comprehensive understanding of Geany and how it can benefit your development workflow on Ubuntu Linux.
Additional Resources and Links
For further information and guidance on Geany, we recommend exploring the following official resources:
Official Geany Website: Visit the official Geany website to find the latest news, updates, and information on this powerful IDE.
Geany Documentation: The official documentation explains Geany’s features, usage, and configuration options.
Geany GitHub Repository: Check out the Geany GitHub repository to access the source code, report issues, or contribute to the project.
Geany Plugins: Explore the Geany Plugins website to discover and download various useful plugins that can enhance Geany’s functionality and streamline your development process.
