How to Install Ubuntu Minimal Package on a Laptop or PC Computer

mrfdn – In this article I want to explain how to minimally install Ubuntu Linux on a laptop or computer at home.

Why use ubuntu again?

It’s not that ubuntu isn’t cool! eits, wait first guys..

There are several reasons you should use Ubuntu over other distributions:

1. Very popular linux distro until now
2. Have a lot of tutorials on the internet
3. Solid community support

4. Easy to get linux application because it’s based on debian (.deb)
   

5. Stable performance to be used as a desktop to play games
6. Timeless gnome-style minimalist look

There are several reasons not to install ubuntu:

1. Too mainstream

2. The versions don’t always get the latest linux kernel. For those who like to use the latest applications, this is not suitable. Just use Manjaro.

3. Beginners sometimes don’t know the settings after installing ubuntu for their daily needs, they just want to use it. If you are one of those people, it’s better to just install Ubuntu Studio.

If you are the type of person who wants to install applications as needed on a Linux system, maybe this article will help.

For example, maybe you don’t need an application like libre-office, so this way the application will not be installed.

In ubuntu there is an option to install the system minimally.

How to install ubuntu minimal packages

1. Download ubuntu version 20.04 or the latest then copy the iso file to a usb already installed with ventoy, this method will shorten the time 10 times.

2. Boot the computer then go to usb and select ubuntu.

3. At the installation stage, select Minimum installation.

The installed application is not complete, we will choose it ourselves after the installation process is complete.

If you choose the minimal installation option, we are only given a text editor and firefox software to help browse the tutorial, until you find this article. haha..

4. Next specify the partition that will be used as install
root(/) ubuntu.

If you have another partition that is used as /home, don’t forget to give it mountpoint /home.

Specify the boot loader installed in the root partition (/) – if you already have a linux distro before,

or choose the location where the bootloader is installed on /dev/sdX (no numbers) – if you just installed ubuntu on your computer.

If during installation your bootloader is not showingl, don’t panic, this is how to fix a lost bootloader or windows hit.

5. Proceed to the installation stage, wait for it to finish and restart the computer.

6. After the computer restarts we enter the application installation stage, first we install the codec application first.

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade

sudo add-apt-repository multiverse

sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras

sudo apt install gnome-sushi (so you can press space to preview photos/videos from the macOS-style file manager)

If you want other codecs, such as av1, this is a tutorial on how to install av1 codec on linux ubuntu.

When finished, we go to the stage of installing the desired application.

Here I want to install standard applications that I usually use, such as
darktable, gimp, inkscape, htop, neofetch, mpv, gnome tweaks and others.

Can search in synaptic, or I can directly type

sudo apt install gnome-tweak gimp inkscape htop neofetch darktable mpv

Then the installation process will run in the terminal.

As for applications like Android studio + Flutter, they have their own way.

But if you don’t know the name of the application you want to install according to your needs, please go to the Software Center.

How to type click Activity then type Software center.

There you will find thousands of applications that you can install on an ubuntu-based computer.

Also add Synaptic to make it easy and find applications (APT) in a gui

sudo apt install synaptic

Until here, usually my ubuntu linux computer I can use.

How to add application in Ubuntu linux?

Applications can be added directly by typing the command

sudo apt install appname

There are also sudo apt-get, the difference is when using
sudo apt-get we do not get information about the size of the application to be installed, the application will be installed immediately. Meanwhile, when using apt only, we will get information about the application information that will be installed before being installed.

For example, sudo apt update, with sudo apt-get update.

So, better use sudo apt just.

But you also have to remember, that there are applications that can’t be downloaded with apt alone, but must be with apt-get.

Then another way is to add the repository first before it is installed.

For example, when you want to install the multiverse codec on linux,

The source is from outside, or from developers who contribute to linux.

So first we have to know where he puts his application repository.

sudo add-apt-repository addressrepository

Then we add the repository to the system, so that Linux can read it.

After logging in, type sudo apt update.

Last run sudo apt install the application in question.

Tips for adding apps for Ubuntu or Debian based distros

If you get a file with a .deb extension behind it, it means that you can install the application on Debian, Ubuntu, Pop os, Elementary os, Mint distributions, and others.

You can also go to the pkgs.org site to view and download the latest versions of Linux distribution applications.

If you still don’t get the app you want, it’s worth learning about Appimages, Snap and Flatpak as application container systems on all linux.

The final word

The advantage of using a minimal installation of linux is that we don’t get unwanted applications.

Usually this method is used by experts, even more experts usually install linux manually using arch linux distro, or alternative fedora.

Hope this article helps you.

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