How to install Gnome Builder on Linux
Gnome Builder is an IDE for programmers to build software on the Gnome desktop. It supports several different types of languages and has a refreshing user experience that makes it one of the most attractive development tools on the Linux platform today. In this guide, we’ll go over how to get it installed Ubuntu, Debian, Arch Linux, Fedora, OpenSUSE, as well as Flatpak.
Ubuntu installation instructions
Gnome Builder is not part of the standard Gnome packages on Ubuntu Linux, as it is a development tool, and not everyone that uses the distro is a developer. Still, it is readily available for installation through the “Ubuntu Universe” software repository.
On most Ubuntu Linux installations, the “Ubuntu Universe” software repository is pre-enabled. However, on others, it is not. As a result, we must demonstrate how to set up the “Ubuntu Universe” repository before we go over how to get the latest version of the Gnome Builder set up on the system.
To enable “Ubuntu Universe,” launch a terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard. After that, use the add-apt-repository command below to add it to your software sources in Ubuntu.
sudo add-apt-repository universe
With the “Ubuntu Universe” software repository added to your software sources, use the update command to refresh it and finish setting it up.
sudo apt update
After setting up Ubuntu Universe with the update command, you may wish to install any pending software updates on the system. Installing these updates will ensure that software, including Gnome Builder, will run better.
sudo apt upgrade -y
Finally, once all the packages are taken care of, use the apt install command to set up Gnome Builder on your Ubuntu Linux system.
sudo apt install gnome-builder
Debian installation instructions
On every version of Debian Linux that are currently available (10, 9, and Sid), Gnome Builder is installable via the “Main” software repository. If you’d like to get the app working, start by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard to launch a terminal. Then, use the apt-get command to install the Gnome Builder app on the system.
sudo apt-get install gnome-builder
Keep in mind that Debian Linux is considered a “Stable” operating system. On Linux, “Stable” means that software updates are held back to prevent breakages in the workplace or production. As a result of “Stable” on Debian, programs rarely crash. However, “Stable” also means that software is not as up to date as something on Ubuntu, Arch Linux, or other distributions.
The “Stable” policy in Debian should be fine, as programs are not too far behind. However, if you’d prefer your installation of Gnome Builder to have newer, more modern features, consider following the Flatpak installation instructions later on in this guide.
Arch Linux installation instructions
The Gnome Builder application is available to Arch Linux users via the “Extra” software repository. As some Arch users do not have the “Extra” repo enabled by default, we’ll go over how to enable it.
Note: if you already have the “Extra” software repo enabled, skip to the installation portion.
First, launch a terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard. Then, open up the Pacman.conf file in the Nano text editor.
Inside of the Nano text editor, scroll down with the Down Arrow key till you find “Extra.” Remove the # symbol from in front of “Extra,” as well as the lines directly below it. Then, save the edits with Ctrl + O, and exit with Ctrl + X.
Once out of the Nano text editor, re-sync your computer with the Arch servers.
sudo pacman -Syy
Finally, install the latest version of the Gnome Builder app on your Arch Linux PC by entering the command below.
sudo pacman -S gnome-builder
Fedora installation instructions
Fedora Linux is known for making the latest Gnome apps available to users out of the box — including Gnome Builder. If you’re using a recent version of the Fedora operating system, it is likely already installed. Launch it on the Gnome desktop by pressing Win, typing out “Builder,” and opening up the app with the construction equipment.
If, for some reason, you do not have Gnome Builder pre-installed on your Fedora Linux PC, launch a terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard. Then, use the dnf install command below to get it working.
sudo dnf install gnome-builder -y
OpenSUSE installation instructions
OpenSUSE Linux does not have Gnome Builder installed by default. Thankfully, the operating system is very Gnome-friendly and has the app in the “Oss all” software repository for all current releases (15.1, 15.0, and Tumbleweed). To start the installation, open up a terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard. Then, with the terminal window open, use the Zypper command below to set up Gnome Builder.
sudo zypper install gnome-builder
Flatpak installation instructions
Flatpak is known for carrying all of the Gnome software, as Flatpak is a part of the Gnome project. If you’re using a Linux distribution that does not make Gnome Builder available, your best bet to get this app installed is through Flatpak.
To start the installation, ensure you have the latest Flatpak runtime set up on your system. Then, open up a terminal window and enter the commands below to get Gnome Builder.
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo flatpak install flathub org.gnome.Builder
