universal packages

Linux has often been praised for its diversity and flexibility, aspects that extend into its myriad options for installing and managing software. Unfortunately, this diversity can also lead the platform to feel fragmented, with various Linux distributions offering different package management systems and package formats. To address this, universal packaging formats like Snap, Flatpak, and AppImage have been developed. These solutions aim to provide consistency and simplicity in the software installation process across different Linux ecosystems. This blog post compares these three popular universal package managers and provides basic operating instructions for more traditional package managers (apt, dnf, and zypper) where pertinent.