Snaps are a universal application packaging system with which Ubuntu wants to create a new standard within the Linux community, since thanks to this system the different applications can be executed within any distribution that offers support for Snap, such as Fedora or Arch Linux.

In this article we want to talk about a few applications that can be installed using snaps, something that is possible since Ubuntu came 16.04 LTS and that only requires a command to take advantage of it.

Snaps are an integral part of Canonical’s current philosophy for Ubuntu, especially after the South African company announced that it would focus on them after leaving convergence and Ubuntu Touch aside. Its impact on the community for now is difficult to measure, although we assume that in the future it will surely be much greater.

How to search and find snaps in Ubuntu

Before commenting on which applications can be installed now through the snaps, it is worth noting the use of this feature . Everything works through the terminal, but it really is very simple. First, you can consult a list of all available packages with this command:

sudo snap find

If what you want to find is a specific package, then execute the following command:

sudo snap find nombre-del-paquete

On the other hand, if you are interested in finding a package through its descriptions and precise terms , then you will have to execute this instruction:

snap find | grep término-de-búsqueda

Once you have found what you are looking for, then you can proceed to install the package itself with the following order:

sudo snap install nombre-del-paquete

Anatine, an interesting Twitter client

Anantine is a Twitter client for the desktop that incorporates the web version of the microblogging social network with a few extras. According to its developers is more or less the same app that can be found on GitHub, but with a few drawbacks.

For example, the Anatine snap does not show the avatar of the user account, which makes it quite complicated to perform tasks such as editing the profile. Other functions, such as keyboard keys, work perfectly.

To install Anatine as a snap, use the following command:

sudo snap install anatine

HexChat, the Linux IRC client par excellence

Maybe the most veteran (or the most geeks) remember those years of IRC, that desktop program that allowed us to connect to a network of chats to communicate with other people. In Linux the IRC protocol has not died, and a sample of it is that in the main distros you can find HexChat as a default client.

HexChat offers an interface written in GTK +, support for plugins, the ability to connect to multiple servers and channels and open them in individual windows, spell checking, notifications and much more. Use this command to install HexChat:

sudo snap install hexchat

Telegram, the alternative to WhatsApp

I must admit that I use Telegram daily to communicate with friends, co-workers and family members. For me it can not be missing in any of my PCs or in any of the operating systems that I use daily for my work. It is an essential app for me.

If it is for you, it can also be installed as a snap. For this it is enough to open a terminal and execute the following command:

sudo snap install telegram-latest

VLC, the off-road player

VLC is one of the most popular media players that can be found on the market today. It is versatile, it works well and can with practically anything. It is a multiplatform solution that can be found in the main distros, and now can be achieved as a Snap.

To install VLC open a terminal and execute this command :

sudo snap install vlc

Atom, a great code editor

When we published the article in which we enumerated the differences between IDEs and code editors, one of the programs we stopped at was Atom, a powerful editor and opensource that many developers (and even publishers of online media) use every day in all the world.

Atom could be obtained for Ubuntu as a DEB package so far, although it can already be downloaded as a snap . To do this, execute the following command in a terminal:

sudo snap install atom –classic

Corebird, a popular client for Twitter

Corebird is another Twitter client for Ubuntu written using GTK. In it we will find all the key features, such as tweeting, sharing images, follow and stop following user accounts, direct messages and clickable hashtags.

To install the Corebird snap open a terminal and execute the following command:

sudo snap install corebird

Kodi, the most popular multimedia center

Although the community of Kodi addons is being peppered by some controversy during the last weeks, that does not mean that this multimedia center is not one of the most valued by users when it comes to viewing their favorite content.

Its functionality ** is still the best ** that a program of its characteristics can offer today, so it is always worth giving it a try. To install Kodi as a Snap open a terminal and execute this command:

sudo snap install kodi --edge