Gdebi is a tiny little app that helps you install deb files more effectively by handling dependencies. Learn how to use Gdebi and make it the default application for installing deb packages.
If you use Ubuntu you might be using the Software Center to install .deb executable files.
Ubuntu Software Center is known for eating resource. It is heavy, takes ages to load and makes your system crawl. It may be good for finding application but it certainly is not worth using just for installing a .deb file.
Once upon a time, Ubuntu used archive manager for installing .deb files but with time it changed and now Software Center is the default application for installing DEB files.
Now, if you are just trying to install a .deb file in Ubuntu, I would not recommend using the Software Center. It’s an overkill and waste of resources.
I recommend using GDebi, a dedicated program for installing Debian executable files. It is extremely lightweight and focused on installing .deb files.
The best thing about GDebi package installer is that it also shows the dependencies that will be installed along with the desired program. At times, it will install the dependencies along with the DEB package. The default Software Center is not very good at handling dependencies with the DEB packages.
In this post, we shall see how to install GDebi and use it as the default installer instead of the
Install GDebi in Ubuntu based distributions
Gdebi is available in the universe repository of Ubuntu. You should enable the additional repsotiories before hand else you’ll see ‘unable to locate gdebi’ or ‘gdebi command not found’ errors.
You can find gdebi in Ubuntu Software Center. Just search for it and install it from there.
Alternatively, you can install gdebi using command line. Open a terminal and use the following command:
sudo apt install gdebi
How to use Gdebi for installing deb packges [GUI and Terminal]
Now that you have installed Gdebi, you can use it to install deb packages.
Just right click on the download deb file and select Open with other applications.
In here, select Gdebi from the list of available applications.
You’ll see the option to install the deb package:
You’ll be surprised to see how quick Gdebi is. The installation will be finished within seconds and then you can close the program.
You can also use gdebi in command line mode, if you prefer to use terminal more than the GUI applications.
sudo gdebi <path_to_deb_file>
Make GDebi default for .deb installation
Once you have started loving GDebi, it’s time to see how to make it the default application for installing .deb files. Please note that I am using Elementary OS in this tutorial but the steps are applicable to all Ubuntu based distribution. Just the screenshots may look different.
Download a .deb file first. Let’s say you have downloaded Google Chrome. Go to the download directory and right click on the .deb file. In here, go to properties.
In the properties, you should see the option of open with. Click on it and change it to GDebi.
Next time you double click on a .deb file, it will automatically open GDebi to install the .deb file. Indeed using such light applications is a good way to speed up Ubuntu or other Linux systems.
What do you say? You still prefer Ubuntu Software Center for application installation or GDebi? Or if you are old school, Synaptic Package Manager perhaps? Which one is your favorite?
If I click on the package from nautilus manager it starts but when it should ask for the password, it seem to silently crash on ubuntu 18.04.3. It did work before last version upgrade (18.04.2). After reading many blogs and ubuntu official pages the news is it will no longer support gdebi gui (permission problem – security patch). No information about a new release address this problem at developer repository. How to work around this ?
As always, sorry for my English: I’m from Italy, so I ask you to forgive me if you find any grammar mistakes.
Hi, I’m an “old” Debian user, and Gdebi worked fine in Jessie and Stretch (gdebi_0.9.5.7+nmu1_all.deb) but in Buster it (gdebi_0.9.5.7+nmu3_all.deb) has a strange issue: if I click on the package from the browser download manager (e.g. from the download arrow in Firefox but it’s the same in Chromium) it starts but when it should ask for the password, nothing happens! So I have to close the installer, go to the Download folder and install it with a double click.
In other words the build nmu3 works only if you double click.
Not a big issue indeed (sometimes I even use sudo dpkg -i from command line), but I wonder if there’s a workaround to fix this bug. I know that the same version and build will be used on the next Debian and Sid. I could try to uninstall the current build and use the previous one (nmu1) but I would like to solve the problem keeping the current release.
Thank you!
Hi Abhishek, I’m new at Linux and installed Ubuntu 18.04.2 on Lenovo T440 thinkpad lately. But, when I try to connect to wifi it’s not working. Could you please assist me resolving the issue?
Have you tried this? https://itsfoss.com/fix-no-wireless-network-ubuntu/
Hi Abhishek,came across your page while trying to uninstall Dbeaver.
i installed GDEBI without any problems onto my linux computer.
It uninstalled DBEAVER instantly.
Played about with other .deb packages to see if it was just a one off fluke,but no it installed as stated and uninstalled the software.
I have to say GDEBI is brilliant ,as it saves me having to type in the command to uninstall.
Thankyou for this .
Your posts have been very helpful. Many thanks.
Is there a way to install Gdebi and run it in line command?
sudo apt-get install -y gdebi &&
sudo gdebi yorudeb.deb
Thank you for your reply. I have used it to install Deb files because in upgrading to ubuntu18.04 I ended up with not able to login in GUI because there were some broken packages with unmet dependencies originated from upgrading to 16.04.
Basically, every broken package had to be fixed manually.