Linux is a powerful operating system and while there's still the pesky myth around the OS having no apps, there's a plethora of productivity tools available to get more done. I've rounded up some of my favorite and go-to apps on Linux to be more productive through the day, allowing me to accomplish everything I set out to do and enjoy some much-needed downtime gaming through Steam with Proton. Ready to be more productive? Here's what you need!

6 Obsidian

Obsidian is simply fantastic. Thanks to how versatile it is, it's one of my all-time favorite apps. Obsidian can be used as a wiki platform, note-taker, project manager, to-do tracker, ideation tool, and much more. Although bland and overwhelming at first glance, Obsidian is highly customizable. You can install plugins, personalize the app to your needs and liking, and even change the theme. From there, you can do anything that comes to mind with Obsidian.

With such a rich markdown-based editor, the ability to customize a graph view, load multiple canvases, and a feature-packed free plan, Obsidian has become the number one tool for many productivity nerds and creatives. The community is awesome too, releasing free plugins that can be installed in a few seconds. There are more than 1,000 to choose from, so you can bet there's something there for everyone, regardless of how obscure your idea is.

5 Darktable

Darktable is my go-to tool for handling RAW files from my cameras. It's quick, easy to use, powerful, and can be integrated with GIMP, making importing, editing, and exporting take a few minutes instead of upwards of an hour. The best part is the database which stores collections of images based on folder and import, allowing one to hunt down existing images previously imported into Darktable without heading to the file manager.

If you work with photo management and editing from cameras, you need to use Darktable.

4 GIMP

GNU Image Manipulation Program (or GIMP for short) is an Adobe Photoshop alternative that's both open-source and available for free. Supported on all platforms, this is the best image editing software for Linux, allowing anyone to take photos from cameras and other equipment and make edits before exporting with numerous file types supported. GIMP may have a slightly steeper learning curve, even for those familiar with Photoshop or other similar software, but it's well worth learning.

Whether you're editing RAW images through Darktable or creating a company logo, there's a collection of plugins available to expand the functionality of GIMP further. You'll find the base installation to have just about everything you need outside of more enthusiast-grade features. It's also pretty smooth and responsive for such a powerful suite of tools. Just make sure you have ample RAM when working with larger files as GIMP will gladly use every last byte.

3 LibreOffice

Who needs Microsoft Office when you have LibreOffice? This free and open-source office suite has come a long way and even rivals what the Redmond giant can release for the workplace. Installing LibreOffice on Linux takes a few moments and you're ready with word processing, spreadsheets, and more. By default, the UI resembles classic office apps, but the "ribbon" UX can be unlocked with a few mouse clicks, making the leap from Microsoft's suite easier.

If you work with documents in any capacity, LibreOffice will be your new best friend, though I do find myself using Obsidian for most text work.

2 Kdenlive

Adobe Premiere Pro is often included in the shortlist of video editor suites for professionals, but there is a free open-source alternative available for Linux (and other platforms). Although developed by the community, Kdenlive has a list of notable features usually found in commercial software. These include multi-track video editing, support for most audio and video formats through FFmpeg libraries, configurable interface and shortcuts, and included effects.

It won't be as extensive as Premiere Pro and other high-end editing suites, but cutting together short films with effects, transitions, titles, and support for proxy editing makes Kdenlive a solid pick for budding videographers.

1 Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code may be developed by Microsoft, but it's fully supported on Linux. VS Code is popular with development thanks to its powerful feature set, incredible speed compared to other source code editors, and flexibility through plugins and the available tools. Depending on what you plan to use VS Code for, the software supports numerous languages, including VS Code supports many languages, including C++, Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, and Node.js.Linux has always had a highly technical stamp applied to the OS and running VS Code is one way to make this a reality.

Linux having no software is a myth

There are countless options available for productivity software on Linux. Sure, many software solutions on Windows and macOS had limited or no support a decade or two ago, but it's easier than ever to find something to run on Linux. And if you can't locate an open-source alternative to the software you use on other platforms, there's always the option to run a virtual machine so you're not missing out. Even gaming on Linux is more than viable these days.