This is list of programs I use on my Ubuntu Servers with some very basic information.
Some of my favorite and most useful Ubuntu Server programs include Network-Tools, Ranger, TMUX, and CMUS for efficient terminal-based management. Network-Tools helps with quick network diagnostics, while Ranger and TMUX make file navigation and multitasking much easier. For media and file sharing, I rely on Samba for cross-platform access, Plex Media Server to stream personal media, and Nextcloud for secure, private cloud storage. These tools make my server both powerful and convenient.
HomeBrew
Homebrew is a popular package manager that simplifies installing and managing software on Unix-based systems, like Ubuntu Server. It allows users to quickly set up and update tools and libraries from the command line with minimal configuration.
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"Homebrew is an APT and SNAP alternative that has a lot of Linux programs on it that neither APT, nor SNAP, have in their repositories.
Network-Tools
Adds networking commands to your Ubuntu Server such as “arp -a” which lists information about other devices on your network that your server can talk with.
sudo apt install network-toolsRanger
Navigating the Ubuntu file server can be daunting for most who are new to Linux. Ranger makes navigating and moving files in the Terminal CLI easy. All you need is to understand some basic hot-keys and then you can use the arrow keys to move files/folders around.
sudo apt install rangerCMUS
Need a media player for your Terminal that is CLI based? Well CMUS has you covered for your Terminal MP3 Player.
sudo apt install cmus
cmusSimply navigate to the desired song you want to play, using the arrow keys, and press enter.
You can adjust the volume by pressing the + or – keys.
Press C to pause CMUS.
CWEBP
Converting images into .webp files is super easy with CWEBP. This tool only converts images to .webp files so if you need to convert images to another format check out Imagemagick or GraphicsMagick.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install webp
cwebp input.png -o output.webpBe sure to double check your CLI command as it is easy to miss-spell cwepb by accident!
TMUX
Often when using Ubuntu Server, or Terminal in Ubuntu Desktop, I need to be able to view multiple screens at the same time. TMUX allows me to split the screen into any number of splits and allows me to control the size of each split.
sudo apt install TMUX
TMUXOnce started press Ctrl + B then Shift + 5 to split the terminal vertical.
Press Ctrl + B then Shift and “ to split the terminal horizontally.
Plex Media Server
A lot of people that I know have a lot of videos that they like to share with family & friends. With Plex media Server you make sharing these videos easy to do – even from your main TV.
sudo snap install plexmediaserverAccess the server open a web browser and type in http://<Server-IP-Address>:32400/web
Here you can begin to set up your Server!
SAMBA
Samba is important because it enables seamless file and printer sharing between Linux and Windows systems using the SMB protocol. This makes it essential for creating interoperable networks in both home and enterprise environments.
sudo apt install sambaBTOP
Windows users may be familiar with Task Manager. A program which shows program resource usage and more. BTOP is the Ubuntu CLI (Command Line Interface or Terminal) equivalent.
sudo apt install btop
btop
Ctrl + C = Exit Programnmtui
For a server it is best to connect to the network using an Ethernet cable but in some cases Wi-Fi might be required. If this is the case tan using NMTUI will allow users to setup the Wi-Fi connection.
Speedtest-CLI
This tool measures your internet connection’s download and upload speeds using Speedtest.net. Speedtest-CLI provides a quick and convenient way to check network performance directly from the terminal.
sudo apt install speedtest-cliRun test with speedtest-cli
ASCII-Image
You can transform regular images into creative text art using simple command-line tools. ASCII-Image converts pictures into detailed ASCII characters, allowing you to display images as stylized text in the terminal.
sudo snap install ascii-image-converter
Poppler-utils:
Poppler-utils allows users to make changes to PDF files in the CLI.
sudo apt install poppler-utils
pdftotext "FileName".pdf
OpenSSH-Server
I have yet needed to download OpenSSH-Server onto a Ubuntu Server so I believe it is more for Ubuntu Desktops. When I need to SSH into a Ubuntu Server from an Ubuntu Desktop I always need to install before I can do so.
sudo apt install openssh
SSH "UserNameOnDevice"@"Ip-Address"
Type Yes to accept credentials
press Enter
Enter Password
ZeroTier
ZeroTier is a free VPN that allows up to 10 devices, per user, to tunnel to eachother.
sudo apt install zerotier
In-depth guide coming soon!
Lynx
You can browse the web directly from the terminal without a graphical interface. Lynx is a text-based web browser that lets you access websites quickly and efficiently using only the keyboard.
sudo apt install lynx
lynx https:///google.com
Lynx doesn’t have a built-in option to restrict browsing to HTTPS-only sites directly, but you can ensure you only visit HTTPS websites by typing the full URL with https://
NextCloud
You can host your own private cloud storage to securely access and sync files across devices. Nextcloud lets you manage documents, calendars, and contacts with full control over your data and privacy.
If for some reason snapd is not installed – you will need to install the snap repository by:
sudo apt install snapd
If you just installed snap, or if your computer already has snap then run the following commands:
sudo apt install apache2
sudo snap install nextcloud
I only use NextCloud from a local server and never over the internet. It has been giving me issues setting it up for over the internet use but it is perfect for local use. Windows computers work better with it than Ubuntu Desktop computers. That is because Windows allows users to download any file right when they need it. And Ubuntu Desktop computers require users to download the whole folder that the file is in. It is still a very useful program.
To install nextcloud on a Desktop for users type in:
sudo apt install nextcloud-desktop
rTorrents:
You can efficiently download and manage torrents using a lightweight command-line client. rTorrent provides a fast and resource-friendly way to handle torrent files, similar to how Lynx offers text-based web browsing in the terminal.
sudo apt install rtorrent
OpenSSL
You can secure communications and manage cryptographic keys using OpenSSL. OpenSSL provides powerful command-line tools for encryption and certificate management, much like how Lynx offers text-based web browsing in the terminal.
sudo apt install openssl
openssl genrsa -out my-local.key 2048
openssl req -new -key my-local.key -out my-local.csr
openssl x509 -req -days 365 -in my-local.csr -signkey my-local.key -out my-local.crt
Neofetch
You can quickly display detailed system information with a visually appealing summary using NeoFetch. NeoFetch presents hardware and software details in the terminal, similar to how Lynx provides text-based web browsing without a graphical interface.
sudo apt install neofetch
Snapd
Snapd is a background service that enables the installation and management of snaps, which are universal, self-contained software packages developed by Canonical for Linux systems. Unlike traditional package formats tied to a specific distribution, snaps bundle all their dependencies, making them portable and consistent across different Linux environments. Snapd handles downloading, installing, updating, and running these snaps, ensuring they remain secure and up to date. It also manages sandboxing, which isolates applications from the rest of the system to enhance security. Because of this, snapd is widely used on Ubuntu and can be installed on many other Linux distributions, offering users and developers a convenient way to access the latest applications without dependency issues.
By default, snapd should be installed on your Ubuntu Server, or Desktop, but I have seen that when working with Bookworm (Raspberry Pi Debian OS) it was not automatically installed.
sudo apt install snapd
Firewall
sudo apt install ufw -y
TestDisk
Have a hard drive that is giving you connection issues. TestDisk will help correct boot issues.
sudo install testdisk
