Install LibreOffice Flatpak
This page gives a tutorial on installing LibreOffice, packaged as a Flatpack, on a Linux operating system
FlatPak overview
Flatpak is a way of packaging applications, so they can run on many different Linux operating systems. Software developers do not need to prepare multiple versions of an application for different Linux operating systems. They don't need to set up a version to run on Ubuntu and another to run on Manjaro, for example.
Applications packaged as a Flatpak are not tied to one repository, like Snaps from Canonical, are. There are several repositories, also called remotes, that offer Flatpak applications. Flathub is the most popular and comes preinstalled on different operating systems. Some operating systems, such as elementaryOS and Endless OS, have used flatpaks in their unique app centers.
Most flatpaks are designed for Intel/AMD chips. Few are available for ARM64. LibreOffice is one of those few that are available for both AMD/Intel and ARM64 (also called aarch64) processors. This means that the latest version of LibreOffice is available on Raspberry Pi and Pine64 computers.
Preinstalled
Flatpak and a remote, usually Flathub come preinstalled on several different Linux distros. Some other distros use another remote in addition to flathub or instead of it. For distros that don't have it preinstalled, there are a few simple steps to acquire it.
Those using a distro where Flatpak and one of the remotes for it is preinstalled, such as Linux Mint, will find that Flatpak-packaged applications are included in the same software store or repository that apps packaged other ways are found. In Linux Mint's Software Manager, there are Flatpaks alongside the same applications packaged in other ways.
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Major distros with Flathub
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Linux Mint
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Pop!_OS
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Zorin OS
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Endless OS
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Rocky Linux
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Fedora and elementaryOS
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Fedora comes with the Flathub remote and a Fedora Flathub remote.
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Both offer LibreOffice
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elementaryOS has its own app store with flatpaks
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LibreOffice can be downloaded and installed from flathub.org
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Manjaro
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Flathub does not come activated upon install.
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However, flathub is easy to activate through the Add/Remove Software app.
04
Ubuntu
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Ubuntu and its derivatives do not come with Flatpaks preinstalled.
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It can easily be installed through the Terminal app, however.
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sudo apt install flatpak
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Then install apps through flathub.org
LibreOffice Flatpak
Command line install
One of the easiest ways to install LibreOffice Flatpak is through the command line application. Flatpak and the Flathub remote is preinstalled on several operating systems, and it can be installed on any distro.
Type the below command to install LibreOffice:
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flatpak install flathub org.libreoffice.LibreOffice . Then press return or enter on the keyboard.
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Type the administrator password. Then press return or enter on the keyboard.
Video
This video demonstrates installing the Flatpak-packaged version of LibreOffice. It is the latest version of the office suite. At the time this video was published, the latest version was 24.8. There are several ways to install the Flatpak: through a Linux operating system's software store that is integrated with a Flatpak remote, by downloading LibreOffice from Flathub.org, and by using the command line with the Terminal application.
