Many apps are missing from Ubuntu Software app
At one time the Ubuntu Software app in Ubuntu 16.10 did not have all the same software in it as the classic Ubuntu Software Center has although the problem has mostly been solved by software updates.
Here are some suggestions for dealing with the problem of software being missing from the Ubuntu Software app.
Ubuntu 16.04/16.10
Ubuntu Software Center works fine in Ubuntu 16.04 and shows all the apps as it did in earlier versions of Ubuntu. Ubuntu Software Center can be installed in Ubuntu 16.04 and Ubuntu 16.10.
sudo apt install software-center
Ubuntu 17.04 and later
Ubuntu 17.04 which doesn't have Ubuntu Software Center in its default repositories. Synaptic Package Manager works fine in Ubuntu 17.04 and shows all the apps like Ubuntu Software Center does, however Synaptic does not provide the same rich user experience as Ubuntu Software Center.
When I searched for a way of improving the package search functionality in Ubuntu 17.04, I found Debian Package Search (packagesearch). Debian Package Search is a GUI for searching packages and viewing package information. Debian Package Search can be installed alongside Synaptic and Ubuntu Software to add additional search functionality to Ubuntu 17.04.
Search in Debian Package Search can be done by:
- pattern
- tags (based on the debtags system, a new way of categorizing Debian packages)
- files
- installed status
- orphaned packages
Additionally a lot of information about the packages is displayed, including the files belonging to them.
It should be noted that because software can be installed from all of these four GUI applications, only one of the following four applications should be opened and used to install software at the same time.
- Ubuntu Software – software-center (discontinued in 17.04 and later)
- Ubuntu Software Center – gnome-software
- Synaptic Package Manager – synaptic
- Debian Package Search – packagesearch (discontinued in 18.04 and later)