Using gnome-software (with examples)

Launch the GNOME Software GUI

Use case code:

gnome-software

Motivation: Launching the GNOME Software GUI is useful when you want to browse and manage applications on your system. By using this command, you can easily access the graphical interface of the GNOME Software application.

Explanation: This command simply launches the GNOME Software GUI, if it is not already running. It allows you to interact with the software through an intuitive graphical interface.

Example Output: No output will be displayed in the terminal. Instead, the GNOME Software GUI will open up, showing a list of available applications and updates.

Launch the GNOME Software GUI and navigate to a specific page

Use case code:

gnome-software --mode updates|updated|installed|overview

Motivation: This use case allows you to directly navigate to a specific page within the GNOME Software GUI without manually navigating through multiple screens. It can save you time by taking you directly to the desired page.

Explanation: The --mode argument is used to specify the page that you want to navigate to within the GNOME Software GUI. You can choose from the following options: updates, updated, installed, or overview. Each option represents a different page within the GUI.

Example Output: Launching gnome-software --mode installed will open the GNOME Software GUI and directly navigate to the “Installed” page, displaying a list of all installed applications on your system.

Launch the GNOME Software GUI and view details of a specific package

Use case code:

gnome-software --details package

Motivation: Sometimes, you may want to view detailed information about a specific package in the GNOME Software application, such as its version, description, or installation status. This use case provides a convenient way to access these details.

Explanation: By using the --details argument followed by the name of the package, you can view the specific package’s details within the GNOME Software GUI. The package name is typically the name of the application or software package you want to learn more about.

Example Output: Running gnome-software --details gimp will launch the GNOME Software GUI and display detailed information about the package “gimp”, including its version, description, and other relevant details.

Display the version of GNOME Software

Use case code:

gnome-software --version

Motivation: Knowing the version of GNOME Software installed on your system can help you troubleshoot issues, check for updates, or simply keep track of the software’s current version.

Explanation: This command specifically displays the version of the GNOME Software application installed on your system. It provides a quick way to access this information without having to navigate through menus or settings within the GUI.

Example Output: Running gnome-software --version will output the installed version of GNOME Software, such as “3.36.0” or “3.38.2”, depending on the version installed on your system.