What is the equivalent of .exe files in Linux for installing software?

On Debian, Ubuntu or Linux Mint, this work is handled by APT. For example, to install VLC, simply use:

sudo apt install vlc

Fedora uses DNF with a similar command:

sudo dnf install vlc

On Arch Linux, the Pacman package manager installs the same software with:

sudo pacman -S vlc

openSUSE uses Zypper:

sudo zypper install vlc

The principle is fairly similar regardless of the distribution. You specify the software you want to install, and the package manager finds the files in the configured repositories, checks the dependencies and performs the installation.

This setup means you do not have to keep every installer or monitor updates for all your software separately. A large part of the applications installed from repositories can be updated at the same time as the rest of the system.

Linux app stores work like an app store

You do not have to use the terminal to install software on Linux. Most distributions offer an app store, meaning a graphical interface that works a bit like the Microsoft Store on Windows.

You can search for an application, read its description and click Install without knowing which command to use or which package format it requires. The app store then retrieves the software from the sources configured on your system.

For example, Ubuntu offers its App Center, while KDE environments use Discover. GNOME also has GNOME Software, which is available on several distributions.

These app stores can bring several sources together in one place. Depending on your distribution and its configuration, the same interface may offer software from official repositories, Flatpak or Snap.

Snap is built into Ubuntu

Snap is an application distribution format developed by Canonical and particularly integrated into Ubuntu. On current Ubuntu versions, everything it needs to work is already installed, and the App Center directly offers Snap applications.

A Snap bundles much of what the application needs to run. This lets the publisher offer the same version regardless of the libraries installed on the system and release updates without waiting for a new version of Ubuntu.

Snap also provides an application isolation system. When a Snap uses confinement, the application runs in a restricted environment and cannot freely access the entire system. Access to files, the camera, the microphone or other resources is controlled through permissions designed for that purpose. This isolation relies on Linux security mechanisms such as AppArmor, Seccomp and cgroups.

Updates are managed automatically by snapd, allowing applications to receive new versions directly from their publisher.

You can install a Snap from the terminal:

sudo snap install vlc

Snap applications are directly available from the App Center and install like any other application.

Can you run a Windows .exe file on Linux?

A .exe file is not supported natively by Linux. The program expects to find Windows libraries, APIs and behavior, which Linux does not provide directly.

However, some Windows software can run thanks to Wine. Wine provides a compatibility layer that reproduces part of the environment expected by Windows applications and translates their calls so they can run on Linux. It is neither a virtual machine nor a complete Windows installation.

Compatibility depends heavily on the software. Some applications work almost perfectly, others require specific settings, and some simply do not work at all. Software that uses specific drivers, protection systems or features closely tied to Windows can cause more problems.

Tools such as Bottles make Wine easier to use by letting you create separate environments tailored to each application. For Windows games on Linux, Proton is largely based on Wine and adds several technologies designed to improve compatibility with Windows games.

Can you install an .exe on Ubuntu?

Ubuntu cannot run Windows programs natively. Some .exe files may nevertheless work with Wine or other tools, but compatibility depends on the software.