Managing Repositories
Pop!_OS repositories can be managed using Repoman (GUI) or the apt-manage command, which is unique to Pop!_OS.
- Manage Repositories with Repoman - Access the Repoman tool through the Pop!_Shop to add and remove repositories.
- Manage Repositories with the Terminal - Use the
apt-manageorflatpakcommand line tools to add, modify, and remove repositories. - Manually Add and Remove Repositories - Directly modify the
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/and~/.local/share/flatpak/repo/text files that control package sources.
Understanding Repositories
A repository is developer-maintained online resource that hosts applications' packages. When you use apt or Flatpak, the tool handles requests to download necessary files from a repository for an application. Distributions will have default, or "official" repositories that they use to maintain the applications that a developer chooses to include in the distribution. A repository may also be referred to as a source, repo, or remote (for Flatpak).
Pop!_OS includes these built-in repositories:
- http://apt.pop-os.org/ubuntu/ - This is System76's Ubuntu mirror, which is available via a global CDN.
- https://apt.pop-os.org/release - This repository provides the released versions of Pop!_OS packages.
- https://apt.pop-os.org/proprietary - This repository contains a number of applications not packaged by Ubuntu, or that are out of date on Ubuntu.
If any of these repositories have been removed from a system, they can be added back using the information on this page.
Understanding the Use Case for Third-Party Repositories
Pop!_OS's official sources listed in Repoman's Settings and Extra Sources tabs will provide all package resources required for Pop!_OS's out-of-the-box functionality. This includes all applications included in the default installation and available in the Pop!_Shop. A third-party repository is required if a desired application's files are not hosted in these official repositories.
Third-Party Repositories and PPAs
Third-party repositories (including PPAs) allow users to install and update applications from unofficial sources. Users should exercise caution when installing these, as their packages are not typically examined by Pop!_OS or Ubuntu developers. You should only install third-party repositories from sources you trust.
A Personal Package Archive (PPA) is a type of third-party apt repository that is hosted on Canonical's Launchpad platform. The URL for a PPA begins with ppa.launchpad.net. From a user's perspective, PPAs work the same as other third-party repositories.
Why Use Third-Party Hosting?
Developers may choose to host their application's files outside of a distribution's official repositories for a number of reasons:
- To provide easy and quick access for new and experimental versions of their software.
- To quickly apply bug fixes and updates.
- To provide convenient access to their application to users across Linux distributions.