Geany is a popular open-source text editor that can also be used as an IDE for programming languages such as Python. It is known for its simplicity and speed, making it a good choice if you need a fast and lightweight text editor. Geany also has enough features to meet most needs, making it an excellent all-purpose text editor worth checking out on your Fedora desktop.
Update Fedora
Before proceeding with the tutorial, ensuring your system is up-to-date with all existing packages is good.
sudo dnf upgrade --refreshMethod 1: Geany with Fedora Repository
The first method is to install Geany directly from Fedora’s repository using the following command.
sudo dnf install geany -yMethod 2: Geany with Flatpak and Flathub
The second option is to use the Flatpak package manager that is most often natively installed on your Fedora workstation. The benefit of Flatpaks is that they can often be ahead of a version or two from Fedora, depending on the release cycle/updates of the software and the Flatpak package maintainer. However, in most cases in Fedora, you would want to install the DNF version above, depending on your preferences.
First, re-install Flatpak if you have removed the package manager previously.
sudo dnf install flatpak -yNext, you need to enable Flatpack using the following command in your terminal.
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepoRe-installing Flatpak, I would often advise rebooting your system. Failure to do this can occur in odd issues, such as wrong icon paths.
rebootNow install using the following flatpak command.
flatpak install flathub org.geany.Geany -yTroubleshoot Flatpak Geany Installation
First, the most common error when installing a Flatpak from Flathub is the following error output.
"error: Unable to load summary from remote flathub: Can't fetch summary from disabled remote 'flathub,"The fix is simple, run the following command to enable Flathub.
flatpak remote-modify --enable flathubThis will fix the issue the above issue. The next issue can be access to system files. I would only recommend using the following command if you have access permission with your installation accessing files; use the override command below.
sudo flatpak override org.geany.Geany --filesystem=hostPlease do not use this command by default unless it is needed.
How to Launch Geany
Launching can be done in a few ways now that you have the software installed.
You can launch the application immediately using the following cli command.
geanyFlatpak users can use the following command to launch from the terminal.
flatpak run org.geany.GeanyHowever, this is not practical for desktop users, and you would use the following path on your desktop to open with the following approach.
Activities > Show Applications > Geany
Example in Show Applications:
Once open, you will arrive at the default landing start screen, where you can use the IDE editor.
Example:
And that is it, and you have successfully installed Geany IDE.
Additional Commands & Tips
How to Update Geany
Depending on the method of installation used, the following commands can be used to update the software and any system package. Ideally, the terminal update command should be used even if you have auto-updates in your desktop GUI to ensure everything is updating correctly.
DNF Update Method
sudo dnf upgrade --refreshFlatpak Update Method
flatpak updateHow to Remove Geany
Use one of the following commands to suit the original installation method for users who no longer require the application.
DNF Remove Method
sudo dnf autoremove geanyThe above command will automatically remove any unused dependencies installed from Geany and other leftovers from previous removals. This command should be run often to keep your system from bloating.
Flatpak Remove Method
flatpak uninstall --delete-data org.geany.Geany -yNext, run the following command for any leftover clean-up.
flatpak remove --unusedConclusion
In the tutorial, you have learned two methods to install Geany on Fedora Linux. I highly recommend checking out the Geany website screenshots to see more examples before the installation to get a feel for the editor.
