🛠 How to Install Essential Tools Using Package Managers on Ubuntu and CentOS

Setting up a fresh Linux environment? Whether you're a developer, sysadmin, or power user, having the right tools at your fingertips makes all the difference. In this guide, we’ll show you how to install a comprehensive list of essential tools on Ubuntu and CentOS using their respective package managers.

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✅ Tools Covered

Here's a list of tools we'll install:

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📦 Installation on Ubuntu (APT)

Start with an update:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Now install all the tools:

sudo apt install -y \
  curl git vim htop wget net-tools \
  build-essential unzip tree tmux nmap \
  python3 python3-pip

Installing Docker on Ubuntu

sudo apt install -y ca-certificates curl gnupg
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | \
  sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

echo \
  "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] \
  https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | \
  sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

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📦 Installation on CentOS (YUM/DNF)

Update system:

sudo yum update -y   # or use dnf for CentOS 8+

Enable EPEL (for some packages like htop, nmap):

sudo yum install -y epel-release

Install the tools:

sudo yum groupinstall -y "Development Tools"
sudo yum install -y \
  curl git vim htop wget net-tools \
  unzip tree tmux nmap python3 python3-pip

Installing Docker on CentOS

sudo yum install -y yum-utils
sudo yum-config-manager \
    --add-repo https://download.docker.com/linux/centos/docker-ce.repo

sudo yum install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io

# Start Docker
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

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🔍 Verifying Installations

Test your tools:

curl --version
git --version
vim --version
htop --version
wget --version
ifconfig   # from net-tools
gcc --version  # build tools
python3 --version
pip3 --version
docker --version

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📝 Conclusion

With these commands, you've equipped your Ubuntu or CentOS system with powerful tools for software development, networking, system management, and automation. Whether you're debugging, coding, or deploying containers, you're now ready to roll.