Updated: 22 January, 2012

by FreeFind

Software installation is generally incredibly easy on openSUSE. There's a package manager, which lets you install and remove packages very easily - it's comparable to the app stores found on many modern smart phones.

Simply open YaST Software Management.



Now search for the package you want, select it for installation and click on Accept. The package manager will then fetch the package and install it and automatically resolve dependencies. After installation is complete the application should appear in the Kickoff menu (unless it's a command line program).


When browsing the web, you're likely to come across buttons such as this one:


1-click installation simply automates the process of adding one or more software repositories to the package manager and installing one or more packages. Therefore 1-click installation should be used with the same care as manually adding unofficial repositories (see the next chapter for more on software repositories).

If you wish, you can install and remove packages via a terminal too.

To search for a package run zypper search [search term]. Example:
To install a package run zypper install [package name]. Example:
To remove a package run zypper remove [package name]. Example:
See man zypper for more.
Or for help on indvidual commands use for example:
You can actually use 1-click installation in the terminal too, the syntax is OCICLI [URL], Example:
Most users will find everything they need and more in the package manager - especially if a few additional software repositories are added (see next chapter). But not all software is packaged and provided via repositories, and non-free software usually can't be legally redistributed by 3rd parties.

In these cases you'll need to go to the developer/vendor website and download and install the software manually - but always look for an openSUSE package in repositories first - and make sure you only download and install software from trusted sources.

With a bit of luck the developer/vendor website will have an RPM file for openSUSE. To install a single, downloaded RPM file:
Or use the command line if you wish:

If the website doesn't have an RPM for openSUSE, it will most likely have a so-called "tarball". Tarballs (*.tar.gz, *.tar.bz2) are simply compressed archives similar to *.zip and *.rar files. To uncompress a tarball:
The tarball might contain binaries that just need to be ran, or it might contain source code which needs to be compiled to run on your system - which can be complicated, and requires you to first install various developer tools. There's no one standard way to install tarball content, but you should always be able to find instructions in included files called INSTALL, README or similar - or on the website.