Ubuntu Desktop Apps

Ubuntu Desktop App Development Services

Ubuntu-native applications with GNOME and libadwaita styling, published as snaps, debs, and Flatpaks with automatic updates.

Snap & .deb
Published to the Snap Store or your own PPA
GNOME Native
GTK 4 and libadwaita, styled for Yaru
LTS Tested
Verified on current Ubuntu LTS releases

Software Built for the Ubuntu Desktop

Ubuntu is the Linux desktop most organisations actually deploy, in development teams, universities, labs, and increasingly on staff workstations. It has its own conventions: GNOME with Ubuntu’s Yaru theming and dock, snap as the default packaging format, and LTS releases that businesses stay on for years.

We build applications that fit those conventions rather than fight them. That means GTK 4 and libadwaita for a native look, snap or deb packaging with confinement configured correctly, automatic updates through snapd, and testing against the LTS releases your fleet is actually running.

  • GTK 4 and libadwaita interfaces that match Ubuntu’s Yaru theme
  • Snap packaging with correct confinement and interface declarations
  • Automatic background updates through snapd, or your own apt repository
  • Verified against current Ubuntu LTS releases on Wayland
Workspace

Our Ubuntu Development Services

From a single-purpose internal tool to a snap published for the whole Ubuntu ecosystem.

Native Ubuntu Applications

GTK 4 and libadwaita apps that look and behave like they shipped with the system, on Wayland by default.

  • GTK 4 with libadwaita widgets
  • Yaru theming and dark mode
  • GNOME Shell and dock integration

Snap Packaging & Publishing

Snapcraft builds with the right confinement and interfaces, published to the Snap Store with staged release channels.

  • Strict confinement and interface setup
  • Stable, candidate, and beta channels
  • Snap Store listing and review support

Deb Packaging & PPA Hosting

Traditional .deb packages and a signed apt repository, for teams whose policy rules out sandboxed formats.

  • Debian-standard packaging
  • Signed PPA or private apt repository
  • Clean upgrade and removal paths

Electron & Tauri on Ubuntu

Cross-platform apps tuned for Ubuntu: correct desktop entries, notifications, tray behaviour, and file associations.

  • Snap and deb builds from one codebase
  • Native notifications and indicators
  • Reduced bundle size and startup time

Enterprise Ubuntu Rollouts

Deploying and managing your application across an Ubuntu fleet, with the controls IT teams need to sign off.

  • Landscape and MDM-managed deployment
  • Private snap brand stores
  • Configuration policy and LTS upgrade planning

Ubuntu Core, IoT & Kiosk

Locked-down Ubuntu Core and kiosk applications for devices that have to run unattended and update themselves safely.

  • Ubuntu Core snaps and gadget setup
  • Fullscreen kiosk sessions
  • ARM64 and Raspberry Pi builds
Ubuntu Stack

Ubuntu Technologies We Use

The GNOME desktop stack Ubuntu ships, plus the packaging tools that get your app into users’ hands.

Ubuntu Desktop Stack

6 tools

GNOME on Wayland, styled the way Ubuntu users expect.

  • Ubuntu
  • GNOME
  • GTK 4
  • libadwaita
  • Wayland
  • Debian

Frameworks & Languages

9 tools

Whatever fits the app: native GTK, Qt, Electron, or the JVM.

  • Electron
  • Tauri
  • Qt
  • Python
  • Rust
  • Go
  • Java
  • JavaFX
  • C++

Packaging for Ubuntu

6 tools

Snap, deb, Flatpak, and AppImage, published to the channels you need.

  • Snapcraft
  • Flatpak
  • AppImage
  • Debian
  • CMake
  • Docker

Data, Updates & Support

6 tools

Local-first data, automatic updates, and crash reports from the field.

  • SQLite
  • PostgreSQL
  • REST APIs
  • Node.js
  • GitHub Actions
  • Sentry

Working with something else? Our teams pick up new tools quickly. Tell us about your stack.

What We Get Right on Ubuntu

The details that make an app feel like it belongs on the Ubuntu desktop.

Yaru Theming & Dark Mode

Interfaces that follow Ubuntu’s accent colour and light or dark preference instead of hardcoding their own.

Snap Confinement

Strict confinement with only the interfaces your app needs, so security reviews go smoothly.

Automatic Updates

Delta updates delivered by snapd in the background, with channels for staged rollouts and quick rollback.

Wayland by Default

Built for Ubuntu’s default Wayland session, with portals for screen capture, files, and global shortcuts.

Dock & Indicator Integration

Progress badges, quick actions, and status indicators that appear where Ubuntu users look for them.

LTS Support Windows

Compatibility maintained across the LTS releases your organisation stays on, not just the newest one.

Distribution

How Your Ubuntu App Gets Delivered

Public store, private channel, or your own repository, whichever suits your users.

Snap Store

Public snap listing with automatic updates and beta channels for early testers.

Private Brand Store

A private snap store for internal tools, restricted to devices your organisation controls.

PPA / apt

A signed apt repository so machines install and update your .deb through normal system updates.

Flathub

A Flatpak build alongside the snap, for users and distributions that prefer it.

Our Ubuntu Development Process

Aligned with Ubuntu’s release cadence and the way its users install software.

1. Discovery & Release Targets

We confirm which Ubuntu LTS and interim releases you need to support, which desktop session your users run, and whether snap, deb, or both is the right format.

2. Interface Design

Designs built to the GNOME human interface guidelines and Ubuntu’s Yaru styling, covering light and dark themes and keyboard-first workflows.

3. Development

Iterative delivery with builds published to a beta channel from early in the project, so your team installs the real app the same way users eventually will.

4. Packaging & Confinement

Snapcraft and Debian packaging built in CI, with confinement tightened to the interfaces the app genuinely needs and nothing more.

5. Testing on Ubuntu

Automated and manual testing across the LTS releases in scope, on Wayland and X11, with HiDPI and multi-monitor passes.

6. Publishing & Support

Store submission or repository setup, staged rollout through release channels, and ongoing compatibility work as new Ubuntu versions ship.

Frequently Asked Questions

What clients ask us most before starting an Ubuntu desktop project.

Should we ship a snap, a deb, or both?

A snap is the better default: it updates automatically, is sandboxed, and installs the same way on every supported Ubuntu release. A deb still matters for organisations whose policy blocks snaps, or where the app needs system-level access that confinement makes awkward. Shipping both from one CI pipeline is not much extra work, and we often recommend it.

Which Ubuntu releases will the app support?

Most clients target the current and previous LTS releases, since that is what organisations actually run. We agree the support matrix during discovery and test against it in CI, so a new Ubuntu release never becomes a surprise.

Can the app be published privately for our staff only?

Yes. A private snap brand store or your own signed apt repository keeps the application restricted to devices your organisation controls, while still giving you automatic updates and staged rollouts.

Do you build native GTK apps or Electron apps for Ubuntu?

Both, depending on what the product needs. If Ubuntu is your primary platform, a native GTK 4 and libadwaita app is lighter, faster, and looks like it belongs there. If you also need Windows and macOS builds, Electron or Tauri packaged as a snap is usually the better commercial decision, and we tune it so it still behaves properly on Ubuntu.

Will the app work on other Linux distributions?

In most cases, yes. Snaps and Flatpaks run across nearly every current distribution, so an Ubuntu-first build usually covers Fedora, Debian, and the rest with little extra work. If broad distribution support matters from the start, our Linux desktop service covers the full multi-distro test and packaging matrix.

Ready to Build Your Ubuntu App?

Tell us which Ubuntu releases your users run and how you want the app delivered. We will come back with a packaging and release plan.