How to install Thunderbird on Linux?
Like Ubuntu or Linux Mint?
Installing Thunderbird on Ubuntu or Linux Mint can be done using several methods. Thunderbird is a popular free and open-source email client developed by the Mozilla Foundation. Below are the steps for the two most common methods - using the package manager and downloading it directly from the Mozilla website.
### A. Installation via Package Manager (APT)
On both Ubuntu and Linux Mint, you can use the APT package manager to install Thunderbird. This is often the easiest method as the package manager handles fetching the latest version from the repository and resolving dependencies.
1. **Open the Terminal**: You can do this by pressing `Ctrl + Alt + T` on your keyboard or by searching for 'Terminal' in your system applications.
2. **Update your APT index**: Before installing new software, it's a good practice to update your package manager's index to ensure you are getting the latest versions of packages.
```bash
sudo apt-get update
```
3. **Install Thunderbird**: Use the following command to install Thunderbird.
```bash
sudo apt-get install thunderbird
```
4. **Launch Thunderbird**: After the installation is complete, you can start Thunderbird by typing `thunderbird` in the terminal, or by searching for Thunderbird in your application menu.
### B. Installation via Snap Packages
Ubuntu supports snap packages, which are universal Linux packages that can also be used to install Thunderbird.
1. **Install the Thunderbird snap package**:
```bash
sudo snap install thunderbird
```
2. **Launching**: Thunderbird can then be launched from your applications menu.
### C. Installing from the Official Thunderbird Website
You might want to have the most current version of Thunderbird that's not yet in the repositories. Here's how to install it manually:
1. **Download the Latest Version**: Visit the official Thunderbird download page at https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/download/ and download the latest version for Linux.
2. **Extract the Archive**: Once the download is complete, extract the archive to a location on your system (like `/opt` for all users).
```bash
tar xjf thunderbird-*.tar.bz2 -C /opt
```
3. **Create a Symbolic Link**: To easily run Thunderbird from the command line, you can create a symbolic link to the executable in your local bin directory.
```bash
sudo ln -s /opt/thunderbird/thunderbird /usr/local/bin/thunderbird
```
4. **Create a Desktop Entry**: If you want Thunderbird to show up in your applications menu, you can create a `.desktop` file for it.
Here's a basic example of what this file should look like:
```ini
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Thunderbird Mail
Comment=Send and receive mail with Thunderbird
Exec=/opt/thunderbird/thunderbird
Icon=/opt/thunderbird/chrome/icons/default/default128.png
Type=Application
Categories=Application;Network;Email;
```
Save this as `thunderbird.desktop` in `~/.local/share/applications/` or `/usr/share/applications/` for all users.
5. **Launch Thunderbird**: You should now be able to launch Thunderbird from the application menu or by using the command `thunderbird` in the terminal.
By following these steps, you should have Thunderbird installed on your Ubuntu or Linux Mint system. Remember to check for updates regularly if you choose to install it manually to ensure you have the latest security patches and features.
