My Top 6 Productivity Apps For Linux That Are Lesser Known - But Shouldn't Be

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Linux has tons of productivity devices waiting to help.
• There are some GUI and command-line apps available.
• All of nan devices listed are free to use.

When you deliberation of productivity, I'm judge nan accustomed suspects travel to mind:

• Office suite
• Groupware
• PDF creators/editors
• Image editors
• File managers
• Content Management Systems (CMS)
• To-do lists
• Project guidance tools

To presume those are nan only productivity devices disposable would beryllium a mistake, arsenic location are truthful galore to take from. What you usage depends connected your needs, truthful nan postulation of apps you usage will apt disagree from those I prefer.

Even so, location are truthful galore Linux apps to take from, immoderate of which are overmuch lesser-known than nan likes of LibreOffice aliases GIMP. You mightiness beryllium amazed to cognize that immoderate of those obscure apps are really rather helpful.

Also: Thinking astir switching to Linux? 9 things you request to know

Let maine spot if I tin pique your liking successful a fewer useful apps that mightiness conscionable make you a spot much productive.

1. ManuSkript

ManuSkript is simply a instrumentality for writers. This free, open-source app is awesome for those looking to embark connected penning their first novel, play, TV/film script, aliases conscionable astir immoderate analyzable manuscript. ManuSkript includes features for illustration an outline, distraction-free writing, an adjunct (not AI), storylines, analysis, scale cards, and more. ManuSkript follows nan Snowflake method, which is simply a ten-step process for penning a caller that asks you questions, each of which builds connected nan others. It besides guides you done this process. 

ManuSkript is simply a GUI app that helps you turn your communicative from a azygous condemnation to a paragraph, to a afloat summary, and past create characters, conceive plots, conception outlines, build worlds, way items, and more. If you're a writer and you'd for illustration to effort thing akin to Scrivener, but without nan associated cost. ManuSkript tin beryllium installed via Flatpak and is free.

2. Super Productivity

Super Productivity is an precocious task head pinch a ton of adjuvant features. The champion value astir Super Productivity is that it's nan cleanable operation of features and user-friendliness. Super Productivity includes features for illustration to-do lists, clip tracking, insights, timesheets, activity summaries, integration pinch services specified arsenic Jira, Gitlab, GitHub, Open Project, and more. You'll besides find CalDAV integration, attraction mode, break reminders, notes, bookmarks, record attachments, and more. 

Also: 5 much ways to stock files connected Linux that each pro should know

This app has a well-designed, modern UI that makes utilizing nan instrumentality a no-brainer. One of nan champion features of Super Productivity is nan individual metrics, which tin thief you understand really you tin amended your workflow. At first, you'll find yourself utilizing only nan basal features, but arsenic you get accustomed to nan app, you'll commencement venturing into nan realm of nan much analyzable offerings. Super Productivity tin beryllium installed via Flatpak aliases Snap and is free to use.

3. Eloquent

Eloquent has 1 usability -- it proofreads your work. This app doesn't merge into your desktop, connection processor, aliases browser; rather, it allows you to paste matter into nan main window, and past it will analyse and proofread everything you've added.

Also: How to take nan correct Linux desktop distribution for you

Eloquent useful offline (so you don't person to interest that a 3rd statement is search you aliases utilizing your activity without permission) and supports astir 30 languages. Eloquent uses nan LanguageTool standalone server to proofread your activity and offers suggestions to amended it. You can, however, tally Eloquent arsenic a inheritance work and usage it pinch LibreOffice, your web browser, and more. Eloquent is free to usage and tin beryllium installed pinch Flatpak.

4. Atuin

The Atuin command-line instrumentality is simply a powerful app to thief sync your ammunition history, hunt everything instantly, and moreover support your information encrypted arsenic it is transported from instrumentality to machine. Atuin useful by storing your ammunition history successful an SQLite database, while besides signaling further discourse for your commands. The atuin instrumentality features nan expertise to rebind Ctrl-R, shop ammunition history, backmost up and sync your encrypted ammunition history, log exit codes and sessions, position statistic for illustration "most utilized commands," speedy jump to erstwhile items, various select modes, and more. 

One point to support successful mind is that this instrumentality is really only viable to those pinch plentifulness of command-line acquisition and who would for illustration nan CLI to beryllium a spot much productive. The Atuin app supports nan pursuing Linux shells:

• zsh
• bash
• fish
• nushell
• xonsh

Atuin is free to usage and syncs pinch a cloud-based server, but tin besides beryllium synced pinch a locally-hosted server.

5. CopyQ

When you transcript a spot of matter connected your desktop, it's disposable to paste. After you paste that spot of matter and transcript different drawstring of characters, nan original copied matter is gone. How galore times person you needed nan antecedently copied matter and needed to find it, transcript it, and past paste it? With a clipboard manager, you get entree to a history of copied text, and CopyQ is 1 of nan amended options available. 

Also: Want to prevention your aging computer? Try these 5 Linux distributions

The CopyQ app allows you to sort, create, edit, remove, copy/paste, drag, and driblet items into a tabbed-based UI. You tin besides adhd notes to entries, usage shortcuts and customizable commands, customize nan UI, return advantage of a CLI version, disregard definite windows and/or matter (such arsenic passwords), and overmuch more. If you transcript and paste passim nan day, do yourself a favour and instal CopyQ via a binary installer aliases from your package manager's modular repository.

6. Gemini-CLI

If you'd for illustration to usage nan Gemini AI tool, but don't want to person to activity pinch a GUI aliases web browser, you tin ever usage nan command-line type of nan service. One point to support successful mind is that this isn't a localized type of Gemini, which intends it's utilizing nan Google service. If you'd alternatively support things local, spell pinch Ollama. 

Also: Gemini's bid statement instrumentality is simply a hidden productivity crippled changer - and it's free

If, however, you for illustration Gemini, nan Gemini-CLI tool is nan measurement to go. There is simply a free tier for Gemini-CLI, which gets you 60 requests/minute and 1,000 requests/day pinch your individual Google account. You tin besides get entree to nan Gemini 2.5 Pro (for a fee), which gives you entree to a 1-million token discourse window. 

You besides get Google Search grounding, record operations, ammunition commands, and web fetching. You do person to usage npm to instal Gemini-CLI, which intends you'll request to first instal Node.js. If you want nan astir businesslike intends of interacting pinch Gemini, this mightiness beryllium it.

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