Earlier this year, I built a new PC and it’s running Ubuntu. I’ve been installing various apps and configuring them since then. Now, I realize I don’t have any way of knowing what I would want to reinstall, if I (for instance) lost this drive somehow.
How do you keep track of what you’ve installed/ your favorite apps?
Separately, how can I backup the configurations I’m using right now.
Thanks!
Mackup  https://github.com/lra/mackup
git repo
A bash script
apt get install <your list here>
Same with flatpak
Keep updated. Done.
I back up the entire system, apps and all. The main reason is so that I can get back up and running quickly, but it also spares me the need to worry about which apps to reinstall.
Install fresh copy of Linux OS on a new device. Install the apps I know I need like browser, code editor, etc.
Use device.
Realize “oh crap I forgot to install X!”
Install X
Repeat until all X have been installed.
Use ansible and variable, so it can be replicated to other computer. Simple
ansible.builtin.apt:
name: "{{ item }}"
state: latest
loop:
- pkg1
- pkg2
