The Ubuntu software repositories include thousands of
applications in hundreds of categories, suitable for just about any professional or recreational pursuit, and most are free of charge. When you use MATE, those applications, as well as security updates, driver updates, application updates, software upgrades and
operating system upgrades, are all available from trusted sources so you won't need to
search the Internet for software. No more risking malware, junkware, or ransomware as a result of downloading from the wrong site! Ubuntu's software catalog is
the ultimate in a trusted source!
There are several ways to obtain software from the software catalog. MATE's own Software Boutique is a carefully curated selection of the best-in-class applications from the Ubuntu repositories, chosen because they integrate well, complement MATE and enable you to personalize your computing experience. When you first install MATE, the Software Boutique is the main graphical application you will use to install software. Thousands of applications not available in the Software Boutique are available to explore in the full Ubuntu software catalog ( Software Centers ) and from the the unique Snap Store, located at https://snapcraft.io/store. You have full access to the entire library at any time using the command line, but in order to obtain software from the complete software catalog using a graphical application that lets you browse through it, you will need to enable one or more of the software center applications from within the Software Boutique.
Note
Installing applications from the command line is discussed in a little more detail in Example: Installing Applications Using "apt" on the Command Line.