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Wiki

Documentation and guides for Basalt Linux.

Software Guides

Basalt Linux comes with essential applications pre-installed. This guide covers common tasks.

Web Browsing (Firefox ESR)

Firefox ESR (Extended Support Release) is the default web browser. It is pre-installed and ready to use.

  • Launch from the application menu or the panel launcher
  • Bookmark important sites for quick access
  • Install ad-blocking extensions like uBlock Origin
  • To sync bookmarks and passwords across devices, sign in with a Firefox account

Office Suite (LibreOffice)

LibreOffice is a full-featured office suite included with Basalt Linux.

  • Writer — Word processor (compatible with .docx)
  • Calc — Spreadsheet application (compatible with .xlsx)
  • Impress — Presentation software (compatible with .pptx)
  • Draw — Vector graphics editor
  • Math — Formula editor

Launch any component from the application menu under "Office". LibreOffice can open and save Microsoft Office formats.

File Management (Thunar)

Thunar is the default file manager. Key features:

  • Bulk rename files (Edit > Rename Multiple Files)
  • Custom actions via right-click menu
  • Built-in file search (Ctrl+F)
  • Mount and browse USB drives automatically
  • Access network shares via "Go > Network"

Media Playback (VLC)

VLC media player is pre-installed and supports virtually all media formats:

  • Open files: Ctrl+O
  • Open disc: Media > Open Disc
  • Stream URLs: Media > Open Network Stream
  • Convert media: Media > Convert/Save
  • Take snapshots: Video > Take Snapshot

Terminal (Xfce Terminal)

Xfce Terminal is the default terminal emulator. Useful shortcuts:

  • Ctrl+Shift+T — Open a new tab
  • Ctrl+Shift+W — Close current tab
  • Ctrl+Shift+N — Open a new window
  • Ctrl+C — Interrupt current command
  • Tab — Auto-complete commands and file paths
  • Up/Down arrows — Browse command history

Installing More Software

Additional software can be installed via:

  • APT — sudo apt install <package> for Debian packages
  • Synaptic — Graphical package browser (install with sudo apt install synaptic)
  • Flatpak — For sandboxed applications from Flathub
  • AppImages — Portable applications that run without installation