The guide walks you through installing digiKam on Ubuntu 22.04 via three package formats—APT from the official repositories, Snap, and Flatpak from Flathub. For APT it advises running sudo apt update then sudo apt install digikam, giving a stable 7.x version with optional plugins for missing codecs. The Snap method uses sudo snap install digikam --classic, offering sandboxed auto‑updates but slightly slower launches and occasionally lagging releases. The Flatpak approach adds the Flathub remote, installs with flatpak install flathub org.kde.digikam, and runs it via flatpak run, delivering newer builds at the expense of a larger runtime footprint.

Install digiKam on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS – three command‑line ways

You’ll get digiKam up and running on a fresh 22.04 install using the classic apt repo, the snap store, or a flatpak from Flathub. The guide shows exactly what to type, why each line matters, and which method tends to cause the least grief.

Install via APT

Ubuntu’s default repositories ship digiKam 7.x, which is stable enough for most users.

1. Open a terminal and refresh the package index.

   sudo apt update
   

   Updating makes sure you’re pulling the latest list of packages; skipping this can leave you with an old cache that refuses to find digiKam.

2. Install the program and its recommended dependencies.

   sudo apt install digikam
   

   The digikam package pulls in everything it needs – Qt libraries, image codecs, and a few optional tools that improve RAW handling. If you later discover missing codecs, just run sudo apt install digikam-plugins.

3. Launch digiKam from the menu or type digikam in the terminal to verify it starts.

Personal note: I once upgraded Ubuntu and forgot to run apt update. The installer complained about “unable to locate package digikam.” A quick refresh fixed it, so don’t skip step 1.

Install via Snap

Snap packages are sandboxed and get automatic updates, but they can be slower to start because the container has to mount its own filesystem.

1. Make sure snapd is present (it ships with Ubuntu by default).

   sudo apt install snapd
   

2. Pull the digiKam snap from the store.

   sudo snap install digikam --classic
   

   The --classic flag gives the snap broader access to your home folder, which is necessary for a photo manager that needs to read and write dozens of files.

3. Run it with digikam. The first launch may take a minute while the sandbox initializes.

Heads‑up: On some hardware I’ve seen the snap version lag behind the apt version by a couple of releases, so if you need the newest features, snap might not be your best bet.

Install via Flatpak

Flatpak is another universal format. It’s a bit more manual to set up but gives you the most recent digiKam builds from Flathub.

1. Add the Flathub repository (skip this if you already have it).

   flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
   

2. Install digiKam from Flathub.

   flatpak install flathub org.kde.digikam
   

   Flatpak pulls in all the runtime libraries, so you get a self‑contained copy that won’t clash with system packages.

3. Start it with:

   flatpak run org.kde.digikam
   

Reality check: The flatpak version is usually a few months ahead of the Ubuntu repo, but the extra runtime size can be noticeable on a small SSD.

Pick the method that matches your comfort level – apt for simplicity, snap for auto‑updates, or flatpak for bleeding‑edge features. Once it’s installed, point digiKam at your photo folder and let it index away.