How to Install VSCodium on Linux Mint 21 or 20
If you’re tired of dealing with Microsoft’s telemetry and the occasional broken update, VSCodium is a clean‑cut alternative that still gives you all the VS Code features. In this quick guide you’ll learn how to get it up and running on Mint 20 or 21 without any extra fuss.
What is VSCodium?
VSCodium is an open‑source fork of Visual Studio Code that strips out Microsoft’s proprietary bits. The UI, extensions, and core editor are identical, but the binaries are built from source with no telemetry hooks. It feels like VS Code, works exactly like it, and lets you stay on the open‑source side of things.
Why install VSCodium on Linux Mint?
I’ve seen this happen after a bad driver update that broke my previous VS Code install – suddenly every extension failed to load or the editor would freeze at startup. Mint’s package manager can get stuck trying to satisfy Microsoft‑specific dependencies, and you end up with an unusable editor. VSCodium sidesteps those headaches because it has no “Microsoft” package names to pull in. Plus, you still get all the language servers, debuggers, and UI polish that VS Code offers.
Method 1: Install from the official Debian package (recommended for Mint 20/21)
The maintainers ship a ready‑made .deb file that works out of the box.
1. Download the latest release from GitHub.
wget https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/releases/download/1.81.0-beta/vscodium_1.81.0-beta-20230213_amd64.deb
(Check the releases page for a newer tag.)
2. Install it with dpkg – this will automatically pull in any missing libraries that Mint already knows about.
sudo apt install ./vscodium_1.81.0-beta-20230213_amd64.deb
Why this matters: apt resolves dependencies, so you won’t end up with a half‑finished editor.
3. Launch VSCodium from the menu or via code-codium.
The first run will trigger the extension marketplace to populate just like VS Code, so no extra steps needed.
Method 2: Snap package (quick and simple)
If you already use snaps on Mint, this is the fastest route.
sudo snap install vscodium --classic
The --classic flag gives it full filesystem access, just like a native app. Snap will automatically update for you.
Why choose snap? It’s sandboxed and doesn’t clutter your apt cache with separate packages.
Method 3: Flatpak (great if you prefer flatpaks)
1. Install Flatpak support if you haven’t already:
sudo apt install flatpak
2. Add the Flathub repository, which hosts VSCodium:
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
3. Install VSCodium:
flatpak install flathub com.vscodium.VSCodium
It keeps VSCodium isolated from the rest of your system, so you can run multiple versions side‑by‑side without conflict.
Optional: Add Extensions and Themes
VSCodium uses the same extension marketplace as VS Code. Open the sidebar => Extensions => Search for any popular tool (Python, ESLint, GitLens). Install them normally – no special steps required.
If you prefer a dark theme, try @vscodium/themes. Just install it via the Extensions view and select it from File => Preferences => Color Theme.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Missing dependencies after dpkg install
If apt reports unmet dependencies, run sudo apt-get -f install to auto‑fix them. Mint’s mirrors usually have everything you need, but occasionally the package list lags behind.
- “VSCodium is not responding” on launch
Delete the user data folder (~/.config/VSCodium) and start again. Corrupt caches are a common culprit after abrupt shutdowns.
- Snap or Flatpak updates stall
Run snap refresh or flatpak update manually; sometimes the automatic timer misses an available package.
That’s all there is to it—no fancy scripts, no fiddling with PPAs. Pick your favorite install method and you’re good to go.
