How To Install CherryTree on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

If you work with Linux daily, you already know that keeping your notes, commands, and project documentation organized is half the battle. CherryTree is one of the best hierarchical note-taking apps available on Linux, and learning how to install CherryTree on Ubuntu 24.04 is straightforward once you know which method fits your workflow. This guide walks you through four proven installation methods, covers first-launch configuration, shows you how to update and remove the app cleanly, and tackles the most common errors you will run into on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS “Noble Numbat.”

What Is CherryTree and Why Use It on Ubuntu 24.04?

CherryTree is a free, open-source hierarchical note-taking application written by Giuseppe Penone (also known as giuspen) and Evgenii Gurianov. It organizes your notes in a tree structure where each branch is a node and each node can have unlimited subnodes, making it ideal for technical documentation, code snippets, project notes, and research.

The current stable release is version 1.6.3, released January 12th, 2026. It is licensed under GPLv3+, which means it is completely free to use, modify, and distribute.

Here is what makes CherryTree stand out from other note-taking tools on Linux:

• Rich text editing with foreground and background color, bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, and six heading levels
• Syntax highlighting for multiple programming languages directly inside notes
• Storage flexibility: save everything in a single XML (.ctd) or SQLite (.ctb) file
• Code execution: run code directly from code nodes and codeboxes using a configurable embedded terminal
• LaTeX math equation rendering for scientific or academic note-taking
• Password protection for sensitive notebooks using 7-zip encryption
• Import from 15+ tools including Gnote, Tomboy, Zim, KeepNote, RedNotebook, and Basket
• Export to PDF, HTML, or plain text at the node, subnode, or full-tree level
• Spell check via gspell and multi-level list handling

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS “Noble Numbat” ships with long-term support until 2029, which makes this CherryTree on Ubuntu 24.04 setup guide relevant for years. The Noble Numbat release ships with Linux kernel 6.8 and updated GTK libraries, both of which CherryTree 1.6.3 fully supports.

Prerequisites: What You Need Before You Start

Before you run a single command, confirm the following:

• OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) desktop or server with a GUI installed
• Permissions: A user account with sudo privileges
• Terminal access: Open the terminal with Ctrl + Alt + T
• Internet: An active connection to download packages and repository metadata
• Updated system: Running outdated packages creates dependency conflicts

Update your system right now before proceeding. This one step prevents most installation failures:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

sudo apt update refreshes your local package index from all configured sources. sudo apt upgrade -y installs all available updates without prompting you to confirm each one. Running both together before any new install is standard sysadmin hygiene.

Step 1: Choose Your Installation Method

Ubuntu 24.04 supports four distinct ways to install CherryTree. Each one has trade-offs. Understanding them saves you time and avoids reinstalling later.

The PPA method is the recommended approach for Ubuntu 24.04 users because it comes directly from CherryTree’s upstream developer and guarantees you always receive the latest stable release through your normal apt upgrade workflow.

Step 2: Install CherryTree on Ubuntu 24.04 via APT (Default Repositories)

This is the fastest path to a working CherryTree install. Ubuntu’s default repositories include CherryTree, so you do not need to configure anything extra.

Check Which Version Is Available

Before installing, check which CherryTree version Ubuntu 24.04’s official repos carry:

apt-cache policy cherrytree

This command queries the local package index and shows you the version available for install alongside any installed version. If the version shown meets your needs, proceed. If you need the absolute latest, jump to Method 2 (PPA).

Install CherryTree via APT

sudo apt update
sudo apt install cherrytree

sudo apt install cherrytree tells APT to fetch the CherryTree package and all its required dependencies from Ubuntu’s official mirror. Ubuntu resolves and installs dependency chains automatically.

Verify the Installation

cherrytree --version

Expected output:

cherrytree 1.x.x

You can also launch CherryTree from the Activities menu by typing “cherrytree” in the search bar.

When to use this method: If you prioritize stability over cutting-edge features and do not want to add third-party sources to your system, this is your safest option.

Step 3: Install CherryTree via the Official Giuspen PPA (Recommended)

The PPA (Personal Package Archive) maintained by Giuseppe Penone always ships the latest stable CherryTree release. This PPA explicitly supports Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Noble Numbat alongside 18.04, 20.04, and 22.04. Because updates flow through APT, you get them automatically with your regular sudo apt upgrade runs.

Why Trust This PPA?

• It is maintained by CherryTree’s primary developer, not a third party
• The GPG signing key ensures package integrity before installation
• It is hosted on Launchpad, Ubuntu’s official PPA infrastructure

Add the PPA to Your System

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:giuspen/ppa

add-apt-repository does three things at once: it adds the PPA URL to /etc/apt/sources.list.d/, imports the GPG signing key from Ubuntu’s keyserver, and prepares your system to fetch packages from that source.

If the command fails with a “software-properties-common not found” error, install it first:

sudo apt install software-properties-common

Update the Package Index

sudo apt update

This refreshes your local package cache to include packages available from the newly added PPA.

Install CherryTree

sudo apt install cherrytree

Confirm the Installed Version

cherrytree --version

Expected output on Ubuntu 24.04 with the Giuspen PPA:

cherrytree 1.6.3

How to Remove the PPA Later

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:giuspen/ppa

Step 4: Install CherryTree via Snap

Snap packages bundle all application dependencies into a single self-contained archive. Snapd runs as a background service on Ubuntu 24.04 by default, so you do not need to install or configure anything before using this method.

Confirm Snapd Is Running

snap version

Expected output:

snap    2.x.x
snapd   2.x.x
series  16
ubuntu  24.04
kernel  6.8.x-xx-generic

If snapd is not active, start it with:

sudo systemctl start snapd

Install CherryTree via Snap

sudo snap install cherrytree

Snap downloads the CherryTree package from the Snap Store along with its confined runtime. The installation takes slightly longer than APT because Snap packages carry their own libraries.

Launch CherryTree

cherrytree

Key Snap Trade-offs

• Auto-updates: Snapd updates CherryTree silently in the background with no manual action required
• Sandboxing: CherryTree running as a Snap cannot write to directories outside your home folder by default; this matters if you store notebooks on external drives
• Startup speed: Snap apps launch slightly slower than natively installed APT packages due to the mount overhead of the squashfs image

When to use Snap: If you want a hands-off, zero-maintenance install and keep all your notebooks inside ~/Documents, Snap is a perfectly solid choice.

Step 5: Install CherryTree via Flatpak (Flathub)

Flatpak is a distribution-agnostic packaging format. CherryTree is available on Flathub, the primary Flatpak app repository. Unlike Snap, Flatpak does not come pre-enabled on Ubuntu 24.04, so you need to set it up first.

Enable Flatpak Support on Ubuntu 24.04

sudo apt install flatpak

This installs the Flatpak runtime and CLI tools from Ubuntu’s default repositories.

Add the Flathub Repository

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

--if-not-exists prevents an error if Flathub is already configured. This command registers Flathub as a trusted remote source for Flatpak applications.

Reboot or Log Out

sudo reboot

Ubuntu 24.04 requires a session restart after adding Flatpak remotes to properly update environment PATH variables. Skipping this step causes “application not found” errors after install.

Install CherryTree from Flathub

flatpak install flathub net.giuspen.cherrytree

Flatpak prompts you to confirm. Type y and press Enter. It downloads the CherryTree runtime along with any shared Flatpak libraries not yet on your system.

Launch CherryTree

flatpak run net.giuspen.cherrytree

Flatpak-Specific Considerations

• Flatpak sandboxes CherryTree more strictly than APT installs; file access outside $HOME needs explicit permission grants using flatpak override
• The initial download is larger because Flatpak bundles runtime dependencies
• Updates run with: flatpak update net.giuspen.cherrytree

When to use Flatpak: This method works well if you run multiple Linux distributions and want a consistent CherryTree environment across all of them, or if you prefer application-level isolation.

Step 6: First Launch and Basic Configuration of CherryTree

Once you install CherryTree on Ubuntu 24.04 using any method above, the first launch takes only seconds. Here is how to get your first notebook running.

Create a New Notebook

1. Open CherryTree from the terminal (cherrytree) or the Applications menu
2. Go to File > New to create a new document
3. Choose your storage format:
   • XML (.ctd): Human-readable, good for version control with Git, ideal for smaller notebooks
   • SQLite (.ctb): Binary format, better performance for large notebooks with many images and embedded files
4. Set a save location such as ~/Documents/CherryTree/my-notes.ctb
5. Optionally set a password under File > Password if you store sensitive information

Add Your First Node

• Click the green + icon in the toolbar or go to Node > Add Node
• Enter a name for the node (for example, “Server Notes” or “Linux Commands”)
• Choose the node format: Rich Text for formatted notes, Plain Text for raw output, or Code for syntax-highlighted programming content
• Click OK

Add Subnodes to Build Your Tree

Right-click any node in the left panel and select Add Subnode. This is how you build nested hierarchies, for example:

Server Notes
├── Ubuntu 24.04
│   ├── APT Commands
│   └── Network Config
└── Nginx
    ├── Virtual Hosts
    └── SSL Setup

Save Your Work

Press Ctrl + S or go to File > Save. CherryTree auto-saves in the background once a file path is set, but confirming your first manual save is good practice.

How To Update CherryTree on Ubuntu 24.04

Keeping CherryTree current ensures you get bug fixes and new features. The update command depends on how you installed it.

If you used APT or the Giuspen PPA:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade cherrytree

If you used Snap:

sudo snap refresh cherrytree

Snap auto-updates in the background, so manual refresh is rarely needed. But running this command forces an immediate update check.

If you used Flatpak:

flatpak update net.giuspen.cherrytree

PPA users have the smoothest update experience. Every time you run sudo apt upgrade on your system, CherryTree updates alongside everything else with no extra steps.

How To Uninstall CherryTree from Ubuntu 24.04

Removing CherryTree is straightforward. Choose the command that matches your installation method.

Uninstall via APT or PPA

Remove the package but keep configuration files:

sudo apt remove cherrytree

Remove the package and clean up orphaned dependencies:

sudo apt remove --autoremove cherrytree

Purge everything including configuration files (irreversible):

sudo apt purge --auto-remove cherrytree

Warning: Running purge permanently deletes all CherryTree config data from your system. Back up your notebooks before running this command.

Remove the PPA if you added it:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:giuspen/ppa

Uninstall via Snap

sudo snap remove cherrytree

Uninstall via Flatpak

flatpak uninstall net.giuspen.cherrytree

Troubleshooting Common Issues When You Configure CherryTree on Ubuntu 24.04

Even clean installs occasionally hit snags. Here are the five errors Ubuntu 24.04 users run into most often, and exactly how to fix them.

Error 1: “Package cherrytree has no installation candidate”

Cause: Your package index is stale or CherryTree is not available in the default Ubuntu 24.04 repos for your mirror.

Fix:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install cherrytree

If the error persists after updating, switch to the PPA method in Step 3 above. The default Ubuntu repos do not always carry every available version.

Error 2: PPA Add Fails or GPG Key Error

Cause: software-properties-common is missing, or Ubuntu’s keyserver is temporarily unreachable.

Fix: Install the required package first:

sudo apt install software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:giuspen/ppa

If you still see a GPG error, import the key manually:

gpg --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys C7BF38CE0BD442C2369AA984049128A20CE0648D

Error 3: Snap Install Returns “Permission Denied”

Cause: The snapd service is not running or has crashed.

Fix:

sudo systemctl status snapd
sudo systemctl restart snapd
sudo snap install cherrytree

Checking the service status first tells you whether snapd is inactive or actively throwing errors, which helps narrow down the fix.

Error 4: Flatpak Install Fails with “Unable to Load Summary from Remote”

Cause: This is a known connectivity or configuration issue on some Ubuntu 24.04 setups when Flathub metadata cannot be fetched.

Fix: First, confirm your system is fully updated. Then verify that libostree-1-1 is installed:

sudo apt install libostree-1-1
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
flatpak install flathub net.giuspen.cherrytree

Error 5: CherryTree Opens But Cannot Save Files

Cause: If you installed via Snap or Flatpak, the sandbox prevents CherryTree from writing outside your home directory.

Fix for Snap: Grant access to removable media if your notebook lives on an external drive:

sudo snap connect cherrytree:removable-media

Fix for Flatpak: Grant filesystem access manually:

flatpak override --user --filesystem=host net.giuspen.cherrytree

This gives the Flatpak-sandboxed CherryTree read and write access to your full filesystem. Use it only if you genuinely need to store notebooks outside $HOME.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed CherryTree. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing CherryTree hierarchical note taking applicatio on Ubuntu 24.04 system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official CherryTree website.