How To Install GIMP on CentOS Stream 10

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a popular open-source tool for advanced image editing, photo retouching, and graphic design. It offers a professional-grade set of features and supports customization through plugins, brushes, and scripts. With CentOS Stream 10 quickly becoming a favored environment for developers and system administrators, installing GIMP on this system is a valuable step toward robust, flexible, and efficient image editing.

Why Install GIMP on CentOS Stream 10?

CentOS Stream 10 stands out for providing a stable yet frequently updated Linux distribution. It is designed for continuous updates, making it suitable for testing and development. By installing GIMP on CentOS Stream 10, you gain a reliable platform to create and modify graphics without the need for expensive proprietary software. GIMP’s open-source nature empowers you to explore photo editing, compositing, and digital illustration while leveraging ongoing community updates. You also have access to advanced features for color correction, digital painting, and batch processing. These capabilities make GIMP an optimal choice for both casual and professional users on CentOS Stream 10.

Prerequisites for Installing GIMP

Before installing GIMP on CentOS Stream 10, ensure that your system meets the following prerequisites. These steps will help you avoid compatibility issues and ensure a smooth installation:

• Root or Sudo Privileges: You must have administrator rights or sudo privileges to install software packages and update repositories.
• Stable Internet Connection: GIMP installation requires fetching packages from online repositories, so a reliable internet connection is vital.
• System Update: Keeping the system updated helps resolve dependency discrepancies and ensures access to the latest repositories. Use:

  sudo dnf update
  

• Basic Command-Line Knowledge: Familiarity with Linux commands in the terminal will help you follow the steps without confusion.

Step 1: Enable Required Repositories

CentOS Stream 10 often needs additional repositories for certain software packages. GIMP requires libraries and dependencies that might be distributed in Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL). Therefore, enabling and installing these repositories is crucial.

1. First, enable the required CentOS Stream 10 repository if needed:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled crb

2. Next, install the EPEL repositories:

sudo dnf install epel-release epel-next-release

3. Confirm that the updates and repositories are working:

dnf repolist

You should see EPEL repositories listed, indicating that the additional packages will now be accessible. These steps provide a broader package base to ensure a successful GIMP installation.

Step 2: Install GIMP Using the DNF Package Manager

The simplest and most direct way to install GIMP on CentOS Stream 10 is through the default DNF package manager. This method automates the installation of GIMP and its needed dependencies.

1. Update Packages: Although optional if done recently, it is good practice to run:

   sudo dnf update
   

   This keeps the system repositories synchronized.

2. Install GIMP: Simply run:

   sudo dnf install gimp
   

   This command downloads and installs GIMP along with any missing libraries.

3. Confirm Installation: Once the process completes, run:

   gimp --version
   

   You should see an output confirming GIMP’s version number.

If the installation stalls or fails, verify that your system is up to date and that the required repositories have been properly added. Some dependencies might be unavailable if repositories are not enabled.

Step 3: Alternative Installation Methods

For users who prefer more control or want newer versions, alternative approaches such as Flatpak or source code compilation are available. These methods can be especially helpful if the default repositories do not provide the latest GIMP version or if you require a custom build.

Using Flatpak

Flatpak is a universal package management solution offering sandboxed installations. This can help prevent dependency conflicts by including all necessary libraries within a single Flatpak package.

1. Install Flatpak: Run:

   sudo dnf install flatpak
   

2. Add the Flathub Repository: This is the most popular Flatpak registry. Enable it by typing:

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

3. Install GIMP: Once Flathub is enabled, install GIMP via:

   flatpak install flathub org.gimp.GIMP
   

4. Launch GIMP: After installation, you can either search for GIMP in your application menu or run:

   flatpak run org.gimp.GIMP
   

Flatpak ensures that your GIMP version remains autonomous from system-wide libraries, minimizing compatibility issues.

Compiling GIMP From Source

Compiling GIMP from source code is ideal for advanced users who wish to experiment with the bleeding-edge features, help with development, or customize GIMP’s build options. This approach can be more complex but provides the highest degree of flexibility.

1. Install Build Dependencies: Ensure that you have development tools, Meson or Autotools, and libraries GIMP depends on. For CentOS Stream 10, start by installing general build tools and libraries:

   sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools"
   sudo dnf install meson gcc gcc-c++ make gettext \
                    libtiff-devel libjpeg-devel libpng-devel \
                    gtk3-devel babeltrace-devel \
                    libxpm-devel

2. Download Source Code: Go to the official GIMP project repository or the GIMP Downloads page to obtain the latest stable or development source.
3. Extract and Navigate: Extract the downloaded tarball or clone the repository. Then, enter the source directory:

   tar -xf gimp-2.xx.x.tar.bz2
   cd gimp-2.xx.x
   

4. Configure the Build: If using the stable 2.10 branch with Autotools:

   ./autogen.sh --prefix=/usr/local
   

   or if Meson is required on newer branches:

   meson setup _build --prefix=/usr/local
   

5. Compile and Install GIMP: With Autotools, compile via:

   make
   sudo make install
   

   With Meson:

   cd _build
   ninja
   sudo ninja install
   

6. Verify Your Installation: Run:

   gimp --version
   

While more time-consuming, compiling from source grants you access to experimental branches and the ability to enable/disable specific features for a more personalized setup.

Step 4: Post-Installation Configuration

After successful GIMP installation on CentOS Stream 10, you can fine-tune settings and enhance performance. GIMP’s powerful feature set can be extended further with plugins, scripts, and custom brushes.

1. Launching GIMP: Find it in your application launcher under “Graphics” or run:

gimp

2. Setting Up Preferences: Navigate to Edit > Preferences within the GIMP interface. Here, you can:

• Adjust theme to Dark, Light, or System default.
• Optimize memory usage for large images under the System Resources tab.
• Configure default folders for brushes, gradients, or plugins to seamlessly integrate additional resources.

3. Expanding Functionality: Numerous third-party plugins are available to accomplish tasks such as batch file conversion, advanced filters, and photo retouching enhancements:

• Install them manually by placing plugin files in your ~/.config/GIMP/2.10/plug-ins directory or your version-appropriate folder.
• Restart GIMP to load newly added plugins.

Step 5: Verifying the Installation

Proper verification ensures that GIMP is fully functional and ready for your creative projects.

• Check GIMP Version: Type:

  gimp --version
  

  Confirm that it returns the expected version details.

• Open an Image: Launch GIMP and use File > Open to load an existing image. Experiment with basic editing tools; for instance, add text or apply a filter to verify GIMP’s stable performance.
• Review Console Output: If you start GIMP from the terminal, check the console for warnings or missing library notices.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Even with meticulous preparation, you may encounter issues when installing or using GIMP on CentOS Stream 10. Below are some common problems and their solutions:

Dependency Errors

If the installation halts, you might see messages about missing libraries. Try:

sudo dnf install --skip-broken

or install any mentioned libraries individually:

sudo dnf install libXpm-devel libjpeg-devel libpng-devel

Then rerun the GIMP installation process.

Repository Issues

When EPEL or other repositories are not correctly enabled, you can re-enable or reinstall them:

sudo dnf install epel-release epel-next-release

Confirm the presence of the repositories. If necessary, disable conflicting repositories or replace them with official mirrors.

Flatpak-Specific Problems

If Flatpak cannot install GIMP or updates fail, clear the cache and retry:

flatpak uninstall org.gimp.GIMP
flatpak uninstall --unused
flatpak install flathub org.gimp.GIMP

This sequence removes GIMP and leftover packages, then reinstalls everything cleanly.

User Permissions

If you encounter “permission denied” errors, ensure that you are a sudo-capable user. You can switch to the superuser role with:

sudo -i

and subsequently run your commands from that environment.

Uninstalling GIMP

Removing GIMP from CentOS Stream 10 is straightforward. You can revert to a clean system state if you no longer need the application or wish to reinstall it with a different method.

Uninstalling GIMP via DNF

sudo dnf remove gimp

DNF will remove GIMP and its related packages. You may also run:

sudo dnf autoremove

to remove stray dependencies no longer needed.

Uninstalling GIMP via Flatpak

flatpak uninstall org.gimp.GIMP

Flatpak’s uninstall process is universal, so the above command works on all Linux distributions that rely on Flatpak.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed GIMP. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing the GIMP image editor on the CentOS Stream 10 system. For additional or useful information, we recommend you check the official GIMP website.