How To Install Sublime Text on Linux Mint 22

Sublime Text is a powerful and versatile text editor that has gained immense popularity among developers and programmers. Known for its speed, flexibility, and extensive feature set, Sublime Text is an excellent choice for those working on Linux Mint 22. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the process of installing Sublime Text on your Linux Mint 22 system, exploring various methods and providing troubleshooting tips to ensure a smooth setup.

What is Sublime Text?

Sublime Text is a sophisticated text editor designed for code, markup, and prose. It offers a sleek interface combined with powerful editing capabilities, making it a favorite among developers across various platforms. Some key features that set Sublime Text apart include:

• Multiple selections for simultaneous editing
• Powerful package ecosystem for extending functionality
• Cross-platform compatibility (Linux, macOS, Windows)
• Highly customizable interface and settings
• Fast and responsive, even with large files
• Distraction-free writing mode

While Sublime Text is proprietary software, it offers an unlimited evaluation period, allowing users to try it out extensively before purchasing a license.

Prerequisites for Installation

Before we dive into the installation process, ensure that your Linux Mint 22 system meets the following requirements:

• A stable internet connection for downloading packages
• Administrative privileges (sudo access) on your system
• Terminal access
• Updated system packages (run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade before installation)

It’s also recommended to have at least 200MB of free disk space for the installation.

Installation Methods

There are several ways to install Sublime Text on Linux Mint 22. We’ll cover three primary methods: using the official APT repository, installing via Snap, and manual installation.

Method 1: Official APT Repository Installation

Installing Sublime Text through the official APT repository is the recommended method as it ensures you get the latest stable version directly from the developers.

Step 1: Add the GPG key

First, we need to add the Sublime Text GPG key to ensure the authenticity of the package. Open your terminal and run the following command:

wget -qO - https://download.sublimetext.com/sublimehq-pub.gpg | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/sublimehq-archive.gpg > /dev/null

Step 2: Add the Sublime Text repository

Next, we’ll add the official Sublime Text repository to our system. Run this command:

echo "deb https://download.sublimetext.com/ apt/stable/" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/sublime-text.list

Step 3: Update package information

Update the package information to include the new repository:

sudo apt update

Step 4: Install Sublime Text

Finally, install Sublime Text with the following command:

sudo apt install sublime-text

After the installation completes, you can launch Sublime Text from the application menu or by typing subl in the terminal.

Method 2: Snap Package Installation

Snap packages offer a universal installation method across different Linux distributions. While not officially maintained by Sublime Text developers, the Snap package is a convenient option for many users.

Step 1: Ensure Snap support is enabled

Linux Mint 22 comes with Snap support pre-installed, but if you’ve disabled it, you can re-enable it with:

sudo rm /etc/apt/preferences.d/nosnap.pref
sudo apt update
sudo apt install snapd

Step 2: Install Sublime Text via Snap

To install Sublime Text using Snap, run:

sudo snap install sublime-text --classic

The --classic flag is necessary because Sublime Text requires full system access.

Method 3: Manual Installation

For users who prefer more control over the installation process, manual installation is an option. This method involves downloading the package directly from the Sublime Text website and installing it manually.

Step 1: Download the package

Visit the Sublime Text download page and select the appropriate package for your system architecture (64-bit or 32-bit).

Step 2: Extract the archive

Once downloaded, extract the archive using the following command (replace VERSION and ARCHITECTURE with the appropriate values):

tar xjf sublime_text_VERSION_ARCHITECTURE.tar.bz2

Step 3: Move Sublime Text to /opt

Move the extracted folder to the /opt directory:

sudo mv sublime_text_VERSION /opt/sublime_text

Step 4: Create a symbolic link

Create a symbolic link to make Sublime Text accessible from the command line:

sudo ln -s /opt/sublime_text/sublime_text /usr/local/bin/subl

Step 5: Create a desktop entry

Create a desktop entry file to make Sublime Text appear in your application menu:

echo "[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Name=Sublime Text
GenericName=Text Editor
Comment=Sophisticated text editor for code, markup and prose
Exec=/opt/sublime_text/sublime_text %F
Terminal=false
MimeType=text/plain;
Icon=/opt/sublime_text/Icon/128x128/sublime-text.png
Categories=TextEditor;Development;
StartupNotify=true
Actions=Window;Document;

[Desktop Action Window]
Name=New Window
Exec=/opt/sublime_text/sublime_text -n

[Desktop Action Document]
Name=New File
Exec=/opt/sublime_text/sublime_text --command new_file" | sudo tee /usr/share/applications/sublime_text.desktop

Post-Installation Setup

After successfully installing Sublime Text, there are a few steps you can take to optimize your experience:

1. Install Package Control

Package Control is an essential tool for managing Sublime Text packages. To install it, open Sublime Text and press Ctrl+` to open the console. Then, paste the following Python code and press Enter:

import urllib.request,os,hashlib; h = '6f4c264a24d933ce70df5dedcf1dcaee' + 'ebe013ee18cced0ef93d5f746d80ef60'; pf = 'Package Control.sublime-package'; ipp = sublime.installed_packages_path(); urllib.request.install_opener( urllib.request.build_opener( urllib.request.ProxyHandler()) ); by = urllib.request.urlopen( 'http://packagecontrol.io/' + pf.replace(' ', '%20')).read(); dh = hashlib.sha256(by).hexdigest(); print('Error validating download (got %s instead of %s), please try manual install' % (dh, h)) if dh != h else open(os.path.join( ipp, pf), 'wb' ).write(by)

2. Configure User Settings

Customize Sublime Text to your liking by modifying the user settings. Go to “Preferences” > “Settings” and add your preferred settings to the right pane. For example:

{
    "font_size": 12,
    "theme": "Adaptive.sublime-theme",
    "color_scheme": "Packages/Color Scheme - Default/Monokai.sublime-color-scheme",
    "translate_tabs_to_spaces": true,
    "trim_trailing_white_space_on_save": true
}

3. Install Essential Packages

Use Package Control to install useful packages. Press Ctrl+Shift+P, type “Package Control: Install Package”, and search for packages like:

• Emmet (for HTML/CSS productivity)
• SublimeLinter (for code linting)
• GitGutter (for Git integration)
• A File Icon (for improved file icons)

Troubleshooting Common Issues

While installing Sublime Text on Linux Mint 22 is generally straightforward, you might encounter some issues. Here are solutions to common problems:

1. GPG Key Issues

If you encounter GPG key errors, try manually importing the key:

curl -fsSL https://download.sublimetext.com/sublimehq-pub.gpg | sudo apt-key add -

2. Repository Not Found

If the Sublime Text repository isn’t found, double-check that you’ve added it correctly to your sources list. You can manually edit the file:

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/sublime-text.list

Ensure it contains the correct repository URL.

3. Dependency Issues

If you encounter dependency problems, try running:

sudo apt --fix-broken install

This command will attempt to resolve any dependency conflicts.

4. Snap Installation Fails

If the Snap installation fails, ensure that snapd is properly installed and that your system is up to date:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install snapd

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Sublime Text. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing the Sublime Text on your Linux Mint 22 system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official Sublime Text website.