DistroShelf It is a tool that is starting to gain popularity among Linux users who want to manage their containers in a convenient and visual way. Surely, if you have ever tried to manage distro box From the terminal, you thought it would be much simpler to do the same thing with just a few clicks. This is where DistroShelf comes in, a modern graphical client built to take full advantage of Linux container management and which also integrates seamlessly into GNOME desktops thanks to its use of GTK4 and libadwaita. In this article, we'll break down everything DistroShelf offers, how it works, its advantages, what possibilities it offers, and how to install it so that, by the time you finish reading, you'll be clear whether it can be your new daily tool for experimenting, working, or simply testing distributions and applications in a secure environment.
The importance of Linux containers has been growing in recent years. Tools like Docker or LXC are very popular, but distro box has managed to win over those who need to run any Linux distribution from the terminal, keeping the system clean and separate. The problem, of course, is that a command-line-only interface can discourage beginners or those looking to work faster. That's when visual solutions like DistroShelf make a difference, especially for those who need to test different environments, program versions, or distributions, without sacrificing the simplicity of just a couple of clicks.
What is DistroShelf and why is it gaining popularity?
DistroShelf is a graphical client specifically designed to manage Distrobox containers on LinuxThe main novelty is that it offers a modern, polished visual experience perfectly coupled with GNOME desktops, although it works in other environments thanks to its dependence on gtk4 y libadwaitaWith DistroShelf, the usual tasks you'd do with Distrobox from the console are just a click away, with the addition of visual notifications, tabs, shortcuts, customizations, and a much shorter learning curve.
This software is aimed at both developers and enthusiast users looking for an easy way to manage multiple Linux distributions in parallel, test applications in different environments, or simply explore and learn.
DistroShelf Key Features
The list of features it brings under its arm is not short. Among the highlights of DistroShelf, we find:
- Create and manage containers: You can start, delete, clone, or stop containers the same way you would from the terminal, but much more visually.
- View the status and details of each containerAt a glance, you have information about which containers are active, their name, distribution, resource consumption, etc.
- Installing packages: Thanks to its integration with each distro's packaging systems, you can easily add or remove programs from containers.
- Managing exported applications: It's possible to manage apps that you've made accessible outside of the container, ideal if you use graphical programs or servers.
- Open terminal sessions: Although we are in a graphical environment, launching a terminal in the container is just a click away, with support for various emulators.
- Updating containers: It makes the process of keeping your environments up to date much easier, both the container itself and the packages you have installed.
- Cloning and deleting containers: Duplicate configurations or delete environments you no longer need without complications.
As you can see, DistroShelf covers all the vital functions for navigating the container world in a comfortable and manageable way.
Compatibility and requirements for using DistroShelf
To work properly, DistroShelf needs to have Distrobox already installed and configuredDistrobox is the real "magic" under the hood: it creates and manages containers, while DistroShelf acts as the visual interface. Additionally, the system must have GTK 4 and libadwaita (standard libraries in GNOME and many current distributions), as well as a compatible terminal emulator.
The initial setup allows you to select your default device from the preferences box to suit your needs, so it's quite flexible.
Advantages of using Linux containers and why DistroShelf makes a difference
Using containers on Linux offers flexibility, security and portabilityThanks to them, you can test applications from other distributions, run older versions of packages, or maintain isolated environments for development without fear of breaking your main system. Instead of running a full virtual machine, containers leverage the host system but with clear boundaries, resulting in lower resource consumption, greater speed, and less hassle with network, device, or storage configurations.
Until now, managing these environments has often been a console-based task, reserved for those skilled in the terminal. Tools like DistroShelf democratize container access and management, making life easier for both novices and power users who want to save time and errors.
Available distributions and customization possibilities
One of the great attractions of DistroShelf is the wide selection of base images that makes available to you. With just a couple of clicks, it is possible create containers with:
- Oracle Linux
- Arch Linux
- Gentoo
- Kali Linux
- soul linux
- Alpine
- ClearLinux
- Debian (stable, testing, unstable)
- Ubuntu in several versions, from 14.04 to 24.04
- Deepin
- Linux Mint
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7 to 9
- Fedora (from 37 to 40)
- openSUSE
- and many more
By default, each container shares the directory HOME user, allowing you to easily access your files without leaving the main environment (which is very useful if you install graphical apps or need to transfer data). However, if you prefer to keep a container completely isolated, you can always customize the configuration to use a dedicated "home" directory for each instance or restrict access to specific devices.
In addition to predefined images, you have the option to create containers from your own local files or even from remote URLs, expanding your options for replicating custom environments or sharing them with other users.
Installing DistroShelf: Step-by-Step Guide to Getting It Ready
The DistroShelf installation process is straightforward, especially if you're already fairly comfortable with the Linux ecosystem. Here are the detailed instructions, based on official information and experiences gathered from other sites:
- Install Distrobox: the engine of the containers.
Open a terminal with Ctrl+Alt+T and run (if you are on Ubuntu; on other distros you have to use their package manager):
sudo apt install distrobox
If you prefer the latest version, you can go to the official Distrobox project page and install it following their instructions, either from the repository or via direct download.
- Install Flatpak (if your system doesn't have it yet):
On Ubuntu (and most derivatives), simply:
sudo apt install flatpak
On systems like Linux Mint from version 21+ onwards, Flatpak usually comes pre-configured.
- Install DistroShelf from Flathub:
With Flatpak ready, install DistroShelf using the following command:
flatpak install https://dl.flathub.org/repo/appstream/com.ranfdev.DistroShelf.flatpakref
During installation, you may be asked for permissions to add other packages or dependencies, such as GNOME libraries.
- Launch DistroShelf:
Once the installation is complete, you can find the icon in your application launcher or launch the program from the terminal with:
flatpak run com.ranfdev.DistroShelf
If you don't see the icon right away, try signing out and back in.
Configuration and first steps after installation
When you open DistroShelf for the first time, you'll be greeted by a modern, simple interface that blends seamlessly into your desktop, with clear menus and organized listings. The first thing you can do is explore preferences to select your favorite terminal (GNOME Terminal is usually preselected, but you can change it to Tilix, Konsole, etc.).
Creating a container is intuitive: you choose the base image, give it a name, and decide whether you want to use your current home image, a separate one, or even upload a custom image. Once created, you'll see the container in the main list and, from there, you can access management features, install apps, export graphical applications, and more.
Many users particularly appreciate the ease of quickly launching terminals in each environment, installing packages from the menu itself, and the speed with which you can try a completely different distribution without touching your base installation.
Managing, updating, and deleting containers
DistroShelf makes life much easier for those who manage multiple environments at once. You can update containers, clone missing ones for new tests, or simply delete them when they're no longer useful. All this without spending hours struggling with commands, syntax errors, or incomplete dependencies.
You can even associate custom launchers with each container, allowing you to access them almost as if they were completely independent applications, which is very useful for developers or users who frequently jump between distros.
Considerations for uninstallation and cleaning
If at any point you decide you no longer want to use DistroShelf, the uninstall process is very straightforward using Flatpak:
flatpak uninstall --delete-data com.ranfdev.DistroShelf
If you want to clean the system even more, you can use:
flatpak uninstall --unused
ImportantThis process doesn't delete active containers, just the program itself. If you want to delete the containers as well, use the following command from the terminal:
- To list containers:
distrobox list - To stop a specific container:
distrobox stop NOMBRE-o-ID - To delete a container:
distrobox rm NOMBRE-o-ID
If you want to remove Distrobox and clean absolutely everything, use:
sudo apt remove --autoremove distrobox
and delete the folder .local/share/containers to delete residual files.
License and contributions
DistroShelf is distributed under the GPL-3.0-or-later license, which means you can not only use it freely, but also modify it, contribute to the project, or distribute your derivative versions as long as you respect the license terms. Community contributions are welcome; if you're a developer and want to contribute, you can open issues or code proposals directly in its GitHub repository. This collaborative spirit ensures that the project evolves quickly and can adapt to the real needs of the Linux community.
Quick comparison with other alternatives and current context
The development of graphical tools to manage containers is not new, but DistroShelf stands out for its specific focus on Distrobox, while other interfaces tend to focus on Docker or LXC. DistroShelf's main advantages are its Visual integration, simplicity, active updating, and support for many base images.
In the current context, as seen in specialized forums and portals, the community is very receptive to this type of solution, especially because it makes the world of containers more accessible to less technical users, expands the potential for cross-distro testing, and fosters innovation without jeopardizing the core system.
This feature set makes DistroShelf a powerful option for those looking to simplify Linux container management, facilitating both exploration and productivity in different scenarios and with a much smoother learning curve than traditional solutions.