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Install Arduino on Ubuntu Linux

Table of Contents

Ubuntu 10.10 (Maverick) and newer

An arduino package is available in the "universe" repository of Ubuntu. Use the "Ubuntu Software Center" (or your favorite package manager, i.e. synaptic or apt-get) to install the package "arduino." Available on all architectures. For more information see the Debian entry in Playground. IMPORTANT NOTE: The "Arduino IDE" package in the Ubuntu 10.10 (Maverick) repository is version 18 and does not support the latest Arduino UNO, see below.

If you own an Uno or Mega 2560 and use Ubuntu 10.10

the Ubuntu repositories are a long way behind, so the default package in Maverick does not support those boards. Version 0018 of the IDE is from January 2010, the Uno and Mega2560 were released in September/October 2010.

To install, you have to enable the maverick-backports repository in the "Ubuntu Software Center" settings or do the following:

  1. Download the .debs for arduino, arduino-core, and librxtx-java into a clean directory from
    http://packages.ubuntu.com/maverick-backports/librxtx-java
    http://packages.ubuntu.com/maverick-backports/arduino-core
    http://packages.ubuntu.com/maverick-backports/arduino
    (go down to the part that says "Download {package-name}" and choose your architecture or "all")
  2. cd to the directory you downloaded the .debs into and
  3. sudo dpkg -i *.deb
  4. you can delete the download directory if you'd like when you're done

Alternatively, you can use:

Easy walkthrough with lots of screen shots of the official IDE from the main Arduino site. If you have a Uno or Mega 2560 go here first. The repository version 0018 does not work with these later boards. This is for 32 & 64 bit Ubuntu 10.10 but should work will all versions after 9.04,ideal you're new to Ubuntu."Complete Numpties Guide to Arduino on Ubuntu"

All Ubuntu versions (old and new) can get the newest packages from Debian Sid

You can always install the newest version of Arduino from Debian unstable. Just download the .debs for arduino, arduino-core, and librxtx-java and double click on them or:

  1. Download arduino and arduino-core .debs into a clean directory from:
    http://packages.debian.org/sid/arduino-core
    http://packages.debian.org/sid/arduino
    (Uno/Mega2560 owners also need http://packages.debian.org/sid/librxtx-java)
  2. cd to your download directory and sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Ubuntu (without 'arduino' package)

Tested with Ubuntu 10.04 LTS and Ubuntu 10.10, but should work with older releases.

  • download and install the latest release
  • install the compiler (gcc-avr) and the libraries (avr-libc) packages: sudo apt-get install gcc-avr avr-libc
  • if you use the USB port to dialog, you should add yourself to the group 'dialout' in order to have write permissions on that port: sudo usermod -aG dialout <myuser>

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