Score:0

Is it possible to use software installed on first distribution in second distribution

mp flag

Suppose I have installed two distributions on my drive. In first distribution I install visual studio code then in second distribution how to use that software installed on first distribution. Is it possible? If it is possible then how it can be done? Please explain me and if any resource available online then share the link to learn more about it.

Raffa avatar
jp flag
Things are complicated … Packages after being installed branch to many places e.g. storage, logs, binaries, services, configs, libraries … etc. … It’s doable but (1) not for the faint hearted … and (2) not worth it even for the most experienced system admins … Just automate installs from a list and live your life :-)
guiverc avatar
cn flag
Please refer https://askubuntu.com/help/on-topic, Ubuntu and official *flavors* of Ubuntu (https://ubuntu.com/download/flavours) are on-topic on this site. The on-topic link provides alternate SE sites for non-Ubuntu OSes. *Neither Linux Mint nor Elementary are Ubuntu nor flavors of Ubuntu and thus off-topic*.
guiverc avatar
cn flag
Yes you can do it, however don't forget to consider the differences between the OSes. All Ubuntu and *flavors* of Ubuntu use the same repositories of software, where as Linux Mint uses an extra layer of software (*runtime adjustments*) + 3rd party packages, Elementary will use different 3rd party packages - so do you're homework & consider the full stack & be ready for consequences - but yes you can do it (*your homework will predict when you'll have issues & thus should it; it's more involved when not using systems CI tested (for same release) to work together like Ubuntu and flavors are*).
Score:2
cn flag

You can try it, but it probably won't work.

Each distro compiles packages against a specific set of versioned dependencies. Since distros have different workflows and release at different times, those versions are different.

Example:

Distro A             Distro B
foo 0.9.8            foo 0.9.8
bar 1.5.1            bar 2.0.0

Both distros include the same software packages, but different versions. foo is the same, and might work on both, but bar version is too different for interoperability.

In addition, distros sometimes make different choices about which dependencies might be optional or required, and which files are in each package, leading to non-interoperability.

Raffa avatar
jp flag
Although it might be a limited option given the new shifting towards snaps but [apt-clone](https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/jammy/man8/apt-clone.8.html) has an option `restore-new-distro` to try restore upgrading packages on the way … It will reinstall packages both-ways so not using already installed packages by any chance.
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