VS Code on Linux Mint: APT vs Flatpak — Which One Should You Install?

Visual Studio Code is available on Linux Mint through two different installation methods:

• Flatpak (via Mint’s Software Manager)
• Microsoft’s official APT repository

The one you should use is the APT version provided by Microsoft.

The APT Package Is the Official Microsoft Build

The APT package is the official build maintained directly by Microsoft, which means you get faster updates, the exact version Microsoft intends, and fewer compatibility issues compared to the community-maintained Flatpak version.

It is also lighter and faster because it doesn’t require the large runtimes that Flatpak needs, uses less disk space, starts quicker, and integrates better with Linux Mint and Cinnamon.

Flatpak Version Can Cause Issues

Because Flatpak apps run in a restricted environment, the VS Code Flatpak version may have trouble opening some folders, working with files outside its allowed area, and running certain tools or extensions that need full access to your system

You may also encounter issues when using the code command from the terminal, because Flatpak doesn’t always register it correctly.

With the APT version, the code command works out of the box.

How to Uninstall the Flatpak Version

If you installed VS Code using Flatpak, remove it with:

flatpak uninstall com.visualstudio.code --delete-data
flatpak uninstall --unused

This removes the app and any leftover runtimes that are no longer needed.

How to Install the Official APT Version

To install the latest official Visual Studio Code from Microsoft, follow the steps in this tutorial: How to Install Visual Studio Code on Linux Mint 22

This will set up the Microsoft APT repository and install the lightweight, official version of VS Code on Linux Mint.