--- title: Install Spekter on Ubuntu using the Snap Store | Snapcraft description: Get the latest version of Spekter for on Ubuntu - Instant file and folder comparison url: https://snapcraft.io/install/spekter/ubuntu --- [Canonical Snapcraft](https://snapcraft.io/) # Install Spekter on **Ubuntu** # Spekter [Hallvard Ystad (hallyhaa)](https://snapcraft.io/publisher/hallyhaa "View all snaps from Hallvard Ystad (hallyhaa)") * [Hallvard Ystad (hallyhaa)](https://snapcraft.io/publisher/hallyhaa "View all snaps from Hallvard Ystad (hallyhaa)") * [Development](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=development) * [Utilities](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=utilities) [Install](https://snapcraft.io/install/spekter/ubuntu#install) #### Instant file and folder comparison Visual GUI tool for recursive directory and file comparison. Side-by-side and unified diff views with synchronized scrolling, inline character-level highlighting, Meld-style Bezier gutter connectors and a tabbed interface. Binary files are detected and reported with sizes rather than rendered as garbled text. Detects when JSON or JSONL files differ only in element ordering, and applies hunk-slider postprocessing so an inserted object in a JSON array is marked as one whole object. Code and data files are syntax coloured, with grammars for a lot of languages built in and more available as plugins: a plugin is just a folder of Sublime Text grammar files, with no code to install. Colouring is instant. The diff view has a read-only caret with full keyboard navigation (arrow keys, word-hop with Ctrl, smart Home/End, Shift to extend the selection, Tab to move between panes, Ctrl+G to go to a line, F7 and Shift+F7 to jump between changes). A diff opens on its first change. Spekter watches the compared files on disk and shows a pulsing reload chip in the header when either side changes. A change-overview minimap on each pane marks where the diffs sit, and clicking it syncs the opposite pane. Large files stay responsive: a file's text appears instantly while its diff is computed on a background thread, computed diffs are cached, and the changed files are prefetched as you browse, so opening or revisiting them feels immediate even at a million lines. Ignored entries (.git, node\_modules, editor swap files and the like) are skipped but listed as dimmed stubs rather than silently erased, and the rules go both ways: expand an ignored directory or open an ignored file to compare it anyway, or right-click any entry to ignore it yourself. These choices are remembered per directory pair. An instant, keyboard-driven alternative to Meld and diff for comparing folders and code. ### Package name * spekter --- ### License * MIT --- ### Last updated * 16 October 2026 - latest/stable --- ### Websites * [gitlab.com/hallyhaa/spekter](https://gitlab.com/hallyhaa/spekter "https://gitlab.com/hallyhaa/spekter") --- ### Contact * [gitlab.com/hallyhaa/spekter/-/work\_items](https://gitlab.com/hallyhaa/spekter/-/work_items "https://gitlab.com/hallyhaa/spekter/-/work_items") --- ### Source code * [gitlab.com/hallyhaa/spekter](https://gitlab.com/hallyhaa/spekter "https://gitlab.com/hallyhaa/spekter") --- ### Report a bug * [gitlab.com/hallyhaa/spekter/-/work\_items](https://gitlab.com/hallyhaa/spekter/-/work_items "https://gitlab.com/hallyhaa/spekter/-/work_items") --- ##### Report a Snap Store violation * [Report this Snap](https://snapcraft.io/install/spekter/ubuntu#report-snap-modal) --- ## Enable snaps on Ubuntu and install Spekter Snaps are applications packaged with all their dependencies to run on all popular Linux distributions from a single build. They update automatically and roll back gracefully. Snaps are discoverable and installable from the [Snap Store](https://snapcraft.io/store), an app store with an audience of millions. ### Enable snapd If you’re running [Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus)](https://www.ubuntu.com/) or later, including [Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (Bionic Beaver)](https://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/features) and [Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FocalFossa/ReleaseNotes), you don’t need to do anything. Snap is already installed and ready to go. For versions of Ubuntu between [14.04 LTS (Trusty Tahr)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/TrustyTahr/ReleaseNotes) and [15.10 (Wily Werewolf)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WilyWerewolf/ReleaseNotes), as well as Ubuntu flavours that don’t include *snap* by default, *snap* can be installed from the Ubuntu Software Centre by searching for *snapd*. Alternatively, snapd can be installed from the command line: ``` sudo apt update sudo apt install snapd ``` Either log out and back in again, or restart your system, to ensure snap’s paths are updated correctly. ### Install Spekter To install Spekter, simply use the following command: ``` sudo snap install spekter ``` ### Other popular snaps… [See more...](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=featured) [See more in Featured](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=featured) ### More things to do… #### [Get the snap store](https://snapcraft.io/snap-store) Browse and find snaps from the convenience of your desktop using the snap store snap. #### [Learn more about snaps](https://snapcraft.io/docs) Interested to find out more about snaps? Want to publish your own application? Visit [snapcraft.io](https://snapcraft.io/) now. [Back to top](https://snapcraft.io/install/spekter/ubuntu) © 2026 Canonical Ltd. Ubuntu and Canonical are registered trademarks of Canonical Ltd. 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