this post was submitted on 15 Oct 2025
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I often use pkgstats to check the popularity of Arch packages I use. Sometimes I notice a package is declining in popularity, and I’d like to find similar alternatives that are trending instead. Something like https://pkgstats.archlinux.de/fun

Are there any sites that categorize Linux software and show popularity within each category, so it’s easier to discover alternatives?

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[–] db2@lemmy.world 7 points 22 hours ago (5 children)

Using apps by popularity instead of on their actual usefulness is pretty wild.

[–] Hawke@lemmy.world 3 points 12 hours ago

The logic is that the most useful app will be the most popular by virtue of its utility.

Not always true but I’m sure there’s some correlation.

[–] leo85811nardo@lemmy.world 14 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (1 children)

Popular projects get more attention, more contributions and donations, and as a result are fast to add features, fix bugs and have a larger community to help each other. I would choose a program that's comparatively simple and stable than a program packed with features I really like, but full of bugs. I don't think it's unreasonable to consider popularity as a metric to choose apps

[–] Holytimes@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 hours ago

Don't forget if a previously popular application starts to become unpopular its typically for a good reason! So watching downward trends can also clue you into issues or problems you would not have other wise known.

People dislike change so it takes something decently serious to actually halt momentum.

[–] FauxLiving@lemmy.world 7 points 21 hours ago

It’s “what alternatives exist and how can I find them?”, not “I only install popular apps.

[–] emb@lemmy.world 3 points 19 hours ago

I mean, yes, but I don't think anyone is intending to do use packages only based one factor. Popularity is a reasonable heuristic for quality and long-term continued support. And my reading of OP is that they're trying to gauge the popularity to use it for that. I think it's also a decent enough measure for discovery, since usefulness (hopefully) should correlate with popularity and the latter is more measurable.

[–] redbear@lemmygrad.ml 1 points 22 hours ago

I usually use these lists to find new stuff. Especially tools on steam deck are way to find that way.