Linux mint install

[pawelnrg]

I feel lost with the installation, there are other commands given on GitHub and on electrum.org and other sites. As a non-experienced Linux user, I would like to know which is the correct way. Somehow this installation does not work for me. For example, I copied nord vpn and many others to a terminal and there was no problem. (the error note look like "error: externally-managed-environment.....")

[nc50lc]

I feel lost with the installation, there are other commands given on GitHub and on electrum.org and other sites.

Those commands in Electrum's GitHub repository's "readme" is for multiple options so the commands given aren't all required,
You'll have to read the instructions too see what the following command is for, there are optional and alternative ways to run Electrum.
That's if you're talking about these instructions: https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum?tab=readme-ov-file#getting-started

On the other hand, the commands in the website's download page is more streamlined from dependencies, verification and/or installation.
But it's basically the same from "running from tar.gz" part with GUI capability, for example: the "Install dependencies" part includes the two dependencies from the instructions above plus pyqt5.
These instructions: electrum.org/#download

I'd recommend the one in the website first and read the terminal for errors in the first and second steps since it will not work if there's any error during installation of the dependencies and download of the package.
If there's error in the first part and you can't figure out which dependency caused the error, try to install those one at time.
e.g.: sudo apt-get install python3-pyqt5
Then replace "python3-pyqt5" with "libsecp256k1-dev" next then "python3-cryptography" third.
See which of the three commands will cause an error.

[ABCbits]

Since you're non-experienced Linux user, how about download and run Electrum AppImage? It's much simpler than installing from Electrum source code.

But if you really insist to install Electrum from source code, i believe this method is easiest one.

This is why you should use Electrum in a .venv, or at least make sure you're not installing other package that conflict with Electrum's dependencies. You can prevent a lot of other weird errors from happening that way.

IMO pipx is better choice since OP wants to run program, rather than software development.

You can globally install an application by running

Code:

pipx install PACKAGE

This automatically creates a virtual environment, installs the package, and adds the package's associated applications (entry points) to a location on your PATH. For example, pipx install pycowsay makes the pycowsay command available globally, but sandboxes the pycowsay package in its own virtual environment. pipx never needs to run as sudo to do this.

For OP's usage, this command should work (tested on my Debian 12 VM).

Code:

$ sudo apt install pipx
$ pipx ensurepath
$ pipx install git+https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum.git@4.5.8
$ which electrum
/home/user/.local/bin/electrum

[pawelnrg]

I download Electrum AppImage but it do nothing.
I do not insist. I just like to use it 

from electrum.org
python dependency and python installed OK.
All work up to last line.

x@x-xxx:~$ python3 -m pip install --user Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz
error: externally-managed-environment

× This environment is externally managed
╰─> To install Python packages system-wide, try apt install
    python3-xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
    install.
    
    If you wish to install a non-Debian-packaged Python package,
    create a virtual environment using python3 -m venv path/to/venv.
    Then use path/to/venv/bin/python and path/to/venv/bin/pip. Make
    sure you have python3-full installed.
    
    If you wish to install a non-Debian packaged Python application,
    it may be easiest to use pipx install xyz, which will manage a
    virtual environment for you. Make sure you have pipx installed.
    
    See /usr/share/doc/python3.12/README.venv for more information.

note: If you believe this is a mistake, please contact your Python installation or OS distribution provider. You can override this, at the risk of breaking your Python installation or OS, by passing --break-system-packages.
hint: See PEP 668 for the detailed specification.

[dkbit98]

I download Electrum AppImage but it do nothing.
I do not insist. I just like to use it  

Can you please explain this? And what type of Linux Mint you are using, default Ubuntu based or Debian based?
You don't need to install anything additional with .appimage files, just click on them, they are similar to portable files in wind0ws OS.
Another option is to check in Linux Mint package manager and search if Electrum wallet is listed there.

I also found few years old topic with Electrum wallet issues on Linux Mint forum:
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=346330

[nc50lc]

I download Electrum AppImage but it do nothing.
I do not insist. I just like to use it  

It has to be set as executable before it can be launched like an app.
Tutorial: docs.appimage.org/introduction/quickstart.html

x@x-xxx:~$ python3 -m pip install --user Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz
error: externally-managed-environment

× This environment is externally managed
╰─> To install Python packages system-wide, try apt install
    python3-xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
    install.

Hmm, it's thinking that you're installing a python package and not the downloaded "Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz" file.
I can't reproduce it in Ubuntu 22.04.3 though, I don't use Linux Mint.

Anyways, you can still use Electrum without installing it. Just follow the "Run without installing:" part in the instructions;
The first command extracts the tar.gz file,
The second command is for launching Electrum. (use every time you need to start Electrum)
The inconvenience of not installing it is you can't start it with a simple command "electrum".

[ABCbits]

I download Electrum AppImage but it do nothing.
I do not insist. I just like to use it 

Have you give permission to execute the AppImage?

Code:

chmod +x electrum-4.5.8-x86_64.AppImage

Have you tried running AppImage from terminal to see whether there's any warning or error message?

Code:

./electrum-4.5.8-x86_64.AppImage

[pawelnrg]

I download Electrum AppImage but it do nothing.
I do not insist. I just like to use it 

Can you please explain this? And what type of Linux Mint you are using, default Ubuntu based or Debian based?
You don't need to install anything additional with .appimage files, just click on them, they are similar to portable files in wind0ws OS.
Another option is to check in Linux Mint package manager and search if Electrum wallet is listed there.

I also found few years old topic with Electrum wallet issues on Linux Mint forum:
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=346330

1 Hi Is to reply to ABCbits.
2 XFCE Linux Mint 22.1 'Xia' standard  installed fresh from USB.
3. I click and it do nothing.
4. package manager giving my "Electrum-GRS" https://www.groestlcoin.org/groestlcoin-electrum-wallet/ - not trust for my, as i like to install normal Electrum .
5.  problem is not same  as i can veryficy signature.  23 10 2024, 08:13:40 BST RSA 637DB1E23370F84AFF88CCE03152347D07DA627C

I download Electrum AppImage but it do nothing.
I do not insist. I just like to use it 

It has to be set as executable before it can be launched like an app.
Tutorial: docs.appimage.org/introduction/quickstart.html

x@x-xxx:~$ python3 -m pip install --user Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz
error: externally-managed-environment

× This environment is externally managed
╰─> To install Python packages system-wide, try apt install
    python3-xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
    install.

Hmm, it's thinking that you're installing a python package and not the downloaded "Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz" file.
I can't reproduce it in Ubuntu 22.04.3 though, I don't use Linux Mint.

Anyways, you can still use Electrum without installing it. Just follow the "Run without installing:" part in the instructions;
The first command extracts the tar.gz file,
The second command is for launching Electrum. (use every time you need to start Electrum)
The inconvenience of not installing it is you can't start it with a simple command "electrum".

1. OK is useful. but is not in manual on electrum.org
2. 3. 4.  I see file Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz in my computer.  Yes is unpacking,  and work. mean must be downloaded.

I download Electrum AppImage but it do nothing.
I do not insist. I just like to use it 

Have you give permission to execute the AppImage?

Code:

chmod +x electrum-4.5.8-x86_64.AppImage

Have you tried running AppImage from terminal to see whether there's any warning or error message?

Code:

./electrum-4.5.8-x86_64.AppImage

Yes is warning something  like:  " Running programs from unknown source is potentiality danger.... "

The world would be a beautiful place if instructions always worked for everyone. You accepted straight away that I knew absolutely nothing and that I wanted to make no sense. I don't know many things, I know something. I want to learn more about Linux, so I go to the distrowatch I'm familiar with the Desktop interface like Cinnamon, MATE, XFCE and I like the last one the most, I installed something else but I didn't like it very much so I just deleted it.  So I'm looking for the most popular recommended distribution with XFCE.... By the way I tried Parrot, Xubuntu, ubuntu, Mint....   I'm not in it 24/7. But since windows is going in a direction I don't understand (I want a photo program, I install it and it should work. And not, like windows, having to manually change the file associations which will change to default after an update anyway) I'm looking for something to use on a daily basis which I can recommend to my family and friends.


[moderator's note: consecutive posts merged]

[nc50lc]

-snip-

1. OK is useful. but is not in manual on electrum.org
2. 3. 4.  I see file Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz in my computer.  Yes is unpacking,  and work. mean must be downloaded.

For the AppImage having no instructions, that's because its not specific to Electrum but applicable to any AppImage binaries.
And since directly running the extracted tar.gz works, you can use it for now until the issue with your OS is sorted out.
You can easily restore the wallet from seed in case you'll have to create a virtual environment to properly install it as instructed in the link below.

For a possible solution, read this thread from Linux Mint forum: forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?p=2505685
But I'd recommend to just launch it without installing if installation doesn't work without a workaround solution.

[pawelnrg]

In app shop linux mint as Electrum is only Electrum-GRS (org.groestlcoin.electrum-grs) is Your Electrum org or is scam?

[bittraffic]

In app shop linux mint as Electrum is only Electrum-GRS (org.groestlcoin.electrum-grs) is Your Electrum org or is scam?

Is it?  I have not tried that.

It seem reasonable to just use that Software manager Electrum-GRS. I think its real, they wouldn't be adding it to their list if its a scam.  I just searched in on the app shop too but I think I can rely to it and will download add the dependencies you need for this electrum to run.

Found their info here https://flathub.org/apps/org.groestlcoin.electrum-grs

[Forsyth Jones]

In app shop linux mint as Electrum is only Electrum-GRS (org.groestlcoin.electrum-grs) is Your Electrum org or is scam?

Is it?  I have not tried that.

It seem reasonable to just use that Software manager Electrum-GRS. I think its real, they wouldn't be adding it to their list if its a scam.  I just searched in on the app shop too but I think I can rely to it and will download add the dependencies you need for this electrum to run.

Found their info here https://flathub.org/apps/org.groestlcoin.electrum-grs

This is not the official Electrum, and it isn't the Electrum version for Bitcoin, but rather for a coin called Groestlcoin.

Also, for Bitcoin wallets, I recommend downloading software wallets like Electrum only from its official website and verifying the gpg signatures. If you don't know what that is, check out the guide below:

[GUIDE] How to Safely Download and Verify Electrum [Guide]

Additionally, installing wallet software directly from the Linux app store can be risky. This has already happened in the Snap Store.

[nc50lc]

In app shop linux mint as Electrum is only Electrum-GRS (org.groestlcoin.electrum-grs) is Your Electrum org or is scam?

That's a fork of Electrum but instead for Bitcoin, it for an Altcoin "Groestlcoin".

It's not created by the original Electrum developers since they are only working on the official Bitcoin version: "Electrum" (anything extra in the name isn't for Bitcoin)
But it's not necessarily a scam, it's designed for that particular Altcoin but it wont work if your use-case is to send and receive bitcoins.

[ABCbits]

--snip--

Yes is warning something  like:  " Running programs from unknown source is potentiality danger.... "
--snip--

I use different Linux distro, so i'm not familiar with that warning. But is there option to run the AppImage while ignoring the warning?