Google Antigravity is an agentic development platform that combines an AI-powered code editor with autonomous agents capable of planning, executing, and verifying complex development tasks. Built on VS Code’s foundation, Antigravity extends beyond traditional editing by introducing the Manager Surface, a dedicated interface where you spawn and orchestrate multiple agents that work asynchronously across your editor, terminal, and browser. Agents communicate progress through Artifacts, which are tangible deliverables like screenshots, task lists, and implementation plans that let you verify work at a glance rather than scrolling through logs.
This guide explains how to install Google Antigravity on Ubuntu using Google’s official APT repository. You will configure the repository, install the application, launch Antigravity, manage updates, and remove the installation when needed.
Install Google Antigravity via Official APT Repository
Update System Packages
Before installing Google Antigravity, update your system packages to avoid conflicts with outdated dependencies:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgradeThe first command synchronizes your package index with Ubuntu’s repositories, and the second upgrades any outdated packages on your system.
Install Required Dependencies
Install packages needed for repository management and secure GPG key downloads:
sudo apt install curl gpg -yThe curl utility fetches Google’s signing key, and gpg converts it to the binary format required by APT. For more download techniques, see our curl command guide.
Import Google Antigravity GPG Key
Download Google’s GPG signing key and convert it to binary format:
curl -fsSL https://us-central1-apt.pkg.dev/doc/repo-signing-key.gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/google-antigravity.gpgThis command downloads the ASCII-armored key, converts it to binary format using gpg --dearmor, and writes it to the system keyring directory. The -fsSL flags ensure curl fails silently on HTTP errors, shows no progress bar, and follows redirects.
Add Google Antigravity Repository
Create the repository configuration file using the modern DEB822 format:
echo "Types: deb
URIs: https://us-central1-apt.pkg.dev/projects/antigravity-auto-updater-dev/
Suites: antigravity-debian
Components: main
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/google-antigravity.gpg" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-antigravity.sources > /dev/nullThe DEB822 .sources format provides cleaner syntax and better maintainability compared to the legacy .list format. The Signed-By field links to the GPG key you imported, ensuring APT only accepts packages signed by Google.
The Google Antigravity repository uses a universal package format that works on all current Ubuntu releases, including LTS versions and interim releases. The commands shown in this guide work identically regardless of your specific Ubuntu version.
Install Google Antigravity
Refresh your package list to recognize the newly added repository:
sudo apt updateVerify that APT recognizes the Google repository by checking package availability:
apt-cache policy antigravityExpected output showing the Google repository as the package source:
antigravity:
Installed: (none)
Candidate: 1.14.2-1768287740
Version table:
1.14.2-1768287740 500
500 https://us-central1-apt.pkg.dev/projects/antigravity-auto-updater-dev antigravity-debian/main amd64 Packages
The version number and build timestamp confirm the repository is configured correctly. Install Google Antigravity:
sudo apt install antigravityAPT downloads and installs the application along with its dependencies. The package includes the main application binary, desktop integration files, and bundled runtime libraries.
Verify Installation
Confirm the installed version using APT’s package query:
dpkg-query -W -f='${Package} ${Version}\n' antigravityExpected output:
antigravity 1.14.2-1768287740
Verify the binary is accessible in your PATH:
which antigravityExpected output:
/usr/bin/antigravity
This symlink points to the main application at /usr/share/antigravity/bin/antigravity. The application is now ready to launch.
Launching Google Antigravity
Launch from Terminal
Start Google Antigravity from the terminal:
antigravityTo open a specific folder directly:
antigravity /path/to/your/projectThe command-line interface supports VS Code-style arguments including --new-window to force a new window and --reuse-window to open in an existing instance.
Launch from Applications Menu
Launch Google Antigravity using Ubuntu’s graphical interface:
- Click on Activities at the top left corner of the screen to open the overview.
- Select Show Applications, represented by a grid icon at the bottom of the dock.
- Type “Antigravity” in the search bar. The application icon appears as you type.
- Click on the icon to launch Google Antigravity.
Understanding Antigravity’s Interface
On first launch, Antigravity opens to the welcome screen where you can open a folder or create a new project. The platform provides two primary interfaces designed for different development workflows:
Editor View
The Editor View provides a familiar IDE experience with AI-powered enhancements. You get intelligent tab completions that understand your codebase context, inline commands for quick code transformations, and an integrated agent sidebar for conversational interactions. This view is ideal for hands-on coding where you want AI assistance without leaving the editing flow.
Manager Surface
The Manager Surface is Antigravity’s distinguishing feature, accessible from the application menu. Here you spawn autonomous agents that work independently across your editor, terminal, and browser. Each agent can handle multi-step tasks like implementing a feature, running tests, and verifying the results. Agents generate Artifacts (screenshots, task lists, and implementation summaries) that let you review progress without parsing logs. You can leave feedback directly on Artifacts for the agent to incorporate.
Antigravity supports multiple AI models, giving you flexibility to choose based on task complexity and your preferences. Model availability and specific options may change as Google updates the platform.
Updating Google Antigravity
Google Antigravity updates arrive through Ubuntu’s standard package management. To update along with other system packages:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgradeTo upgrade only Google Antigravity without affecting other packages:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade antigravityThe --only-upgrade flag ensures APT upgrades the package only if already installed, preventing accidental reinstallation if you previously removed it.
Remove Google Antigravity
Uninstall the Application
Remove Google Antigravity using APT:
sudo apt remove antigravityConfirm removal by typing y when prompted. Remove orphaned dependencies that were installed alongside Antigravity:
sudo apt autoremoveRemove Repository and GPG Key
Remove the repository configuration to stop APT from checking for updates:
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-antigravity.sourcesDelete the GPG signing key:
sudo rm /usr/share/keyrings/google-antigravity.gpgRefresh the package cache to confirm the repository is removed:
sudo apt updateVerify the package is no longer available from the Google repository:
apt-cache policy antigravityExpected output after repository removal:
N: Unable to locate package antigravity
This confirms the package is no longer available from any configured repository.
Remove User Data
The following command permanently deletes your Google Antigravity settings, extensions, keybindings, and cached data. To preserve your configuration for future reinstallation, back up the directory first:
cp -r ~/.antigravity ~/antigravity-backup
Remove the user data directory containing settings and extensions:
rm -rf ~/.antigravityThis directory stores your editor settings, installed extensions, workspace state, and cached files. Removing it returns Antigravity to a fresh state if you reinstall later.
Closing Thoughts
Google Antigravity brings an agent-first approach to software development, combining a VS Code-based editor with autonomous agents that can plan, execute, and verify tasks across your development environment. This guide covered installing Antigravity from Google’s official APT repository, which provides direct upstream packages and integrates with Ubuntu’s standard update workflow. For a complete development setup, consider installing Git for version control or Node.js for JavaScript development. You might also explore Visual Studio Code if you want to compare the base editor experience. To keep your system secure, configure unattended upgrades for automatic security patches.
Official Resources
- Google Antigravity Official Site: Download links and platform overview
- Google Developers Blog Announcement: Official launch announcement with detailed feature explanations
- Getting Started Documentation: Official setup guide and initial configuration
- Antigravity Blog: Latest news, updates, and feature announcements
- Antigravity Support: Official support resources and troubleshooting guides
- r/google_antigravity: Community discussions, tips, and user support