How to Install Neovim on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04 and 22.04

LazyVim, Mason, and newer Treesitter setups hit version walls fast on old Neovim builds. To install Neovim on Ubuntu without landing on the wrong package track, decide whether Ubuntu’s archive build is enough or whether you need the current upstream stable release.

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS ships Neovim 0.11.6, which satisfies plugin stacks that require Neovim 0.11.2 or newer. Ubuntu 24.04 LTS stays on 0.9.5 and Ubuntu 22.04 LTS stays on 0.6.1, while upstream stable, Snap, Flatpak, AppImage, tarball, and source installs are currently on Neovim 0.12.2.

Install Neovim on Ubuntu

Start with Ubuntu’s own package if you want the simplest install. The later sections cover newer stable builds and nightly packages when your plugins or workflow need more than the archive version.

Update Ubuntu before installing Neovim

Refresh Ubuntu’s APT package metadata first so the package manager sees the current Neovim candidate for your release:

sudo apt update

Hit:1 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute InRelease
Hit:2 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute-updates InRelease
Hit:3 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute-backports InRelease
Hit:4 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute-security InRelease
Reading package lists... Done

These commands use sudo for tasks that change system packages. If your account does not have sudo access yet, follow our guide on adding a user to sudoers on Ubuntu, then return here.

This refresh updates the package lists before you compare or install Neovim.

Install Neovim from the Ubuntu repository

Use the default Ubuntu package when you want the least maintenance, or when you are on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and Neovim 0.11.6 already meets your plugin requirements.

sudo apt install neovim

The neovim package lives in Ubuntu’s Universe component. Most desktop installs already have Universe enabled, but if APT cannot locate the package, enable the repository component first with the Ubuntu Universe and Multiverse repository guide. Only Universe is required for Neovim.

Verify the installed version after APT finishes:

nvim --version | head -n 1

NVIM v0.11.6

On Ubuntu 24.04, the same check returns NVIM v0.9.5, and on Ubuntu 22.04 it returns NVIM v0.6.1. The sudo apt install neovim command still installs the correct package on those releases, but it does not provide the current upstream 0.12.x line.

Use the unstable Neovim PPA only when you need a PPA package

The Neovim unstable PPA exists for Launchpad-managed development packages, but it is not the best current stable path. It currently publishes 0.12.0-dev packages for Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04, while upstream stable packages are already on Neovim 0.12.2.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:neovim-ppa/unstable -y
sudo apt update
apt-cache policy neovim | sed -n '1,8p'

Confirm that the PPA candidate is actually the build you want before installing it. On Ubuntu 26.04, the candidate check looked like this during validation:

neovim:
  Candidate: 0.12.0~ubuntu1+git202601110810-d62bbe24cb-793e58f65d-e9f8804254~ubuntu26.04.1
  Version table:
     0.12.0~ubuntu1+git202601110810-d62bbe24cb-793e58f65d-e9f8804254~ubuntu26.04.1 500
        500 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/neovim-ppa/unstable/ubuntu resolute/main amd64 Packages

sudo apt install neovim
nvim --version | head -n 1

NVIM v0.12.0-dev

The older stable PPA is not a good path on supported Ubuntu releases. It has no Ubuntu 26.04 resolute Release file, no newer neovim candidate for Ubuntu 24.04, and only upgrades Ubuntu 22.04 to 0.7.2.

Check the default Neovim version on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04

If you are trying to figure out what APT installs on Ubuntu 24.04 or 22.04, this is the part that matters. Ubuntu 26.04 is the only supported LTS release whose default archive already satisfies common 0.11.2 plugin requirements.

Ubuntu release	APT package version	Best for	When to switch methods
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS	0.11.6-1	Low-maintenance installs that only need Neovim 0.11.x	Switch if you want the current upstream 0.12.x stable release
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	0.9.5-6ubuntu2	Conservative setups that do not need newer APIs	Switch if LazyVim, Mason, Treesitter, or plugins require Neovim 0.11.2 or newer
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS	0.6.1-3	Legacy hosts where archive stability matters more than plugin support	Switch for modern LSP, Treesitter, and plugin compatibility

Compare Neovim installation methods on Ubuntu

This table keeps the choice simple. Pick the version track first, then use the method that matches how much maintenance you want later.

Method	Channel	Version track	Updates	Best for
Ubuntu repository	Ubuntu archive	Distribution default	With normal APT system updates	Ubuntu 26.04 or readers who want the simplest package-managed install
Snap	Snap stable	Current upstream stable release	Automatic background refreshes	Hands-off updates with classic Snap confinement
Flatpak	Flathub stable	Current upstream stable release	With flatpak update or your desktop software manager	Current stable Neovim on older Ubuntu LTS releases without a PPA
AppImage	GitHub releases	Current upstream stable release	Manual download	Portable installs that do not touch APT, Snap, or Flatpak sources
Tarball	GitHub releases	Current upstream stable release	Manual download	Readers who want a normal directory install under /opt with a standard nvim symlink
Unstable PPA	Launchpad unstable PPA	Development package, not current stable	With APT system updates	Only when you specifically want a PPA-managed development package
Source build	Git tags or commits you choose	Stable tag or chosen commit	Manual rebuilds	Contributors, patch testers, or anyone who needs exact build control

Recommendation: Use the Ubuntu repository on 26.04 if Neovim 0.11.6 is enough. Use Snap, Flatpak, AppImage, the tarball, or a source build when you want the current upstream stable release. Use the unstable PPA only when you deliberately want a PPA-managed development package and have checked the candidate first.

These methods cover Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS, and 22.04 LTS.

Flatpak, Snap, AppImage, tarball, and source builds stay available across all three releases, while the unstable PPA depends on Launchpad builds for each Ubuntu LTS series.

Install Latest Stable Neovim on Ubuntu with Snap

Snap is the easiest current-stable option if you want automatic updates and classic access to your normal home directory and system paths.

Standard Ubuntu installs already include Snap. If snap is missing on a customized system, install it with sudo apt install snapd before continuing.

sudo snap install nvim --classic

Check the installed Snap channel and version:

snap list nvim

Name  Version  Rev   Tracking       Publisher    Notes
nvim  v0.12.2  4764  latest/stable  neovim-snap  classic

The Snap Store lists the publisher as neovim-snap. It currently tracks upstream stable, but it remains a Snap package source rather than an Ubuntu archive package.

Install Latest Stable Neovim on Ubuntu with Flatpak

Flatpak gives you the current stable Neovim build across all supported Ubuntu LTS releases, but the first install is much larger because it pulls a runtime as well as the editor itself.

Flatpak is not pre-installed on Ubuntu. If you have not set it up yet, install it with sudo apt install flatpak and restart your session before continuing. For the full setup, including Flathub on Ubuntu, follow our Flatpak installation guide for Ubuntu.

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
flatpak remotes --system --columns=name,url

flathub  https://dl.flathub.org/repo/

Install the Neovim Flatpak from Flathub after the remote is available:

sudo flatpak install flathub io.neovim.nvim -y

Verify the installed Flatpak package and version:

flatpak info io.neovim.nvim | sed -n '1,8p'

Neovim - Vim-fork focused on extensibility and usability

          ID: io.neovim.nvim
         Ref: app/io.neovim.nvim/x86_64/stable
        Arch: x86_64
      Branch: stable
     Version: 0.12.2
     License: Apache-2.0

Use flatpak run io.neovim.nvim whenever you want to start the Flatpak build from a terminal.

Install Portable Neovim on Ubuntu with AppImage

The AppImage build is the cleanest no-root option. It runs the current stable Neovim release without touching APT, Snap, or Flatpak sources.

Most Ubuntu desktop installs already have curl, but minimal images and older custom VMs may not. If the command is missing, install it first with sudo apt install curl.

Install the AppImage FUSE compatibility library before you run the file. Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04 use the t64 package name:

sudo apt install libfuse2t64

On Ubuntu 22.04, use the older package name instead:

sudo apt install libfuse2

Both FUSE compatibility packages come from Ubuntu’s Universe component. If APT cannot find the package on a minimal system, enable Universe with the Ubuntu repository component guide, then rerun the matching install command.

Download the x86_64 AppImage into a user-owned applications directory:

mkdir -p ~/Applications
cd ~/Applications
curl -fL -o nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/latest/download/nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage
chmod u+x nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage
test -s nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage && echo "AppImage downloaded"

The -f flag fails on HTTP errors, -L follows GitHub redirects, and -o writes the asset to the filename shown. The chmod u+x command adds execute permission for your user only; our curl command guide and chmod command guide cover those flags in more detail.

AppImage downloaded

Check that the AppImage actually starts before you rely on it:

~/Applications/nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage --version | head -n 2

NVIM v0.12.2
Build type: Release

The commands above use the x86_64 AppImage. On ARM64 systems, download nvim-linux-arm64.appimage from the same Neovim releases page instead.

Run ~/Applications/nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage whenever you want to start this portable build, or add the shorter command below once you know the file works.

Create a Shorter nvim Command for the AppImage on Ubuntu

If you want the AppImage to behave more like a normal local install, add a user-owned symlink in ~/.local/bin first:

mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
ln -sf ~/Applications/nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage ~/.local/bin/nvim
readlink -f ~/.local/bin/nvim

/home/linuxcapable/Applications/nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage

That confirms the symlink itself is correct, but it does not guarantee your shell will use it first. Many Ubuntu desktop sessions include ~/.local/bin in PATH, while SSH sessions often do not, and any existing /snap/bin/nvim or /usr/local/bin/nvim can still win before it. If you want the AppImage to back the plain nvim command, use the troubleshooting section below to check path order and conflicting installs.

Install Latest Stable Neovim on Ubuntu from a Tarball

The tarball method sits between AppImage and a source build. You get the current upstream stable release laid out like a normal directory tree, without adding a new package source or compiling anything.

The commands below use the x86_64 tarball. On ARM64 systems, replace it with nvim-linux-arm64.tar.gz from the same Neovim releases page.

cd /tmp
curl -fL -o nvim-linux-x86_64.tar.gz https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/latest/download/nvim-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
test -s nvim-linux-x86_64.tar.gz && echo "Tarball downloaded"

Tarball downloaded

Replace the old extracted tree, extract the new archive under /opt, and refresh the system-wide symlink:

sudo rm -rf /opt/nvim-linux-x86_64
sudo tar -C /opt -xzf /tmp/nvim-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
sudo ln -sf /opt/nvim-linux-x86_64/bin/nvim /usr/local/bin/nvim

The final command creates a normal nvim entry in /usr/local/bin, so you do not need to edit your shell profile just to launch the tarball build.

nvim --version | head -n 2

NVIM v0.12.2
Build type: Release

If you would rather skip the symlink, launch the tarball build directly with /opt/nvim-linux-x86_64/bin/nvim.

Build Neovim from Source on Ubuntu

Build from source only when you actually need build-level control, want to test a branch directly, or plan to contribute patches. If you just want a current stable Neovim release, the tarball or AppImage is less work and less maintenance.

Install Neovim Build Dependencies on Ubuntu

Neovim uses a normal CMake and Ninja-based build. Install the required development packages first. If you need a refresher on the toolchain, our guides on installing CMake on Ubuntu and installing Git on Ubuntu cover those separately.

sudo apt install ninja-build gettext cmake unzip curl build-essential git -y

Clone and Build Neovim Stable on Ubuntu

Keep the source tree in ~/src/neovim so later rebuilds are obvious. Neovim exposes a stable tag that points at the current stable release, so this path builds stable code at the time you run it instead of the moving development tree.

mkdir -p ~/src
git clone https://github.com/neovim/neovim.git ~/src/neovim
cd ~/src/neovim
git checkout stable
make CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
sudo make install

The default install path is /usr/local, which means the binary lands in /usr/local/bin/nvim and the runtime files land under /usr/local/share/nvim.

nvim --version | head -n 4

NVIM v0.12.2
Build type: Release
LuaJIT 2.1.1774638290
Run "nvim -V1 -v" for more info

Create a Source Update Script for Neovim on Ubuntu

Source builds need an update path or they become a mess six months later. Save this script as ~/src/neovim/update-neovim.sh so you can fetch the latest stable tag and rebuild with one command.

cat <<'EOF' > ~/src/neovim/update-neovim.sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash
# Rebuild Neovim from the newest stable release tag only when a newer tag exists.

set -euo pipefail

NVIM_SRC="$HOME/src/neovim"
BUILD_TYPE="Release"

if [ ! -d "$NVIM_SRC/.git" ]; then
  echo "Neovim source tree not found at $NVIM_SRC"
  exit 1
fi

cd "$NVIM_SRC"

if ! git diff --quiet || ! git diff --cached --quiet; then
  echo "Source tree has local changes. Commit or stash them before updating."
  exit 1
fi

CURRENT_VERSION="$(nvim --version 2>/dev/null | awk 'NR==1 {print $2}')"
echo "Installed version: ${CURRENT_VERSION:-none}"
echo "Fetching latest tags..."
git fetch --tags origin

LATEST_TAG="$(git tag --list 'v[0-9]*' --sort=-version:refname | head -n 1)"
if [ -z "$LATEST_TAG" ]; then
  echo "No release tags found in $NVIM_SRC"
  exit 1
fi

if [ -n "${CURRENT_VERSION:-}" ] && [ "$CURRENT_VERSION" = "$LATEST_TAG" ]; then
  echo "Already up to date: $CURRENT_VERSION"
  exit 0
fi

echo "Checking out $LATEST_TAG..."
git checkout "$LATEST_TAG" >/dev/null 2>&1

echo "Building Neovim $LATEST_TAG..."
rm -rf build/
make CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="$BUILD_TYPE"

echo "Installing to /usr/local..."
sudo make install

echo "Done: $(nvim --version | head -n 1)"
EOF
chmod +x ~/src/neovim/update-neovim.sh

Run the script manually whenever you want to check for a newer stable build. This version assumes the default /usr/local install path from this guide. If you compiled Neovim to a custom prefix instead, keep using that same prefix during later rebuilds.

~/src/neovim/update-neovim.sh

Installed version: v0.12.2
Fetching latest tags...
Already up to date: v0.12.2

Launch Neovim on Ubuntu from Terminal or the App Menu

The launch command depends on how you installed Neovim. Repository, unstable PPA, Snap, tarball, and source installs all use the plain nvim command once the binary is in the normal path.

nvim

Flatpak uses its application ID, and a standalone AppImage uses the full file path unless you created the shorter symlink shown earlier:

flatpak run io.neovim.nvim
~/Applications/nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage

On Ubuntu desktops, APT, Snap, Flatpak, and the default source install all add a Neovim launcher to the app menu. The tarball ships a desktop file inside /opt/nvim-linux-x86_64/share/applications, but the commands in this guide do not register it automatically. A standalone AppImage does not create a launcher unless you add one yourself.

Update and Remove Neovim on Ubuntu

Use the update and removal path that matches the method you chose. Keeping the commands grouped by package source makes later cleanup much easier.

Update Neovim on Ubuntu with APT or the unstable PPA

APT can refresh just Neovim without dragging the rest of your package set through a full upgrade:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade neovim

Confirm the active Neovim version after the package upgrade. On Ubuntu 26.04, the archive package currently returns:

nvim --version | head -n 1

NVIM v0.11.6

If you installed from the unstable PPA, the same command still works. The only difference is that the version string will show the Launchpad development build, currently NVIM v0.12.0-dev, instead of the Ubuntu archive package.

Update Neovim installed with Snap

Snap refreshes in the background, but you can force a manual refresh whenever you want:

sudo snap refresh nvim
snap list nvim

Name  Version  Rev   Tracking       Publisher    Notes
nvim  v0.12.2  4764  latest/stable  neovim-snap  classic

Update Neovim installed with Flatpak

Flatpak updates the Neovim application separately from your Ubuntu packages:

sudo flatpak update io.neovim.nvim -y
flatpak info io.neovim.nvim | sed -n '1,8p'

Neovim - Vim-fork focused on extensibility and usability

          ID: io.neovim.nvim
         Ref: app/io.neovim.nvim/x86_64/stable
        Arch: x86_64
      Branch: stable
     Version: 0.12.2
     License: Apache-2.0

Update Neovim installed with AppImage

AppImage updates are manual. Replace the old file with the current stable build from GitHub releases:

cd ~/Applications
curl -fL -o nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/latest/download/nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage
chmod u+x nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage
~/Applications/nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage --version | head -n 1

NVIM v0.12.2

Update Neovim installed from a tarball

Tarball updates are manual, but the process is short: download the new archive, replace the old extracted tree, and keep the same symlink in place.

cd /tmp
curl -fL -o nvim-linux-x86_64.tar.gz https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/latest/download/nvim-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
sudo rm -rf /opt/nvim-linux-x86_64
sudo tar -C /opt -xzf nvim-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
nvim --version | head -n 1

NVIM v0.12.2

Update Neovim built from source

If you built Neovim from source, use the update script you saved in the source tree instead of retyping the full rebuild sequence every time.

~/src/neovim/update-neovim.sh

Installed version: v0.12.2
Fetching latest tags...
Already up to date: v0.12.2

Remove Neovim installed with APT or the unstable PPA

Remove the package first. If you added the unstable PPA, remove that source so APT falls back to Ubuntu’s own package listings.

sudo apt remove neovim
sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:neovim-ppa/unstable -y
sudo apt update

Confirm that the package is no longer installed, then check what candidate Neovim package remains after source cleanup. On Ubuntu 26.04, a clean archive candidate looks like this:

dpkg -l neovim 2>/dev/null | grep '^ii' || echo "neovim package not installed"
apt-cache policy neovim | sed -n '1,6p'

neovim package not installed
neovim:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 0.11.6-1
  Version table:
     0.11.6-1 500
        500 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute/universe amd64 Packages

If you previously tried the older stable PPA on Ubuntu 22.04, remove that source with sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:neovim-ppa/stable -y before the final sudo apt update. To clean unused dependencies afterward, preview sudo apt autoremove --dry-run first and remove only packages you are comfortable letting APT discard.

Remove Neovim installed with Snap, Flatpak, or AppImage

Use the matching command below for non-APT installs:

Snap

sudo snap remove --purge nvim
snap list nvim 2>/dev/null || echo "nvim snap not installed"

Flatpak

sudo flatpak remove io.neovim.nvim -y
sudo flatpak remove --unused -y
flatpak info io.neovim.nvim 2>/dev/null || echo "io.neovim.nvim not installed"

The --unused cleanup removes runtimes that no installed Flatpak application still needs.

AppImage

rm -f ~/Applications/nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage
rm -f ~/.local/bin/nvim

The second path exists only if you created the shorter AppImage command earlier.

Remove Neovim installed from a tarball

If you used the tarball path from this guide, confirm that /usr/local/bin/nvim points to the tarball tree before you remove it.

readlink -f /usr/local/bin/nvim

/opt/nvim-linux-x86_64/bin/nvim

If readlink shows some other location, stop there. That means /usr/local/bin/nvim belongs to a different install method.

sudo rm -rf /opt/nvim-linux-x86_64
sudo rm -f /usr/local/bin/nvim

Remove Neovim built from source

Default source installs from this guide land under /usr/local. Remove the installed binary and runtime tree, then delete the source directory if you no longer need it.

sudo rm -f /usr/local/bin/nvim
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/share/nvim
sudo rm -f /usr/local/share/man/man1/nvim.1
sudo rm -f /usr/local/share/applications/nvim.desktop
sudo rm -f /usr/local/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/nvim.png
rm -rf ~/src/neovim

If you compiled Neovim to a custom prefix such as $HOME/neovim, remove that directory instead of the /usr/local paths. The extra desktop and icon files above matter only for the default sudo make install path used in this guide.

Remove Neovim user configuration files

Package removal does not touch your personal Neovim configuration, plugin data, state history, cache, or Flatpak sandbox data.

The following commands permanently delete your Neovim settings, plugins, state history, and Flatpak sandbox data. Back them up first if you plan to reuse the same configuration later, for example with cp -r ~/.config/nvim ~/nvim-config-backup.

rm -rf ~/.config/nvim
rm -rf ~/.local/share/nvim
rm -rf ~/.local/state/nvim
rm -rf ~/.cache/nvim
rm -rf ~/.var/app/io.neovim.nvim

The first four paths are Neovim’s normal XDG configuration, data, state, and cache directories. The ~/.var/app/io.neovim.nvim directory matters only if you used the Flatpak package.

Troubleshoot Common Neovim Issues on Ubuntu

Stable Neovim PPA does not upgrade Neovim on Ubuntu

If the stable PPA still leaves you on Ubuntu’s own Neovim package, it is not providing a newer candidate for your release. On Ubuntu 24.04, the candidate check stays on the archive package:

apt-cache policy neovim | sed -n '1,8p'

neovim:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 0.9.5-6ubuntu2
  Version table:
     0.9.5-6ubuntu2 500
        500 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/universe amd64 Packages

That is expected on Ubuntu 24.04, and Ubuntu 26.04 fails even earlier because the stable PPA does not publish a resolute Release file. Ubuntu 22.04 can receive a newer stable-PPA package than its archive build, but that package is still far behind the current upstream stable release.

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:neovim-ppa/stable -y
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:neovim-ppa/unstable -y
sudo apt update
sudo apt install neovim
nvim --version | head -n 1

NVIM v0.12.0-dev

Use the unstable PPA only when you want an APT-managed development package. For the current stable release, use Snap, Flatpak, AppImage, the upstream tarball, or a source build from the stable tag instead.

AppImage fails with a FUSE library error

If the AppImage will not start and complains about libfuse.so.2, install the compatibility package for your Ubuntu release and test the AppImage again.

dlopen(): error loading libfuse.so.2
AppImages require FUSE to run.

Ubuntu 22.04 uses the older package name:

sudo apt install libfuse2

Ubuntu 24.04 and 26.04 use the t64 transition package instead:

sudo apt install libfuse2t64

Verify the AppImage again after installing the package:

~/Applications/nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage --version | head -n 1

NVIM v0.12.2

nvim still points to another install or is not found after a manual install

If nvim is missing after an AppImage, tarball, or source install, or it still opens the wrong build, do not guess. First check which path your shell is actually using.

command -v nvim
readlink -f ~/.local/bin/nvim 2>/dev/null
readlink -f /usr/local/bin/nvim 2>/dev/null
printf '%s\n' "$PATH" | tr ':' '\n' | sed -n '1,8p'

/snap/bin/nvim

If command -v nvim returns /snap/bin/nvim or /usr/bin/nvim, another install already owns the nvim name. If it returns nothing, your shell is not seeing the shortcut yet.

mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
ln -sf ~/Applications/nvim-linux-x86_64.appimage ~/.local/bin/nvim
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
command -v nvim

/home/linuxcapable/.local/bin/nvim

That fixes the AppImage path for the current shell session. Tarball and default source installs usually return /usr/local/bin/nvim instead, so recreate that symlink only for the tarball method:

sudo ln -sf /opt/nvim-linux-x86_64/bin/nvim /usr/local/bin/nvim
command -v nvim

/usr/local/bin/nvim

If Snap is still installed and you want the AppImage or tarball to be the default nvim, either remove the Snap package or make sure your preferred path comes first. Source builds installed with sudo make install already land in /usr/local/bin. If you used a custom prefix instead, launch that binary directly or add its bin directory to your PATH.

Conclusion

Neovim is available on Ubuntu from the source that matches your version needs: Ubuntu’s archive for low-maintenance installs, Snap, Flatpak, AppImage, tarball, or source for the current upstream stable release, and the unstable PPA only for a PPA-managed development package. For a broader terminal setup, pair it with Git on Ubuntu and Flatpak on Ubuntu when those methods fit your workflow.