---
title: "Contribute to Application Development\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/community/docs/contribute/application-development?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

*Submit*

# Contribute to Application Development

As the developers’ choice of operating systems, Ubuntu provides numerous avenues for creating new software. Developers can pursue traditional debian package development, build universal and sandboxed Snap applications or even create Juju Charms for container orchestration.

### [Snaps Applications](https://ubuntu.com/community/docs/contribute/application-development?format=md#snaps-applications)

Snaps are application packages for desktop, cloud and IoT that are easy to install, secure, cross‐platform and dependency‐free. Snaps are discoverable and installable from the [Snap Store](https://snapcraft.io/), the app store for Linux with an audience of millions.

**Learn the art of snapcraft by [making your very first Snap](https://snapcraft.io/blog/how-to-make-your-first-snap).**

### [Debian Packages](https://ubuntu.com/community/docs/contribute/application-development?format=md#debian-packages)

The majority of source packages in Ubuntu are copied unmodified from Debian, therefore the best route for getting packages into Ubuntu is through Debian. Not only will this help ensure your application is available to Ubuntu users, but to those using Debian and the many Ubuntu flavors, remixes and derivatives.

**Follow the [Debian Packaging Tutorial](https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/packaging-tutorial/)  and learn the [Ubuntu New Package Process](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuDevelopment/NewPackages).**

**Discover the relationship between [Ubuntu and Debian](https://ubuntu.com/community/governance/debian)**

### [Juju Charms](https://ubuntu.com/community/docs/contribute/application-development?format=md#juju-charms)

Juju charms are deployment and service orchestration scripts that enable people to deploy services onto Ubuntu clouds on EC2, HP Cloud, and OpenStack (among others). Since Juju charms can be written in any language, it’s a good way for the devops experts to share deployment and management scripts with the community. Developers can share their charms on [Charmhub](https://charmhub.io/), a repository of ready-to-use charms.

**Get started by [writing your first Juju charm](https://juju.is/docs/sdk/build-and-deploy-minimal-machine-charm).**

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## [Application Development IRC Channels](https://ubuntu.com/community/docs/contribute/application-development?format=md#application-development-irc-channels)

[#ubuntu-app-devel IRC Channel](https://web.libera.chat/?nick=webchat?#ubuntu-app-devel)

## [Application Development Mailing Lists](https://ubuntu.com/community/docs/contribute/application-development?format=md#application-development-mailing-lists)

[Ubuntu App Development Mailing List](https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/Ubuntu-app-devel)

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This page was last modified 2 years ago. [Help improve this document in the forum](https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/contribute-to-application-development/33963).