How to Install Fastfetch on Ubuntu: A Fast, Customizable System Information Tool

Fastfetch is a fast, highly customizable system information tool that prints a tidy overview of your machine — distribution, kernel, uptime, CPU, GPU, memory, package counts, shell, and more — beside a logo drawn in the terminal. It is the actively maintained spiritual successor to neofetch, the screenshot staple of Linux communities everywhere.

The difference is performance and configurability. Neofetch was a sizeable Bash script that could feel sluggish; Fastfetch is written in C, reads system data through efficient calls with caching, and starts almost instantly. That speed makes it perfectly reasonable to run on every new shell. Its modular design, driven by a JSON configuration, lets you pick exactly which pieces of information appear and how they are presented.

Ubuntu’s archive does carry Fastfetch on newer releases, but the packaged version can lag behind upstream, and older releases may not have it at all. The unofficial deb.griffo.io repository provides a consistently up-to-date .deb, so you can install Fastfetch with apt and keep it current through your usual system upgrades.

What Makes Fastfetch Special?

  • ⚡ C implementation — starts almost instantly, unlike the slower neofetch script
  • 🎨 JSON configuration — fine-grained control over modules, order, and styling
  • 🖼️ Flexible logos — built-in distro art plus custom ASCII, image, and Sixel rendering
  • 🧩 Modular output — turn individual information modules on, off, or reorder them
  • 🧊 Thorough detection — CPU, GPU, memory, disks, battery, display, and packages
  • 🖥️ Cross-platform — works on Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows
  • 📦 Package awareness — counts packages across many managers, including dpkg and snap
  • 🔧 Bundled presets — ready-made layouts you can load with --config

Why Use the deb.griffo.io Repository?

For Ubuntu users, the deb.griffo.io repository keeps Fastfetch fresh:

  • Easy installation and updates through APT, Ubuntu’s native package manager
  • Automatic dependency management handled by the packaging
  • Tracks upstream releases so you are not stuck on an older archive version
  • No source builds or manual binary downloads required
  • Works across supported Ubuntu releases from Jammy through the latest LTS and beyond

Prerequisites

Make sure you have:

  • An Ubuntu system (Jammy 22.04 LTS, Noble 24.04 LTS, or newer)
  • A user with sudo privileges
  • curl installed (sudo apt install curl if needed)

Step 1: Add the deb.griffo.io Repository

Add the key and repository:

# Create the keyrings directory
sudo install -d -m 0755 /etc/apt/keyrings

# Download and install the repository GPG key
curl -fsSL https://deb.griffo.io/EA0F721D231FDD3A0A17B9AC7808B4DD62C41256.asc | sudo gpg --dearmor --yes -o /etc/apt/keyrings/deb.griffo.io.gpg

# Add the repository (auto-detects your distro codename)
echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/deb.griffo.io.gpg] https://deb.griffo.io/apt $(lsb_release -sc 2>/dev/null) main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/deb.griffo.io.list > /dev/null

# Update the package list
sudo apt update

What each step does:

  1. install -d creates /etc/apt/keyrings with the correct permissions for the key
  2. curl … gpg --dearmor downloads the key and stores it in APT’s binary keyring format
  3. echo … tee adds the source line, letting lsb_release -sc fill in your Ubuntu codename
  4. apt update refreshes metadata so Fastfetch can be installed

Step 2: Update the Package List

If you did not run the last command above, run it now:

sudo apt update

Step 3: Install Fastfetch

Install Fastfetch through APT:

sudo apt install fastfetch

APT resolves dependencies and installs the fastfetch binary.

Step 4: Verify the Installation

Check the version:

fastfetch --version

Expected output:

fastfetch 2.21.3 (Linux x86_64)

Run it with no arguments to see your system summary next to the Ubuntu logo:

fastfetch

Getting Started with Fastfetch

Fastfetch looks good by default, but tailoring it is where the fun is. Here is how to customise it on Ubuntu.

Generate a Config First

The cleanest way to customise Fastfetch is to start from a generated config and edit it:

# Create a starter config
fastfetch --gen-config

# It is written to:
#   ~/.config/fastfetch/config.jsonc

A trimmed config.jsonc that selects a handful of modules looks like this:

{
  "$schema": "https://github.com/fastfetch-cli/fastfetch/raw/dev/doc/json_schema.json",
  "logo": { "type": "builtin", "source": "ubuntu" },
  "modules": [
    "title", "separator", "os", "kernel", "uptime", "packages",
    "shell", "de", "cpu", "gpu", "memory", "break", "colors"
  ]
}

Load a particular config file with --config:

fastfetch --config ~/.config/fastfetch/config.jsonc

Everyday Flags

A few flags are handy from the start:

# Print the default summary
fastfetch

# List every available module
fastfetch --list-modules

# Show all built-in logos
fastfetch --list-logos

# Emit structured JSON for scripting
fastfetch --format json

Override the detected logo, borrow another distro’s art, or supply your own:

# Use a named built-in logo
fastfetch --logo mint

# Render your own ASCII art
fastfetch --logo /path/to/logo.txt

# Show an image logo where the terminal supports it
fastfetch --logo-type kitty --logo /path/to/image.png

# Drop the logo altogether
fastfetch --logo none

Trying the Presets

Fastfetch bundles several ready-made layouts:

# List the bundled presets
fastfetch --list-presets

# Load one by path
fastfetch --config examples/8

Showing System Info on Every Shell

To greet yourself with system info when a terminal opens, add fastfetch to the end of ~/.bashrc, guarded so it only runs in interactive shells:

[ -t 1 ] && fastfetch

Fastfetch’s quick startup means this costs no perceptible delay.

Keeping Fastfetch Updated

As a managed package, Fastfetch updates with your routine maintenance:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Each upgrade installs the latest packaged release automatically.

Other Tools from deb.griffo.io

The repository packages many other tools worth having on Ubuntu:

  • eza — a modern, colourful replacement for ls
  • Starship — a fast, customizable shell prompt
  • Ghostty — a fast terminal emulator to present your setup
  • Zellij — a terminal workspace and multiplexer

Troubleshooting

Package Not Found

If APT cannot find the fastfetch package:

  1. Re-run sudo apt update to refresh the index
  2. Confirm your Ubuntu release is supported (Jammy, Noble, or newer)
  3. Check the source list: cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/deb.griffo.io.list

GPG or Key Errors

If APT reports a signature or key problem, re-import the key:

sudo install -d -m 0755 /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://deb.griffo.io/EA0F721D231FDD3A0A17B9AC7808B4DD62C41256.asc | sudo gpg --dearmor --yes -o /etc/apt/keyrings/deb.griffo.io.gpg
sudo apt update

An Older Fastfetch from the Ubuntu Archive

If fastfetch --version shows an older release than expected, the version in Ubuntu’s own archive may be taking precedence. Check where it resolves and which versions are available:

which fastfetch
apt-cache policy fastfetch

The apt-cache policy output lists candidate versions and their source; if you want the newer one, you can pin the deb.griffo.io version explicitly with sudo apt install fastfetch=<version>.

Uninstalling

To remove Fastfetch:

sudo apt remove fastfetch

To remove the repository as well:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/deb.griffo.io.list
sudo rm /etc/apt/keyrings/deb.griffo.io.gpg
sudo apt update

Your config at ~/.config/fastfetch stays until you delete it.

Conclusion

Fastfetch is a quick, modern, and genuinely customizable way to show off your system in the terminal. Its C core keeps it fast enough to run on every shell, and its JSON configuration lets you fine-tune every module. On Ubuntu, the deb.griffo.io repository makes installation a one-line apt install fastfetch and keeps it current with your regular apt upgrade.

Install it, run fastfetch, then generate a config and reshape the output until it reflects your setup. It is a small, satisfying detail that meets you at the start of every terminal session.

Resources

Disclaimer: The deb.griffo.io repository is an unofficial community project and is not affiliated with the official Debian or Ubuntu projects, or with the upstream Fastfetch project.