How To Install Appimage In Ubuntu

Have yous encountered dependency hell while installing software on Linux? Installing dependencies oftentimes requires root permissions, which not everyone has. If but there's a way to install software without worrying about missing or broken dependencies. Yeah, at that place is! It'southward called AppImage Ubuntu.

You lot're in luck because you will learn virtually AppImage on Ubuntu in this tutorial and how this application format enables you to run Linux apps from anywhere. You volition larn how to find, install, run and remove AppImage packages on Ubuntu, which as well applies to other Linux distros.

Prerequisites

To follow along with the demos in this guide, be certain to have a computer running on a Linux operating organization. The examples in this tutorial volition be using an Ubuntu 20.04 LTS figurer, but experience free to employ other distros, like Fedora, Debian, or openSUSE.

What is AppImage?

AppImage is an open-source, universal software bundle format that developers apply to parcel and ship software that already includes the requirements for the software to run. By packaging with the AppImage Ubuntu format, authors and developers can provide Linux users with the software with just ane file.

Call up of an AppImage package equally the Linux counterpart of a portable app in Windows. Yous can run AppImages across almost Linux distributions (if not all) without installing other dependencies. All yous demand is the base operating system, and AppImage Ubuntu brings with it the residuum.

While using AppImage on Ubuntu is convenient, downloading and running malicious AppImage apps can exist a real security hazard. A malicious actor might change the packet, repackage it, and a root user may so inadvertently run it and unknowingly cause damage.

Using AppImage Ubuntu

With simply a few steps, you can get started using AppImage on Ubuntu. Y'all'll only need to:

Download your needed AppImage Ubuntu file.
Make the file executable.
Run the AppImage Ubuntu software.

How does that sound? Nothing y'all tin't handle.

Downloading an AppImage Parcel

Where to find AppImage apps? Primarily, you can notice them at the AppImageHub site. And according to that site, there is one,026 software available in AppImage format to appointment.

Other online app stores, like Pling, hosts AppImage Ubuntu files, besides.

To demonstrate, follow the steps beneath to download Atom – a popular, free, cantankerous-platform text editor.

1. Open your favorite spider web browser and navigate to the AppImageHub catalog at https://world wide web.appimagehub.com/browse.

two. On the search box at the superlative of the page, blazon in Cantlet and press Enter. One time the search returns the results, click the particular like to the image you see beneath.

Finding the AppImage package — Finding the AppImage Ubuntu bundle

3. On the download page, click the Download push button and click the AppImage file to download.

Downloading the AppImage file — Downloading the AppImage Ubuntu file

4. Click Salvage File to confirm downloading and wait for the download to complete on the download prompt.

Making the AppImage File Executable and Running the Software (GUI)

The AppImage file you downloaded is not automatically an executable. As a requirement, before you run AppImages, you need to make the file executable start. Don't worry; you lot don't need root permissions to make a file executable and run it.

To make the file executable, follow the steps below.

1. First, open your file explorer on your computer and locate the AppImage file you downloaded. In Ubuntu, the default download location is the Downloads folder under your profile.

2. Adjacent, right-click on the AppImage Ubuntu file and click Properties.

Opening the AppImage file properties — Opening the AppImage Ubunttu file backdrop

3. On the Backdrop window, click the Permissions tab, check the Allow executing file equally program box, and click the exit (Ten) button to close.

4. Finally, double-click on the AppImage file to run the app.

If you lot prefer the command line instead of the GUI to brand a file executable, open the concluding and run the command beneath. The chmod control is the command to change a file's way in Linux. The command beneath assumes that the AppImage file is in the ~/Downloads folder.

            chmod a+10 ~/Downloads/Cantlet-0-Build7.ii.glibc2.17-x86_64.AppImage

Since AppImage packages are not like the conventional software installed on Linux, the typical update process may not employ. If at that place's a new version of the software, you'll need to await for that software's AppImage parcel release.

Managing AppImage on Ubuntu

Then y'all've downloaded and successfully ran the AppImage Ubuntu software. But remember that the software you downloaded is in the Downloads binder, and this folder can become chaotic speedily. And, what if yous don't need the software anymore?

Relocating the AppImage

Should you want to organize your AppImage files to avoid getting lost in a pile of other files, you lot can motion them to another location. And because you did not install the software, moving the AppImage Ubuntu file does non affect anything else on the organisation or the software's usability.

For case, motility the Atom AppImage file you downloaded from the Downloads folder to a subfolder in your home binder, similar ~/.local/bin/. But you lot can motility the file to any location that you lot prefer and where y'all have access.

i. Open up a last window if yous haven't yet.

ii. Run the mv control beneath on the last. This command-line moves the AppImage file from ~/Downloads to ~/.local/bin while retaining the same filename.

            # Move the AppImage file from ~/Downloads to ~/.local/bin mv ~/Downloads/Atom-0-Build7.2.glibc2.17-x86_64.AppImage ~/.local/bin # Listing the contents of ls ~/.local/bin ls ~/.local/bin

three. Finally, create a shortcut to the AppImage file on your Desktop by running the ln command below to create a symbolic link. This step is optional and only if you lot don't want to go on browsing the AppImage file whenever you desire to run it.

            # Syntax: ls -s [AppImage File] [Shortcut Name] ln -south ~/.local/bin/Atom-0-Build7.two.glibc2.17-x86_64.AppImage ~/Desktop/Cantlet

Creating a shortcut to the AppImage file on the Desktop

If you prefer to employ custom icons to your AppImage shortcuts, you can create a Desktop Launcher instead.

Removing the AppImage

When you no longer demand a piece of software, removing that software from your Linux computer typically requires running some uninstall control. But not in the instance of AppImage.

Removing an AppImage is like deleting any other file. Locate the AppImage software yous want to remove, right-click the AppImage file you want to delete, and click Move to Trash.

Lastly, if you created a shortcut or a Desktop launcher, delete those too.

Decision

AppImage allows yous to run software without worrying most not having the dependencies already installed on your Linux computer. When you need to change computers, migrating AppImages is non an result since they are portable. You only need to copy AppImage files to a USB flash drive and transfer them.

With the convenience that AppImage on Ubuntu brings to your Linux experience, they practice come with risks. E'er exist mindful of where y'all get AppImage formatted applications and merely employ trusted reputable sources.

Autonomously from AppImage, take y'all tried Snapd in Ubuntu or flatpak? If and so, which ane practise y'all retrieve works best? As well, yous should try the AppImageLauncher that enables desktop integration for AppImage on Ubuntu.