I just found out about AppImageLauncher, a package handler for AppImages. It organizes them, creates desktop files for you and handles updates and removal.

Integrate AppImages to your application launcher with one click, and manage, update and remove them from there. Double-click AppImages to open them, without having to make them executable first.

Much better than having to create all the desktop files myself, and having to figure out what to put in them for it to work correctly (I'm looking at you, qBittorrent and magnet links).

  • uranibaba@lemmy.worldOP
    2·
    1 year ago

    It appears to be only desktop, what would explain why it is new to me despite being creating in 2007 (https://itsfoss.com/what-is-flatpak/, quick search).

    Thanks for taking the time to explain. So from what I understand, it is a universal package manager (which apt-get is not) and it is FOSS (which I understand Snap is not)?

    • sleepyTonia@programming.dev
      1·
      1 year ago

      I don't remember anyone mentioning Snap being closed source, but it receives many complaints for interfering with the functioning of common programs, on top of slowing down the execution of programs installed through it and is now being forced on users. I haven't touched any *buntu distro in years, but it always seemed half-baked from the comments I keep on reading about it.

      Also yes, Flatpak is what I believe you could call a universal package manager. Package it once and it should run on any Linux distro since it takes most things out of the equation, save for the kernel and drivers. And yes, it mostly is used to distribute desktop applications. It's ideal for safely running random applications or older programs that wouldn't run through a modern runtime.

      • uranibaba@lemmy.worldOP
        1·
        1 year ago

        I read that Snap was propriety and a quick search did not give me any hits on their source code, but I could of course be wrong.