AppImages

AppImage is a format for packaging Linux applications as portable, distribution-agnostic executables. Each AppImage is a single file that can be run on most Linux distributions without installation, enabling portability across systems and users.

A typical AppImage consists of a SquashFS filesystem containing the application and its libraries, plus a small runtime (AppImageKit) that handles mounting and execution. The AppImage file is an executable; when run, the runtime mounts the embedded filesystem (often via FUSE), locates the AppDir and the AppRun entry point, configures environment variables, and launches the application. Dependencies may be bundled or provided by the host system. The AppRun executable serves as the entry point.

Usage and ecosystem: To run, the file must be executable. No installation is required; you can move it between systems and run it. For convenience, tools such as AppImageLauncher help integrate AppImages with desktop environments; AppImageUpdate can update AppImages via zsync; AppImageHub provides a catalog. AppImages are architecture-specific (for example x86_64, aarch64) and may require a compatible host kernel and libraries.

Limitations: While AppImages are portable, they may not always work if host libraries conflict or are too old; they are not inherently sandboxed; they rely on the user to verify integrity. They do not replace package managers and may require manual maintenance or updates.