# AppImage

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/AppImage
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/AppImage.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AppImage
> Source revision: 1353849987
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Linux executable file format}}
{{Infobox file format
| name          = AppImage
| logo          = App-image-logo.svg
| screenshot    = 
| caption       = 
| extension     = .AppImage
| magic         = {{code|41 49 02}} (3 bytes [hexadecimal](/source/hexadecimal) from offset 8)
| developer     = Simon Peter
| released      = {{Start date and age|2004}}
| latest release version = continuous
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2025|12|04}}
| container_for = [Software installation](/source/Software_installation)
| free          = Yes
| open          = Yes
| url           = {{URL|https://appimage.org}}
}}

'''AppImage''' (formerly known as '''klik''' and '''PortableLinuxApps''') is an open-source format for distributing [portable](/source/Portable_application) [software](/source/software) on [Linux](/source/Linux). It aims to allow the installation of binary software independently of specific [Linux distributions](/source/Linux_distribution). As a result, one AppImage can be installed and run across various [GNU](/source/GNU)/Linux distributions without needing to use different files. It aims to be a format that is self-contained, [rootless](/source/Superuser), and independent of the underlying Linux distribution.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/simon_peter_interview |title=Free Software Magazine interview with Simon Peter |last=Mobily |first=Tony |publisher=[Free Software Magazine](/source/Free_Software_Magazine) |date=2006-04-07 |access-date=2007-05-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070330201107/http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/simon_peter_interview |archive-date=2007-03-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Released first in 2004 under the name klik, it was continuously developed, then renamed in 2011 to PortableLinuxApps and later in 2013 to AppImage. Version 2 was released in 2016. 

== Reception and usage ==

In 2015, [Linus Torvalds](/source/Linus_Torvalds), creator of the [Linux kernel](/source/Linux_kernel), said that "[t]his is just very cool. I finally got around to play with the 'AppImage' version of [Subsurface](/source/Subsurface_(software)), and it really does seem to 'just work'."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Torvalds |first=Linus |date=2016-02-05 |title=This is just very cool. I finally got around to play with the "AppImage"… |url=https://plus.google.com/+LinusTorvalds/posts/WyrATKUnmrS |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205074927/https://plus.google.com/+LinusTorvalds/posts/WyrATKUnmrS |archive-date=2016-02-05 |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=[Google Plus](/source/Google_Plus)}}</ref> [Mark Shuttleworth](/source/Mark_Shuttleworth) stated that "AppImages are a pretty clean experience and I admire the work behind them."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shuttleworth |first=Mark |date=2017-04-09 |title=I would like to thank all of you for your spirit and intellect and energy in ... |url=https://plus.google.com/+MarkShuttleworthCanonical/posts/7LYubpaHUHH |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170409021339/https://plus.google.com/+MarkShuttleworthCanonical/posts/7LYubpaHUHH |archive-date=2017-04-09 |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=[Google Plus](/source/Google_Plus)}}</ref>

== See also ==

* {{annotated link|Autopackage}}
* {{annotated link|List of Linux package management systems}}
* {{annotated link|List of portable application creators}}
* {{annotated link|ROX Desktop}}
* {{annotated link|Snap (software)}}
* [App (file format)](/source/App_(file_format)) – A HarmonyOS application that makes use of similar principles

== References ==

{{refs}}

== External links ==

* {{Official website|https://appimage.org/}}
* [https://appimage.github.io AppImages for various applications by the AppImage developer]
* [https://www.linuxuprising.com/2018/04/easily-run-and-integrate-appimage-files.html Easily Run And Integrate AppImage Files With AppImageLauncher]

{{Linux package management systems}}

Category:Linux installation software
Category:Linux package management-related software
Category:Software distribution
Category:Software using the MIT license

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [AppImage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AppImage) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AppImage?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.