Zap For Linux

I'll be completely honest, dealing with AppImage apps is not my favorite thing in the world. However, I appreciate the existence of tools that make working with AppImage apps a lot easier - the most popular of which is probably the already legendary AppImageLauncher.

What about power users who want something more "CLI-ish?" The answer comes in the form of Zap - a powerful and fast command-line AppImage package manager.

At first glance, Zap is not much different than other command-line apps of the sort (if we're not counting the nice tiny icons that bring a bit of color to the whole experience).

What really surprised me was the fact that it features fairly decent desktop integration for AppImages. This is mostly due to a feature called Delta updates. Here's how it works: in short, you can update your AppImage apps daily with Zap, and the whole process is made even easier and faster due to the app downloading only what changed and not the whole package.

Please note that only AppImages that feature embedded updateinformation are eligible for Delta updates.

Another great aspect of Zap is the fact that it doesn't force you to use a different command line syntax. If you've ever used a CLI app, there's a very good chance you will find Zap a walk in the park.

For starters, I have to point out that you can install a wide range of AppImages with Zap. For example, you can install AppImages from the AppImage Catalog as well as the AppImage Catalog V2.

The way you install apps is quite straightforward and it only requires the following command: "zap install element." Of course, you can also install AppImages from URLs, or integrate a locally downloaded AppImage.

For more details regarding how to install and configure Zap, as well as how to install AppImage apps and update them check out the project's official GitHub page.

Zap is a cool little app that, just like AppImageLauncher, helps grow and support the AppImage community. It's easy to use and install, it's fast and lightweight, and pretty much great all things considered.