appImageHelper For Linux

Depending on who you ask, AppImage is either really bad or a brilliant format for Linux. The main appeal of the AppImage format is the convenience. AppImage allows apps to run consistently across a wide range (practically all) of Linux distributions.

On the other hand, the universal nature of AppImage could also be a problem as some users are less keen to trust AppImage as giving a "self-sustaining" program executable permission is somewhat scary, especially if there's no trust between the user and the developer.

From a functionality standpoint, the biggest drawback of AppImage is the lack of desktop integration (comes with the territory, I guess). Ever tried to create a shortcut for an AppImage app on your system? Then you know what I mean.

However, thankfully, there's a tiny app that can help when it comes to AppImage integration with your desktop. It's called appImageHelper and the whole point of this app is to help your create and manage shortcuts for your AppImage apps.

Right off the bat, I'll be the first to tell you that appImageHelper is not exactly what one (myself included) might call a good-looking app. Nevertheless, it's super easy to use, and, more importantly, it gets the job done.

All things related to creating shortcuts for AppImage apps are done from the app's main window. There are no menus, and no extra UI elements except a few buttons on the right side, a couple of options (activated via check boxes) on the right, and a stripped down Overview section at the bottom.

It might seem a bit weird using the app, but appImageHelper works well once you understand a few facts about it. A couple of things you should know are as follows: the colors for your shortcuts are green (the file exists and is executable), yellow (the file exists), and red (the file doesn't exist or isn't found).

The loaded AppImage app is never deleted (you can opt to do so from the program's database), and the icon is also never deleted (same as before, you can opt to delete it from the database). Conversely, the *desktop files and symbolic links are deleted immediately. Last but not least, you can place shortcuts in more locations provided you are the root user.

While not groundbreaking or particularly impressive looks-wise, appImageHelper is a nice little app that's worth having around especially if you work with AppImage files a lot.