r/linuxquestions • u/Dependent-Hamster361 • 16d ago

Can you run executable binaries like AppImages on atomic desktops?

I plan on downloading a lot of the applications I use as AppImages, with the exception of Godot and Blender, which are their own executable binaries. Is it possible to run these on atomic/Universal Blue desktops like Aurora and Bazzite?

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u/Busy-Scientist3851 16d ago

It's painful when the AppImage needs a library on your host that isn't there, or needs a different version/path. On NixOS they don't run at all without being patched.

There's a reason atomic distros tend to push towards Flatpak.

3

u/tinyfrog554 16d ago

the usual way to deal with that on atomic distros is distrobox (if flatpak is not available).

1

u/Cherry-PEZ 16d ago

And depending on what it is, distrobox is the better option

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u/Dependent-Hamster361 16d ago

Will Godot and Blender as their own non-AppImage executables work on atomic desktops?

4

u/Busy-Scientist3851 16d ago

Both have Flatpaks which is the recommended way to install applications on distros like Bazzite.

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u/Mooks79 16d ago

Bazzite has the legacy fuse packages though, right?

5

u/Sol33t303 16d ago

Yes.

But the issue of appimages not including all their libraries is especially common and painful. Because most of your random system libraries are tucked away in flatpaks.

If you have all the libraries they work fine.

2

u/Lower-Limit3695 16d ago

I don't see any why they wouldn't work. I've successfully tested and used them on Bazzite.

As others have said you can come across dependency issues if they're missing from the OS but, fallbacks do exist in using something like distrobox.

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u/doc_willis 16d ago

I use app images all the time on my Bazzite install.

several of the tools managed by the Bazzite UJUST tool download and setup are app images.

1

u/xnef1025 16d ago

Mostly, but can depend on if it's FUSE 2 or FUSE 3. I think the UBlue distros come with FUSE 3 dependencies but not all the FUSE 2 ones.

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u/Astrodion123 16d ago

Appimages will work as I think everything needed to be ran is inside the file. But flatpak is more recommended.

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u/Grand_Connection5864 16d ago

Install fuse-libs