Looking for mature AppImage desktop launchers

[AtmanActive]

Hi,

Congratulations on developing this awesome software.

I've been using Portable software on Windows for last 20 years, and now I'm researching how to achieve the same thing on Linux.

For me personally, the crucial point of Portable software approach is: "always save my time invested in configuring this software", as opposed to "keep doing the same thing again and again on each new operating system instance".

So, the trick where users can create empty directories named after the appimage file with the added ".config" and ".home" suffixes, and thus have the app save settings there is awesome!

I prefer to keep each app in it's own directory where I can build a hierarchy just out of file system tree, so for me, keeping all appimages smushed in one directory is a no no.

So, now I am looking how to group/centralize/iconize appimages on desktop.

On Windows, I am using two separate programs for this:

• QuickWayToFolders which allows me to have one system tray icon to reach all of my portable apps. The crucial feature here is to set only the root directory where I keep all of my apps and to set the filter to *.exe which then results in automatic menu creation. In other words, I don't need to manage each and every portable app here individually. I don't need to set names, I don't need to set paths, I don't need to set categories. It is a one-time fire and forget operation that works flawlessly for decades to come with zero maintenance. Even more awesome is the fact that QuickWayToFolders is itself a portable app that fully supports relative paths, so it goes wherever my Portable drive goes.
• CLaunch which allows me to create several icon drawers and to put my most used apps as shortcuts. This one doesn't do anything automatically, but requires me to manually configure each icon/toolbar/drawer, but, in so doing, it is fully portable itself with full support for relative paths, which, again, guarantees I will never lose my time invested in setting it up. Of course, it goes wherever my Portable drive goes.

Hence my question: is anyone aware of similar AppImage launchers for Linux?
What are you using to manage your desktop shortcuts for your AppImages?

I have tried all Linux Mint Cinnamon built-in desktop/panel launchers and they are all rubbish. They all require users to meticulously type and type and type data for each individual shortcut, which is simply, a waste of time for me, especially knowing that all of that time invested will be gone as the launcher itself is not an AppImage, but a built-in Cinnamon helper.

Any advice is highly appreciated.

At the end of the day, if I don't find what I'm looking for, I might develop the app(s) myself, but I don't want to duplicate the effort.

Thanks.

[AtmanActive]

Found nothing similar in Linux Mint Cinnamon.
Cairo Dock hates AppImages and won't run them even when added manually (non drag&drop).

Found something very similar to QuickWayToFolders in KDE Plasma v6.3.6 (Debian 13): a widget called Folder View. When attached to the Panel (Taskbar), it shows a clickable folder structure which allows for navigation and AppImage execution. AppImage files do not show their proper icons but they run correctly when clicked. Interestingly enough, Dolphin, the built-in File Manager shows AppImages correctly, and not only on the files themselves, but on their containing folders as well.

It's a start!

[probonopd]

Hi @AtmanActive, thanks for your feedback.

Here are some existing tools that may or may not fit your particular use case: https://github.com/AppImageCommunity/awesome-appimage?tab=readme-ov-file#appimage-consumption-tools

Personally, I don't use launchers, but the file manager to do everything, including launching applications.

Maybe you'll find one you like. If not, please share what you might come up with, so that we can add it to the list.

Thanks!