This project provides build scripts to run Claude Desktop natively on Linux systems. It repackages the official Windows application for multiple Linux distributions, producing:
.debpackages for Debian/Ubuntu-based systems.rpmpackages for Fedora/RHEL-based systems- AppImages for universal Linux support
Note: This is an unofficial build script. For official support, please visit Anthropic's website. For issues with the build script or Linux implementation, please open an issue in this repository.
- Native Linux Support: Run Claude Desktop without virtualization or Wine
- MCP Support: Full Model Context Protocol integration
Configuration file location:~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json - System Integration:
- X11 Global hotkey support (Ctrl+Alt+Space)
- System tray integration
- Desktop environment integration
Download the latest .deb or .AppImage from the Releases page.
Supported Distributions:
- Debian/Ubuntu-based: Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, MX Linux, etc.
- Fedora/RHEL-based: Fedora, RHEL, CentOS, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, etc.
Dependencies:
The build script will automatically check for and install missing dependencies. If you prefer to install them manually:
Debian/Ubuntu (click to expand)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y p7zip-full wget icoutils imagemagick nodejs npm dpkg-devFedora/RHEL (click to expand)
sudo dnf install -y p7zip p7zip-plugins wget icoutils ImageMagick nodejs npm rpm-build# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/aaddrick/claude-desktop-debian.git
cd claude-desktop-debian
# Build a .deb package (default on Debian/Ubuntu)
./build.sh --build deb
# Build an .rpm package (for Fedora/RHEL)
./build.sh --build rpm
# Build an AppImage (universal)
./build.sh --build appimage
# Build with custom options
./build.sh --build deb --clean no # Keep intermediate filesSee also: RPM_BUILD_GUIDE.md for detailed RPM package build instructions.
For .deb packages (Debian/Ubuntu):
sudo apt install ./claude-desktop_VERSION_ARCHITECTURE.deb
# Or using dpkg:
sudo dpkg -i ./claude-desktop_VERSION_ARCHITECTURE.deb
# If you encounter dependency issues:
sudo apt --fix-broken installFor .rpm packages (Fedora/RHEL):
sudo dnf install ./claude-desktop-VERSION-RELEASE.ARCH.rpm
# Or using rpm:
sudo rpm -ivh ./claude-desktop-VERSION-RELEASE.ARCH.rpm
# On RHEL/CentOS, you may need to use yum:
sudo yum install ./claude-desktop-VERSION-RELEASE.ARCH.rpmFor AppImages:
# Make executable
chmod +x ./claude-desktop-*.AppImage
# Run directly
./claude-desktop-*.AppImage
# Or integrate with your system using Gear LeverNote: AppImage login requires proper desktop integration. Use Gear Lever or manually install the provided .desktop file to ~/.local/share/applications/.
Automatic Updates: AppImages downloaded from GitHub releases include embedded update information and work seamlessly with Gear Lever for automatic updates. Locally-built AppImages can be manually configured for updates in Gear Lever.
Model Context Protocol settings are stored in:
~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Runtime logs are available at:
$HOME/claude-desktop-launcher.log
For .deb packages:
# Remove package
sudo apt remove claude-desktop
# Or: sudo dpkg -r claude-desktop
# Remove package and configuration
sudo apt purge claude-desktop
# Or: sudo dpkg -P claude-desktopFor .rpm packages:
# Remove package
sudo dnf remove claude-desktop
# Or: sudo rpm -e claude-desktop
# On RHEL/CentOS:
sudo yum remove claude-desktopFor AppImages:
- Delete the
.AppImagefile - Remove the
.desktopfile from~/.local/share/applications/ - If using Gear Lever, use its uninstall option
Remove user configuration (both formats):
rm -rf ~/.config/ClaudeIf the window doesn't scale correctly on first launch:
- Right-click the Claude Desktop tray icon
- Select "Quit" (do not force quit)
- Restart the application
This allows the application to save display settings properly.
AppImages run with --no-sandbox due to electron's chrome-sandbox requiring root privileges for unprivileged namespace creation. This is a known limitation of AppImage format with Electron applications.
For enhanced security, consider:
- Using the .deb package instead
- Running the AppImage within a separate sandbox (e.g., bubblewrap)
- Using Gear Lever's integrated AppImage management for better isolation
Claude Desktop is an Electron application distributed for Windows. This project:
- Downloads the official Windows installer
- Extracts application resources
- Replaces Windows-specific native modules with Linux-compatible implementations
- Repackages as:
- Debian package (.deb): Standard package for Debian/Ubuntu systems with full integration
- RPM package (.rpm): Standard package for Fedora/RHEL systems with full integration
- AppImage: Portable, self-contained executable for universal Linux support
The build script (build.sh) handles:
- Dependency checking and installation
- Resource extraction from Windows installer
- Icon processing for Linux desktop standards
- Native module replacement
- Package generation based on selected format
The script automatically detects system architecture and downloads the appropriate version. If Claude Desktop's download URLs change, update the CLAUDE_DOWNLOAD_URL variables in build.sh.
This project was inspired by k3d3's claude-desktop-linux-flake and their Reddit post about running Claude Desktop natively on Linux.
Special thanks to:
- k3d3 for the original NixOS implementation and native bindings insights
- emsi for the title bar fix and alternative implementation approach
For NixOS users, please refer to k3d3's repository for a Nix-specific implementation.
The build scripts in this repository are dual-licensed under:
- MIT License (see LICENSE-MIT)
- Apache License 2.0 (see LICENSE-APACHE)
The Claude Desktop application itself is subject to Anthropic's Consumer Terms.
Contributions are welcome! By submitting a contribution, you agree to license it under the same dual-license terms as this project.