Linux Configuration

Configuration options for building Linux packages with electron-builder

The top-level linux key contains set of options instructing electron-builder on how it should build Linux targets. These options applicable for any Linux target.

electron-builder docker image can be used to build Linux targets on any platform.

Base Linux Configuration

target · string | TargetConfiguration

Target package type: list of AppImage, flatpak, snap, deb, rpm, freebsd, pacman, p5p, apk, 7z, zip, tar.xz, tar.lz, tar.gz, tar.bz2, dir.

Please do not put an AppImage into another archive like a .zip or .tar.gz.

Show default

AppImage

maintainer · string

The maintainer. Defaults to author.

vendor · string

The vendor. Defaults to author.

icon · string

The path to icon set directory or one png file, relative to the build resources or to the project directory. The icon filename must contain the size (e.g. 32x32.png) of the icon.

By default will be generated automatically based on the macOS icns file.

synopsis · string

The short description.

description · string

As description from application package.json, but allows you to specify different for Linux.

category · string

The application category.

mimeTypes · string[]

The mime types in addition to specified in the file associations. Use it if you don’t want to register a new mime type, but reuse existing.

desktop · LinuxDesktopFile

The Desktop file

Show properties

desktop.entry · Record<string, string>

[Desktop Entry] metadata entries (name to value). Overwrites default values calculated by electron-builder.

Example Spec: freedesktop.org Desktop Entry Specification

desktop.desktopActions · Record<string, any>

[Desktop Actions <ActionName>] metadata entries (name to value).

desktopActions: {
  NewWindow: {
    Name: 'New Window',
    Exec: 'app --new-window',
  }
}

executableArgs · string[]

The executable parameters. Pass to executableName

---

Debian Package Options

The top-level deb key contains set of options instructing electron-builder on how it should build Debian package.

All LinuxTargetSpecificOptions can be also specified in the deb to customize Debian package.

depends · string[]

Package dependencies.

If need to support Debian, libappindicator1 should be removed, it is deprecated in Debian.

If need to support KDE, gconf2 and gconf-service should be removed as it’s no longer used by GNOME.

Show default

["libgtk-3-0", "libnotify4", "libnss3", "libxss1", "libxtst6", "xdg-utils", "libatspi2.0-0", "libuuid1", "libsecret-1-0"]

recommends · string[]

The recommended package dependencies.

Show default

["libappindicator3-1"]

packageCategory · string

The package category.

priority · string

The Priority attribute.

---

LinuxTargetSpecificOptions

APK, FreeBSD, Pacman, P5P and RPM Options

The top-level apk, freebsd, pacman, p5p and rpm keys contains set of options instructing electron-builder on how it should build corresponding Linux target.

depends · string[]

Package dependencies.

• rpm defaults to ["gtk3", "libnotify", "nss", "libXScrnSaver", "(libXtst or libXtst6)", "xdg-utils", "at-spi2-core", "(libuuid or libuuid1)"]
• pacman defaults to ["c-ares", "ffmpeg", "gtk3", "http-parser", "libevent", "libvpx", "libxslt", "libxss", "minizip", "nss", "re2", "snappy", "libnotify", "libappindicator-gtk3"]

compression · 'gz' | 'bzip2' | 'xz' | 'lzo'

The compression type.

Show default

xz

icon · string

The path to the icon file.

packageCategory · string

The package category.

packageName · string

The name of the package.

vendor · string

The vendor.

maintainer · string

The maintainer.

afterInstall · string

File path to script to be passed to FPM for --after-install arg.

afterRemove · string

File path to script to be passed to FPM for --after-remove arg.

appArmorProfile · string

File path to custom AppArmor profile (Ubuntu 24+)

fpm · string[]

Advanced only The fpm options.

Example: ["--before-install=build/deb-preinstall.sh", "--after-upgrade=build/deb-postinstall.sh"]

synopsis · string

The short description.

description · string

As description from application package.json, but allows you to specify different for Linux.

category · string

The application category.

mimeTypes · string[]

The mime types in addition to specified in the file associations. Use it if you don’t want to register a new mime type, but reuse existing.

desktop · LinuxDesktopFile

The Desktop file

executableArgs · string[]

The executable parameters. Pass to executableName