What you're trying to do
AppImage is great for portable distribution but doesn't integrate with apt. A .deb lands in the user's package list, auto-registers a .desktop file under /usr/share/applications/, and updates with the rest of the system. Ship one alongside the AppImage.
Suggested shape
desktop/deb/ carries the debian/ control files (control, postinst, postrm).vouch-desktop package, depends on python3 (>= 3.11), conflicts with nothing.- Installs the AppImage to
/opt/vouch-desktop/ and a wrapper script to /usr/bin/vouch-desktop.
postinst runs xdg-desktop-menu install and xdg-icon-resource install so the app appears in the launcher immediately.- Build via
dpkg-deb -b in CI; signed with the project's debian key.
Acceptance
sudo apt install ./vouch-desktop_X.Y.Z_amd64.deb succeeds on a fresh Ubuntu 22.04 / 24.04.- The app appears in the GNOME activities search under "vouch".
apt remove vouch-desktop leaves no orphan files in /opt/ or ~/.local/share/applications/.
Out of scope
- PPA / launchpad — landing the
.deb artifact on a release page is enough; PPA is a v2 ask.
- Snap / Flatpak (#A6 / #A7).
What you're trying to do
AppImage is great for portable distribution but doesn't integrate with
apt. A.deblands in the user's package list, auto-registers a.desktopfile under/usr/share/applications/, and updates with the rest of the system. Ship one alongside the AppImage.Suggested shape
desktop/deb/carries the debian/ control files (control, postinst, postrm).vouch-desktoppackage, depends onpython3 (>= 3.11), conflicts with nothing./opt/vouch-desktop/and a wrapper script to/usr/bin/vouch-desktop.postinstrunsxdg-desktop-menu installandxdg-icon-resource installso the app appears in the launcher immediately.dpkg-deb -bin CI; signed with the project's debian key.Acceptance
sudo apt install ./vouch-desktop_X.Y.Z_amd64.debsucceeds on a fresh Ubuntu 22.04 / 24.04.apt remove vouch-desktopleaves no orphan files in/opt/or~/.local/share/applications/.Out of scope
.debartifact on a release page is enough; PPA is a v2 ask.