Nextcloud client AppImage for most Linux distributions

An AppImage bundles an application and everything it needs to run that cannot be assumed to be part of all target systems. I have created an experimental Nextcloud client AppImage and sent a Pull Request in the hope that the Nextcloud project will consider making an official AppImage for Linux.

An AppImage is now being generated for each build on Travis CI.
The link can be found in the Travis CI build log.

(Edit: Link removed since @rullzer is providing an official one now.)

Providing an AppImage has among others, these advantages:

  • Works for most Linux distributions (including Ubuntu, Fedora, openSUSE, CentOS, elementaryOS, Linux Mint, and others)
  • One app = one file = super simple for users: just download one AppImage file, make it executable, and run
  • No unpacking or installation necessary
  • No root needed
  • No system libraries changed
  • Just one format for all major distributions
  • Works out of the box, no installation of runtimes needed (unlike Snap and Flatpak)
  • Optional desktop integration with appimaged
  • Optional binary delta updates, e.g., for continuous builds (only download the binary diff) using AppImageUpdate
  • Can optionally GPG2-sign your AppImages (inside the file)
  • Works on Live ISOs (unlike Flatpak)
  • Can use the same AppImages when dual-booting multiple distributions

Thank you for working on this. Nextcloud-Client installation (and ownCloud for that matter) have always been a hurdle for end users. Honestly, sometimes it is a complete pain to install the client. An AppImage is a logical solution to 99% of the issues here, and it will help ensure it easy for all end users to install.

Thanks again, this is great work.

An official AppImage is coming, help test it now. Feedback is welcome at Nextcloud Desktop Client AppImage.

Thanks Roeland!

While I embrace the appimage idea - thanks @probonopd - I became totally desillusioned after trying this linux nextcloud desktop client on Debian Jessie+. It may not be directly linked to this appimage, but the client simply can’t sync all of my files (to a new local sync folder for this client). Dozens of sync errors… I had to disable sync for a bunch of folders, to be able to sync a big part of my files, and it still comes with sync errors.

Now - when stopping nextcloud client and restarting the old owncloud client, everything syncs well (in it’s own folder). I’m really on my nerves, wth can’t we simply use a linux desktop client without all those hassles…?

Sorry, I had to blow some steam off…

Hi @MikeLupe.

wth can’t we simply use a linux desktop client without all those hassles

That’s exactly what we are working on here…

You are realizing that you downloaded a prerelease of a beta to “help test it”?

In any case, thanks for your feedback which will certainly help @rullzer to investigate the issue.

Hi @probonopd - well, I do realize it now :slight_smile:

Again - thanks for your efforts.

edit: Depth of path challenge maybe? Could that be packaging method dependent?

The appimage doesn’t add an icon in the App Launcher on Kubuntu. It is possible to fix this it can be started in the usual way. Also If users want to remove the application, is there an easy way? Or an alternative way to install the Nextcloud client on Linux that works as well as the Windows client. Appimages are a pain for non IT people. The Nextcloud client should be easy for everyone.