A shepherd for your Appimages.
update docs
Aly Raffauf
(Jun 20, 2026, 10:29 AM EDT)
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README.md
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README.md
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<h3>A shepherd for your AppImages.</h3>
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</div>
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AppHerder automatically installs, removes, and upgrades your AppImages. Throw them in `~/AppImages` and AppHerder does the rest: apps appear in your menu, deleted ones disappear from it, and supported apps update in place.
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AppHerder automatically installs, removes, and upgrades your AppImages. Throw them in `~/AppImages` and AppHerder does the rest: apps appear in your menu, deleted apps disappear, and supported apps update in place.
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## Features
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- **Set it and forget it.** Watches `~/AppImages` and checks for updates in the background.
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- **Real apps, not loose files.** Installed AppImages show up natively in your application menu.
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- **Install from anywhere.** Point it at a local file or paste a download link.
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- **Updates without the pile-up.** A newer version replaces the old one.
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- **Real apps.** Installed AppImages show up natively in your application menu.
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- **In-place upgrades.** New versions seemlessly replace old ones.
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- **Verified updates.** Pins the publisher's signing key on first install, then refuses tampered updates.
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- **One-command rollback.** A bad update? Put the old version back instantly.
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- **Stays out of the way.** It only touches launchers it created. Your Flatpaks and hand-made shortcuts are safe.
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- **Quick rollbacks.** Bad update? Put the old version back instantly.
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- **Stays out of the way.** Only touches launchers it creates. Your other apps are safe.
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## Installation
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```bash
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chmod +x appherder-*-x86_64.AppImage
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./appherder-*-x86_64.AppImage install ./appherder-*-x86_64.AppImage
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appherder autosync
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appherder autoupgrade
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appherder autosync # Watch ~/AppImages
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appherder autoupgrade # Enable automatic app upgrades
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```
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The install step copies it into `~/AppImages` and links it to `~/.local/bin/appherder` automatically. You may need to restart your terminal or run `export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"` for the command to be found.
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The install step copies it into `~/AppImages` and links it to `~/.local/bin/appherder` automatically. You may need to restart your terminal or run `export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"` for the app to be found.
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### Nix flake
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appherder autoupgrade # check for updates once a day
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```
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Then use `~/AppImages` like the place AppImages belong. Add a file and it gets a launcher. Remove a file and its launcher goes away. When an update is available, appherder installs it without leaving the old copy behind.
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Then use `~/AppImages` like the place AppImages belong. Add a file and it gets a launcher. Remove a file and its launcher goes away. When an update is available, appherder installs it in-place (no app restarts needed).
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Install an app from a file or URL:
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Undo a bad update:
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```bash
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appherder rollback foo # restore the version the last update replaced
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appherder rollback foo # restore the last version
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appherder rollback foo 1.2.3 # or restore a specific saved version
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```
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AppHerder keeps the last few versions of each app and saves the current one whenever an install or upgrade replaces it.
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Coming from another AppImage tool? `appherder migrate` adopts the ones in `~/AppImages` and clears out launchers whose AppImage is gone.
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Coming from another AppImage tool? `appherder migrate` adopts the apps in `~/AppImages` and manages them for you.
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## Verified updates
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Some AppImages are signed by their publisher. The first time AppHerder installs a signed app, it pins that signing key. From then on, every update must be signed by the same key: an unsigned, tampered, or differently-signed build is refused instead of installed. Changing the trusted key is deliberate, so swapping publishers means uninstalling and reinstalling. Apps that aren't signed keep working as before; the pin only takes effect once a real signature has been seen.
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Some AppImages are signed by their publisher. The first time AppHerder installs a signed app, it pins that signing key. From then on, every update must be signed by the same key: an unsigned, tampered, or differently-signed build is refused. Changing the trusted key is deliberate, so swapping publishers means uninstalling and reinstalling. Apps that aren't signed keep working as before; the pin only takes effect once a real signature has been seen.
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`appherder list` shows each app's status in the **SIGNATURE** column: `pinned` (key locked in), `signed` (carries a signature appherder hasn't pinned yet), or `none`.
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docs/Configuration.md
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docs/Configuration.md
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| `max_saved_versions` | int | `3` | Number of prior versions kept for rollback. |
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| `bin_dir` | string | `~/.local/bin` | Directory for `appherder link` symlinks. |
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Note that if you change `appimages_dir` or `bin_dir` you will need to regenerate the systemd units that make AppHerder automatic:
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```bash
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appherder autosync
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appherder autoupgrade
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```
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## Source overrides
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The `[sources]` table overrides the update source for an app, taking priority over the embedded `.upd_info` ELF section. The key is the app name (the filename without `.appimage`).