Linux Desktop entry files

Links: https://specifications.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/latest/index.html#introduction

.desktop files, or Desktop entries can be useful for creating quick access to user scripts of manually installed applications.

Types

In addition to the mentioned application launcher, desktop entries can be of type Link and Directory

• Type=Application used for defining how to launch an application
• Type=Link Used for defining a shortcut for opening a url in the browser
• Type=Directory Used for defining directory metadata, this are located in the given directory with the .directory

Location

.desktop files can be located in:
/usr/share/applications
~/.local/share/applications

Sample file

[Desktop Entry]
 
Type=Application
 
Name=Application name
 
GenericName=Application #generic name, like "text editor"
 
# A comment which can/will be used as a tooltip
Comment=Flash card based learning tool
 
# The path to the folder in which the executable is run
Path=/path/to/working/dir
 
# The executable of the application, or command
Exec=command
 
Icon=/path/to/icon.png #can be png/svg/ico/icns
 
Terminal=false #otherwise runs on default terminal
 
Categories=Education;Languages;Java; #categories of the app

Commands

dekstop-file-validate sample.desktop

desktop-file-install --dir=$HOME/.local/share/applications ~/sample.desktop

update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications

All recognized properties

https://specifications.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/latest/recognized-keys.html