# Deployment / Build for Linux

From terminal from root of app, run the deployment script

```
npm install
```

Then

```bash
npm run build:linux
```

It creates a `cache` and a `build` folder. `cache` is a folder used by deploy to keep the latest version needed to build and package the app, to avoid having to re-download it every time. While the packaged app ready for use can be found in the `build` folder.

It packages the app as a [`AppImages`](https://appimage.org) that works across linux distribution see deployment section and this [issue](https://github.com/OpenNewsLabs/autoEdit_2/issues/36) and corresponding [PR](https://github.com/OpenNewsLabs/autoEdit_2/pull/45) for more details.

{% embed url="<https://github.com/OpenNewsLabs/autoEdit_2/issues/36>" %}

{% embed url="<https://github.com/OpenNewsLabs/autoEdit_2/pull/45>" %}

> Download an application, make it executable, and run! No need to install. No system libraries or system preferences are altered.
>
> Distribute your desktop Linux application in the AppImage format and win users running all common Linux distributions. Package once and run everywhere. Reach users on all major desktop distributions.

[Fore more details on how to run in Linux after download this see below](https://askubuntu.com/questions/774490/what-is-an-appimage-how-do-i-install-it)

> AppImages can be downloaded and run without installation or the need for root rights.
>
> Making it executable You can make the appImage executable as follows:
>
> chmod a+x exampleName.AppImage Executing it You can execute an appImage as follows:
>
> ./exampleName.AppImage

## What is an AppImage

AppImages can be downloaded and run without installation or the need for root rights.

### Making it executable

You can make the appImage executable as follows:

`chmod a+x` exampleName.AppImage

Or [see also how to make an AppImage executable for easier users instructions using GUI](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/how-to-make-an-appimage-executable/80)

### Executing it

You can execute an appImage as follows:

`./exampleName.AppImage`

### AppImage advantages

Providing an [AppImage](http://appimage.org/) would have, among others, these advantages:

* Applications packaged as an AppImage can run on many 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](http://discourse.appimage.org/t/how-to-make-an-appimage-executable/80), and run
* No unpacking or installation necessary
* No root needed
* No system libraries changed
* Works out of the box, no installation of runtimes needed
* 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
* Can use the same AppImages when dual-booting multiple distributions
* Can be listed in the [AppImageHub](https://appimage.github.io/apps) central directory of available AppImages
* Can double as a self-extracting compressed archive with the `--appimage-extract` parameter

[Here is an overview](https://appimage.github.io/apps) of projects that are already distributing upstream-provided, official AppImages.

If you have questions, AppImage developers are on #AppImage on irc.freenode.net.

##