claude-desktop-debian
GitHubClaude Desktop for Linux
AGENTS.md
# AGENTS.md
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Code) so that contributors using either receive the same instructions
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## Required reading
These documents are the source of truth. If anything in this file conflicts with them, they win. Read them before opening a non-trivial issue or PR.
- [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](CONTRIBUTING.md) — what we accept, what goes upstream, subsystem owners, AI-attribution policy.
- [`docs/styleguides/bash_styleguide.md`](docs/styleguides/bash_styleguide.md) — shell-script conventions (forked from YSAP). Tabs, 80 cols, `[[ ]]`, no `set -e`, no `eval`.
- [`docs/styleguides/docs_styleguide.md`](docs/styleguides/docs_styleguide.md) — page anatomy, naming, antipatterns for the `docs/` tree.
- [`docs/index.md`](docs/index.md) — entry point for the rest of the repo docs.
- [`SECURITY.md`](SECURITY.md) — vulnerability reporting; what's in scope vs. upstream.
This file is a fast reference for the highest-leverage rules and the project's accumulated archaeology. New policy goes in the style guides or CONTRIBUTING.md.
## Project Overview
This project repackages **Anthropic's official Claude Desktop for Linux `.deb`** into the formats Anthropic doesn't serve (RPM, AppImage, Nix, AUR) plus our own `.deb`, and wraps every format in a launcher with Linux-environment fixes (Wayland opt-in, GPU-crash recovery, `--doctor` diagnostics). Since the v3.0.0 rebase (decision [D-002](docs/decisions.md)) the contract is **patch-zero**: the official `app.asar` ships byte-identical unless a patch justifies itself against official bytes as compensating a genuine Linux gap.
## Learnings
The [`docs/learnings/`](docs/learnings/) directory contains hard-won technical knowledge from debugging and fixing issues — things that aren't obvious from reading the code or docs alone. Consult these before working on related areas. Add new entries when you discover something non-obvious that would save future contributors (human or AI) significant time. Docs whose subject no longer ships live in [`docs/archive/`](docs/archive/) with an obsolescence header — they stay findable as diagnosis records.
- [`official-deb-rebase-verification.md`](docs/learnings/official-deb-rebase-verification.md) — patch-necessity matrix verified against Anthropic's official Linux `.deb` (which legacy patches the v3.0.0 rebase deletes, the two survivor candidates, and why), plus the install-layout facts the rebase depends on: `process.resourcesPath` helper resolution (relocation-safe), the hardcoded OVMF/AAVMF firmware probe list (not distro-safe), per-arch dependency contracts, SUID recording in `data.tar.xz`, and the official postinst's AppArmor + apt self-registration behavior; its "Open items" section is the live pre-ship checklist
- [`patching-minified-js.md`](docs/learnings/patching-minified-js.md) — general lessons from maintaining a long-lived patch suite against an actively re-minified upstream: anchor selection (literals over identifiers), the `\w` vs `$` identifier-capture trap, beautified false-negatives, idempotency guards, multi-site coordination, non-unique anchor disambiguation, and the SHA-256-pinned hypothesis-verification recipe — still load-bearing for the two survivor patches
- [`cross-build-host-vs-target.md`](docs/learnings/cross-build-host-vs-target.md) — the host-vs-target conflation class caught twice in the CI cutover: tools that run during the build key on `uname -m`, artifacts key on `--arch`; symptom is `Exec format error` on cross legs
- [`packaging-permissions.md`](docs/learnings/packaging-permissions.md) — restrictive-umask permission traps across deb/rpm/AppImage: `app.asar.unpacked` traversability, `dpkg-deb --root-owner-group`, the rpm `%defattr` file-mode trap
- [`nix.md`](docs/learnings/nix.md) — the official-deb Nix derivation: design contract, the live SRI auto-bump sed anchors, the sandbox SUID extraction trap, why the old Electron resource-path hack must not return, and testing without NixOS
- [`apt-worker-architecture.md`](docs/learnings/apt-worker-architecture.md) — APT/DNF binary distribution via Cloudflare Worker + GitHub Releases, redirect chain, credential ownership, heartbeat runbook
- [`wayland-global-shortcuts-portal.md`](docs/learnings/wayland-global-shortcuts-portal.md) — why Quick Entry's hotkey is focus-bound on GNOME Wayland (mutter dropped XWayland global key grabs), the native-Wayland + `GlobalShortcutsPortal` launcher change (opt-in via `CLAUDE_USE_WAYLAND=1`; fixes GNOME ≤49, default GNOME stays on XWayland), the "only the last `--enable-features` switch wins → merge into one flag" trap, the tri-state `CLAUDE_USE_WAYLAND` escape hatch, and the proof that GNOME 50 / xdg-desktop-portal ≥1.20 is still blocked upstream because Electron/Chromium never calls the host `Registry.Register` app-id handshake ([electron#51875](https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/51875)); wlroots (Niri/Sway/Hyprland) lack a portal GlobalShortcuts backend entirely
- [`mcp-double-spawn.md`](docs/learnings/mcp-double-spawn.md) — Stdio MCPs spawn 2× when chat and Code/Agent panels are both active, root cause in upstream session managers, MCP-author workaround; now first-party-reproducible → upstream report drafted
- [`plugin-install.md`](docs/learnings/plugin-install.md) — Anthropic & Partners plugin install flow, gate logic, backend endpoints, and DevTools recipes
- [`tray-rebuild-race.md`](docs/learnings/tray-rebuild-race.md) — the KDE Plasma SNI re-registration race and the in-place `setImage` + `setContextMenu` fast-path; validated — the official build converged on the same fix, our tray patch is deleted
- [`cowork-vm-daemon.md`](docs/learnings/cowork-vm-daemon.md) — the 2.x bwrap Cowork daemon lifecycle; superseded on KVM hosts by the official coworkd, kept as reference for the 3.1 fallback investigation
- [`test-harness-electron-hooks.md`](docs/learnings/test-harness-electron-hooks.md) — why constructor-level `BrowserWindow` wraps were silently bypassed by the (now-deleted) frame-fix Proxy, and the prototype-method hook pattern that remains correct for harness code
- [`test-harness-ax-tree-walker.md`](docs/learnings/test-harness-ax-tree-walker.md) — five non-obvious traps in the v7 fingerprint walker after the AX-tree migration: AX-enable async lag, navigateTo-to-same-URL no-op, claude.ai's flat `dialog>button[]` lists, the `more options for X` per-row shape, and sidebar virtualization vs the lookup-failure threshold
- [`config-wipe-guard.md`](docs/learnings/config-wipe-guard.md) — the poisoned-cache config wipe (silent `{}` loader fallback + whole-file serialize on every settings write) that stubs out `claude_desktop_config.json`; where the renderer's grouping state actually lives (IndexedDB `pin-state` → `persisted.*` localStorage → `epitaxyPrefs` mirror); the **launcher-side backup rotation** (`backup_user_config`) that is the patch-zero-clean primary fix; and why the in-band asar guard (`config.sh`, R1/R2/R3 restore rules, lazy-clone non-stickiness, the CF-1 no-resurrect constraint) is kept hardened but **parked** after a contrarian review, with `local-stores.sh` deleted outright
- [`quit-cleanup-scope-fence.md`](docs/learnings/quit-cleanup-scope-fence.md) — the two systemd-scope namespaces behind the #709 quit-cleanup slice: KDE/GNOME's KProcessRunner **desktop-id** scope (`app-claude-desktop-<pid>.scope`, GUI-launch-only, renamed by v3.0.0 to `-unofficial`) vs Electron's own `StartTransientUnit` **app-id** self-scope (`app-com.anthropic.Claude-<pid>.scope`, all launch paths, but the app-id is versioned so derive it — was `io.github.aaddrick...`); why the self-scope still can't fence the zygote-descended helpers on a terminal launch (they stay in the caller's shell scope, next to a user's own MCP server → the unsolved gate-3 bystander-kill risk); the finding that **nothing orphans on clean quit *or* SIGKILL** (Chromium reaps its tree cgroup-agnostically) so the slice has no survivor to catch; and the test traps (`pgrep -f` self-match → use `/proc/PID/exe`, `setsid`+`disown` to dodge the exit-144 startup signal, scope-existence ≠ liveness)
- [`test-methodology-and-coverage.md`](docs/learnings/test-methodology-and-coverage.md) — how a green test run is kept honest, distilled from @sabiut's test/doctor PRs and reviews: the **half-pinned-test failure class** (`run`-subshell discards `_doctor_failures` mutations → assert directly not via `run`; near-miss anchor fixtures; stubs that mirror the prod call can't catch a change to it; `[PASS]` on unread data; poll predicate must equal the reaper's own predicate; SC2314 negative-assertion no-ops), host-state isolation (stub in-shell vs PATH-shim subshell calls, unset every `XDG_*`/`_DOCTOR_*` fallback), the `setsid`+`kill -- -PGID` launch-smoke reaper with a readiness marker, and the **mutation-check** review discipline (revert the fix; if nothing goes red the test is decoration)
Archived (still useful as diagnosis records): [`docs/archive/linux-topbar-shim.md`](docs/archive/linux-topbar-shim.md) — the four topbar gates and the WCO/implicit-drag-region investigation (shim deleted; official builds render the topbar on Linux, and Bugs A/B/C moved to [`docs/upstream-reports/`](docs/upstream-reports/)); [`docs/archive/cowork-linux-handover.md`](docs/archive/cowork-linux-handover.md) — the 2.x patch-based Cowork stack handover.
## Code Style
All shell scripts in this project must follow the [Bash Style Guide](docs/styleguides/bash_styleguide.md). Key points:
- Tabs for indentation, lines under 80 characters (exception: URLs and regex patterns)
- Use `[[ ]]` for conditionals, `$(...)` for command substitution
- Single quotes for literals, double quotes for expansions
- Lowercase variables; UPPERCASE only for constants/exports
- Use `local` in functions, avoid `set -e` and `eval`
### Anti-patterns
- **Don't `set -e`.** It interacts badly with `$(...)` capture and function return values, and the project has historically debugged enough silent exits to settle the question. Check status explicitly: `cmd || handle_err`.
- **Don't `eval`.** Use arrays for argv composition (`cmd "${args[@]}"`). `eval` defeats every parser and is a permanent SC2046 magnet.
- **Don't use POSIX `[ ... ]`.** Always `[[ ... ]]`. POSIX `[` mis-parses unquoted expansions in ways `[[` does not.
- **Don't backtick.** Always `$(...)`. Backticks don't nest cleanly and conflict with markdown when patches are pasted into PR comments.
- **Don't hardcode the work directory.** Scripts that operate during a build use `$work_dir` (set by `build.sh`). A hardcoded path silently breaks the AppImage build, which runs in a different layout from the deb/rpm builds.
- **Don't wrap commands in `if cmd; then true; else false; fi`-style scaffolding.** Just `cmd` — the exit code is already there.
- **Don't append to a baseline file to silence `shellcheck`.** Fix the underlying issue. If a warning is genuinely a false positive, use a per-line `# shellcheck disable=SCXXXX` with a comment explaining why.
### Linting
Shell scripts are checked with `shellcheck` and GitHub Actions workflows with `actionlint` before pushing. When lint issues are found:
1. **Fix the code** - Correct the underlying issue rather than suppressing the warning
2. **Disable directives are a last resort** - Only use `# shellcheck disable=SCXXXX` when:
- The warning is a false positive
- The pattern is intentional and unavoidable
- Always add a comment explaining why the disable is needed
3. **Run `/lint` to check manually** - Use this skill to check for issues before pushing
## Docs
- **One declarative sentence then a code block or list at the top of every page.** No "In this guide we will explore…" preamble. See [`docs/styleguides/docs_styleguide.md`](docs/styleguides/docs_styleguide.md).
- **Lowercase kebab-case filenames** for everything in `docs/`. Order belongs in [`docs/index.md`](docs/index.md), not filenames or numeric prefixes.
- **Real domain nouns over `foo`/`bar`** in walkthroughs. The project vocabulary is `patches`, `the launcher`, `the worker`, `app.asar`, `the minified bundle`, `the asar archive`, `the doctor surface`.
- **Subsystem deep-dives go under [`docs/learnings/`](docs/learnings/).** Surfacing knowledge there beats burying it in commit messages or in patch-script comments. Add an entry when you discover something non-obvious that would save the next contributor significant time.
- **Decisions go in [`docs/decisions.md`](docs/decisions.md) (ADR format).** Don't relitigate a settled direction inside a how-to page; link the decision instead.
- **Troubleshooting headings are the literal symptom**, not editorialized prose. `## Black screen on Fedora KDE under Wayland`, not `## Troubles with Wayland`. Search ranks headings.
- **CHANGELOG follows [Keep a Changelog 1.1.0](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/).** Bullets grouped under Added / Fixed / Changed / Deprecated / Removed / Security; one bullet per change; PR link for the deep dive; inline **BREAKING** prefix for breaking changes. See [`CHANGELOG.md`](CHANGELOG.md) for the current state and [`RELEASING.md`](RELEASING.md) for when entries get promoted from `[Unreleased]`.
## GitHub Workflow
### General Approach
- Use `gh` CLI for all GitHub interactions
- Create branches based on issue numbers: `fix/123-description` or `feature/123-description`
- Reference issues in commits and PRs with `#123` or `Fixes #123`
- After creating a PR, add a comment to the related issue with a summary and link to the PR
### Investigating Issues
For older issues, review the state of the code when the issue was raised - it may have already been addressed:
```bash
# Get issue creation date
gh issue view 123 --json createdAt
# Find the commit just before the issue was created
git log --oneline --until="2025-08-23T08:48:35Z" -1
# View a file at that point in time
git show <commit>:path/to/file.sh
# Search for relevant changes since the issue was created
git log --oneline --after="2025-08-23" -- path/to/file.sh
# View a specific commit that may have fixed the issue
git show <commit>
```
This helps identify if the issue was already fixed, and allows referencing the specific commit in the response.
### Attribution
**For PR descriptions**, include full attribution:
```
---
Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)
Co-Authored-By: Claude <model-name> <[email protected]>
<XX>% AI / <YY>% Human
Claude: <what AI did>
Human: <what human did>
```
- Use the actual model name (e.g., `Claude Opus 4.5`, `Claude Sonnet 4`)
- The percentage split should honestly reflect the contribution balance for that specific work
- This provides a trackable record of AI-assisted development over time
**For issues and comments**, use simplified attribution:
```
---
Written by Claude <model-name> via [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)
```
**For commits**, include a Co-Authored-By trailer:
```
Co-Authored-By: Claude <[email protected]>
```
### Contributor Credits
[`ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.md`](ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.md) credits external contributors in chronological order (by merge date or fix date); the README Acknowledgments section keeps only the three inspirational projects and links there. Update `ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.md` when:
1. **Merging an external PR** — Add the author to the list with a link to their GitHub profile and a brief description of their contribution.
2. **Implementing a fix suggested in an issue** — If an issue author (or commenter) provided a concrete fix, workaround, code snippet, or detailed technical analysis that was directly used, credit them too.
Contributors are listed in chronological order: inspirational projects first (k3d3, emsi, leobuskin), then contributors ordered by when their contribution was merged or implemented.
## Working with Minified JavaScript
### Important Guidelines
1. **Always use regex patterns** when modifying the source JavaScript. Patches live in `scripts/patches/*.sh` — `app-asar.sh` is the orchestrator with the explicit `active_patches` array (currently `quick-window.sh`, `org-plugins.sh`, `virtiofsd-probe.sh`, and `cowork-bwrap.sh`; `config.sh` is sourced but parked/unwired). An empty array ships the official `app.asar` byte-identical (patch-zero). Since upstream 1.19367.0 the main process is **code-split**: `.vite/build/index.js` is a stub that `require()`s a content-hashed `index.chunk-<hash>.js` main chunk, so patches operate on `$main_js` (resolved by `_resolve_main_js` in `app-asar.sh`), not on `index.js` directly — one patch can even span chunks (see `cowork-bwrap.sh`'s warm chunk). Variable and function names are minified and **change between releases**; full anchor-craft and code-split lessons are in [`docs/learnings/patching-minified-js.md`](docs/learnings/patching-minified-js.md).
2. **The beautified code in `build-reference/` has different spacing** than the actual minified code in the app. Patterns must handle both:
- Minified: `oe.nativeTheme.on("updated",()=>{`
- Beautified: `oe.nativeTheme.on("updated", () => {`
3. **Use `-E` flag with sed** for extended regex support when patterns need grouping or alternation.
4. **Extract variable names dynamically** rather than hardcoding them. Example (from `scripts/patches/quick-window.sh`), where `$index_js` is `${main_js:-…/index.js}` — the resolved main chunk:
```bash
# The minified Quick Entry window var, anchored on a stable literal
quick_var=$(grep -oP '[$\w]+(?=\.setAlwaysOnTop\(\s*!0\s*,\s*"pop-up-menu"\))' \
"$index_js")
```
5. **Handle optional whitespace** in regex patterns:
```bash
# Bad: assumes no spaces
sed -i 's/oe.nativeTheme.on("updated",()=>{/...'
# Good: handles optional whitespace
sed -i -E 's/(oe\.nativeTheme\.on\(\s*"updated"\s*,\s*\(\)\s*=>\s*\{)/...'
```
### Reference Files
- `build-reference/app-extracted/` - Extracted and beautified source for analysis
- `build-reference/tray-icons/` - Tray icon assets for reference
## Patch Orchestration (patch-zero)
`scripts/patches/app-asar.sh` owns the asar patch stage:
- **`active_patches` array** — the only place a patch gets wired in. Empty array ⇒ no extract, no repack, official `app.asar` ships byte-identical.
- **productName guard** — the build fails if upstream's `productName` stops matching `WM_CLASS` (breaks `StartupWMClass` in every `.desktop` file).
- **Upstream tripwires (AU-1/MB-1)** — the build fails if the official bundle stops shipping `apt_channel_pending` (autoupdater still pending, see [D-001](docs/decisions.md)) or `menuBarEnabled:!0` (menu-bar default). These replace the per-patch WARNINGs that left with the v3.0.0 deletions.
- **Config-wipe recovery is launcher-side, not an asar patch** — `backup_user_config` in `launcher-common.sh` rotates backups of `claude_desktop_config.json` and the Cowork stores before each launch (patch-zero-clean). The in-band `config.sh` guard is parked; if ever re-armed, its CFG-1 anchor-miss returns non-zero. See [`docs/learnings/config-wipe-guard.md`](docs/learnings/config-wipe-guard.md).
- **Repack invariant** — the unpacked-file set is derived from the shipped `app.asar.unpacked` tree and must match after repack, so upstream native helpers can't silently inline.
The 2.x frame-fix wrapper (`frame-fix-wrapper.js` `require('electron')` interception) is **gone** — the official build owns its window behavior. Any proposal to intercept Electron APIs again must clear the patch-zero bar in [D-002](docs/decisions.md).
## Setting Up build-reference
If `build-reference/` is missing or you need to inspect source for a new version, extract and beautify the bundle from the **official Linux `.deb`** (the Windows-installer recipe died with the v3.0.0 rebase).
### Prerequisites
```bash
# Install required tools (ar comes from binutils)
sudo apt install binutils wget xz-utils zstd nodejs npm
# Install asar and prettier globally (or use npx)
npm install -g @electron/asar prettier
```
### Step 1: Download the official .deb
The pinned version, pool path, and SHA-256 live in `scripts/setup/official-deb.sh` (`OFFICIAL_DEB_*`). To fetch the pinned amd64 build:
```bash
mkdir -p build-reference && cd build-reference
# Read the current pin
source ../scripts/setup/official-deb.sh 2>/dev/null || true
wget -O claude-desktop.deb \
"https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-desktop/apt/stable/$OFFICIAL_DEB_POOL_AMD64"
echo "$OFFICIAL_DEB_SHA256_AMD64 claude-desktop.deb" | sha256sum -c
```
To inspect the newest pool entry instead, resolve it from the Packages index (`resolve_official_deb` in `official-deb.sh` does the same thing):
```bash
curl -fsS "https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-desktop/apt/stable/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages" \
| awk -v RS='' '/claude-desktop/' | grep -E '^(Version|Filename|SHA256):'
```
### Step 2: Extract the .deb
No dpkg required — `ar` + `tar` handle every member (the data member has shipped as both `.tar.zst` and `.tar.xz`; check with `ar t`):
```bash
ar t claude-desktop.deb # list members
ar p claude-desktop.deb data.tar.xz | tar -J -x # or --zstd for .tar.zst
# The app tree lands at usr/lib/claude-desktop/
cp usr/lib/claude-desktop/resources/app.asar .
cp -a usr/lib/claude-desktop/resources/app.asar.unpacked .
# Optional: hicolor icons for reference
cp -a usr/share/icons/hicolor tray-icons
```
### Step 3: Extract app.asar
```bash
asar extract app.asar app-extracted
```
### Step 4: Beautify the JavaScript Files
The extracted JS files are minified. Use prettier to make them readable:
```bash
# Beautify all JS files in the build directory. Since 1.19367.0 the main
# process is code-split, so index.js is a tiny stub and the real main
# code lives in index.chunk-<hash>.js — the glob covers every chunk.
npx prettier --write "app-extracted/.vite/build/*.js"
# The main-process chunk is the biggest .vite/build/*.js (index.js just
# require()s it). Resolve it from the stub if you want to beautify only it:
main_chunk=$(grep -oP 'require\("\./\Kindex\.chunk-[^"]+\.js(?="\))' \
app-extracted/.vite/build/index.js)
npx prettier --write "app-extracted/.vite/build/$main_chunk"
```
### Step 5: Clean Up (Optional)
```bash
# Keep only what's needed for reference
rm -rf usr claude-desktop.deb
rm -rf app.asar app.asar.unpacked # Keep only app-extracted
```
### Final Structure
```
build-reference/
├── app-extracted/
│ ├── .vite/
│ │ ├── build/
│ │ │ ├── index.js # Main-process entry stub
│ │ │ ├── index.chunk-<hash>.js # Main process (code-split, 1.19367.0+)
│ │ │ ├── mainWindow.js # Main window preload
│ │ │ ├── mainView.js # Main view preload
│ │ │ └── ...
│ │ └── renderer/
│ │ └── ...
│ ├── node_modules/
│ │ └── @ant/claude-native/ # Rust native binding (real on Linux)
│ └── package.json
└── tray-icons/ # Official hicolor icons (optional)
```
Remember that patterns verified against beautified output need the whitespace-tolerant form when applied to the shipped minified bytes (see the guidelines above).
## Adding New Package Formats or Repositories
When adding support for new distribution formats (e.g., RPM, Flatpak, Snap) or package repositories, follow these guidelines to avoid iterative debugging in CI.
### Research Before Implementing
1. **Understand the target system's constraints** - Each package format has specific rules:
- Version string formats (e.g., RPM cannot have hyphens in Version field)
- Required metadata fields
- Signing requirements and tools
2. **Search for existing CI implementations** - Look for "GitHub Actions [format] signing" or similar. Existing workflows reveal required flags, environment setup, and common pitfalls.
3. **Check tool behavior in non-interactive environments** - CI has no TTY. Tools like GPG need flags like `--batch` and `--yes` to work without prompts.
### Consider Concurrency
1. **Multiple jobs writing to the same branch will race** - If APT and DNF repos both push to `gh-pages`, add:
- Job dependencies (`needs: [other-job]`), or
- Retry loops with `git pull --rebase` before push
2. **External processes may also modify branches** - GitHub Pages deployment runs automatically and can cause push conflicts.
### Test the Full Pipeline
1. **Test CI steps locally first** - Run the signing/packaging commands manually to catch errors before committing.
2. **Use a test tag for new infrastructure** - Create a non-release tag to validate the full CI pipeline before merging to main.
3. **Verify the end-user experience** - After CI succeeds, actually test the install commands from the README on a clean system.
### Common CI Pitfalls
| Issue | Solution |
|-------|----------|
| GPG "cannot open /dev/tty" | Add `--batch` flag |
| GPG "File exists" error | Add `--yes` flag to overwrite |
| Push rejected (ref changed) | Add `git pull --rebase` before push, with retry loop |
| Version format invalid | Research target format's version constraints upfront |
| Signing key not found | Ensure key is imported before signing step, check key ID output |
## CI/CD
### Triggering Builds
```bash
# Trigger CI on a branch
gh workflow run CI --ref branch-name
# Watch the run
gh run watch RUN_ID
# Download artifacts
gh run download RUN_ID -n artifact-name
```
### Build Artifacts
- `claude-desktop-unofficial_VERSION_amd64.deb` / `claude-desktop-unofficial_VERSION_arm64.deb` - Debian packages
- `claude-desktop_1.16000.0-1_all.deb` - transitional apt package (produced by the amd64 leg) that migrates legacy `claude-desktop` installs from our repo to `claude-desktop-unofficial`
- `claude-desktop-unofficial-VERSION-1.x86_64.rpm` / `claude-desktop-unofficial-VERSION-1.aarch64.rpm` - RPM packages
- `claude-desktop-unofficial-VERSION-amd64.AppImage` / `claude-desktop-unofficial-VERSION-arm64.AppImage` - AppImages (+ `.zsync` in CI)
- `result/` - Nix build output (symlink, gitignored; the derivation is a stub until the @typedrat rework lands)
One cross-building `build.yml` produces all of these from `ubuntu-latest` via the `--arch` input (see [`docs/learnings/cross-build-host-vs-target.md`](docs/learnings/cross-build-host-vs-target.md) for the host-vs-target trap).
## Distribution
APT and DNF binaries are fronted by a Cloudflare Worker at `pkg.claude-desktop-debian.dev`. Metadata (`InRelease`, `Packages`, `KEY.gpg`, `repodata/*`) passes through to the `gh-pages` branch; binary requests (`/pool/.../*.deb`, `/rpm/*/*.rpm`) get 302'd to the corresponding GitHub Release asset. This keeps `.deb` / `.rpm` files out of `gh-pages` entirely, so they never hit GitHub's 100 MB per-file push cap.
Key files:
- `worker/src/worker.js` — Worker source
- `worker/wrangler.toml` — Worker config (route, `custom_domain = true`)
- `.github/workflows/deploy-worker.yml` — deploys on push to `main` when `worker/**` changes
- `.github/workflows/apt-repo-heartbeat.yml` — daily chain validation, auto-opens tracking issue on failure
- `update-apt-repo` and `update-dnf-repo` jobs in `.github/workflows/ci.yml` — gate a strip step on Worker liveness, so binaries are removed from the local pool tree before push
Repo secrets: `CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN`, `CLOUDFLARE_ACCOUNT_ID`. Token scoped to the "Edit Cloudflare Workers" template.
Full details including the redirect chain, the http-scheme-downgrade gotcha, credential ownership, and heartbeat failure runbook: [`docs/learnings/apt-worker-architecture.md`](docs/learnings/apt-worker-architecture.md).
## Testing
### Local Build
```bash
./build.sh --build appimage --clean no
```
### Nix Build
```bash
nix build .#claude-desktop
nix build .#claude-desktop-fhs
```
The derivation repackages the official `.deb` (`fetchurl` + `autoPatchelfHook`, no nixpkgs Electron). Build-verified on x86_64 only — runtime on real NixOS and the aarch64 leg are open validation items (owner @typedrat; design contract and testing recipe in [`docs/learnings/nix.md`](docs/learnings/nix.md)).
### Testing AppImage
```bash
# Run with logging
./test-build/claude-desktop-*.AppImage 2>&1 | tee ~/.cache/claude-desktop-debian/launcher.log
```
## Debugging Workflow
### Inspecting the Running App's Code
```bash
# Find the mounted AppImage path
mount | grep claude
# Example: /tmp/.mount_claudeXXXXXX
# Extract the running app's asar for inspection (official bare
# co-located layout: ELF + chrome-sandbox + resources/ side by side)
npx asar extract /tmp/.mount_claudeXXXXXX/usr/lib/claude-desktop/resources/app.asar /tmp/claude-inspect
# Search for patterns in the extracted code. Since 1.19367.0 the main
# process is code-split, so grep across all chunks (index.js is a stub);
# main-process anchors live in index.chunk-<hash>.js.
grep -rn "pattern" /tmp/claude-inspect/.vite/build/
```
### Checking DBus/Tray Status
```bash
# List registered tray icons
gdbus call --session --dest=org.kde.StatusNotifierWatcher \
--object-path=/StatusNotifierWatcher \
--method=org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties.Get \
org.kde.StatusNotifierWatcher RegisteredStatusNotifierItems
# Find which process owns a DBus connection
gdbus call --session --dest=org.freedesktop.DBus \
--object-path=/org/freedesktop/DBus \
--method=org.freedesktop.DBus.GetConnectionUnixProcessID ":1.XXXX"
```
### Log Locations
- Launcher log: `~/.cache/claude-desktop-debian/launcher.log`
- App logs: `~/.config/Claude/logs/`
- Run with logging: `./app.AppImage 2>&1 | tee ~/.cache/claude-desktop-debian/launcher.log`
## Useful Locations
- App data: `~/.config/Claude/`
- Logs: `~/.config/Claude/logs/`
- SingletonLock: `~/.config/Claude/SingletonLock`
- Launcher log: `~/.cache/claude-desktop-debian/launcher.log`
## Versioning
Release versions are managed via two GitHub Actions repository variables (not files):
- **`REPO_VERSION`** - The project's own version (e.g., `1.3.23`). Bump this manually via `gh variable set REPO_VERSION --body "X.Y.Z"` when shipping project changes.
- **`CLAUDE_DESKTOP_VERSION`** - The upstream Claude Desktop version (e.g., `1.1.8629`). Updated automatically by the `check-claude-version` workflow when a new upstream release is detected.
### Tag format
Tags follow the pattern `v{REPO_VERSION}+claude{CLAUDE_DESKTOP_VERSION}`, e.g., `v1.3.23+claude1.1.7714`. Pushing a tag triggers the CI release build.
```bash
# Check current values
gh variable get REPO_VERSION
gh variable get CLAUDE_DESKTOP_VERSION
# Bump repo version and tag a release
gh variable set REPO_VERSION --body "1.3.24"
git tag "v1.3.24+claude$(gh variable get CLAUDE_DESKTOP_VERSION)"
git push origin "v1.3.24+claude$(gh variable get CLAUDE_DESKTOP_VERSION)"
```
When upstream Claude Desktop updates, the `check-claude-version` workflow resolves the newest entry from the official APT `Packages` indexes (both arches, with a cross-arch agreement gate), seds the `OFFICIAL_DEB_*` pins in `scripts/setup/official-deb.sh` (and the Nix SRI hashes once the derivation stops being a stub), updates `CLAUDE_DESKTOP_VERSION`, and creates a new tag — no manual intervention needed. **Do not run it by hand from a branch**: the auto-tag cuts a release with whatever `REPO_VERSION` is staged.
## Common Gotchas
- **`.zsync` files** - Used for delta updates, can be ignored/deleted
- **AppImage mount points** - Running AppImages mount to `/tmp/.mount_claude*`; check with `mount | grep claude`
- **Killing the app** - Must kill all electron child processes, not just the main one:
```bash
pkill -9 -f "mount_claude"
```
- **SingletonLock** - If app won't start, check for stale lock: `~/.config/Claude/SingletonLock`
- **Node version** - Build requires Node.js; the script downloads its own if needed (keyed to the HOST arch — see the cross-build learning)
- **Version pins** - The official `.deb` version, pool paths, and SHA-256 sums are pinned in `scripts/setup/official-deb.sh` (`OFFICIAL_DEB_*`), updated automatically by `check-claude-version` on main (which also seds the Nix SRI once the derivation lands). Before committing `scripts/setup/official-deb.sh`, ensure your branch carries the latest pins:
```bash
# Check repo variable (source of truth)
gh variable get CLAUDE_DESKTOP_VERSION
# Check the pinned version on your branch
grep -oP "^OFFICIAL_DEB_VERSION='\K[^']+" scripts/setup/official-deb.sh
# What the official pool currently serves
curl -fsS "https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-desktop/apt/stable/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages" \
| grep -E '^Version:' | sort -V | tail -1
```
- **data.tar compression varies** - Upstream has shipped both `data.tar.zst` and `data.tar.xz`; `_extract_deb_member` in `official-deb.sh` handles zst/xz/gz/plain, so never hardcode one