anthropics / anthropics/claude-code
Claude Desktop (Linux beta): support Fedora/RHEL and atomic/immutable distros (e.g. Bazzite, Silverblue, Kinoite)
- Dominant language
- Python
- Stars
- 145k
- Forks
- 23.1k
- PR merge metrics
- PR metrics pending
Description
## Summary
The [Claude Desktop on Linux](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/desktop-linux) beta currently only supports Debian/Ubuntu via an apt repository or a downloaded `.deb`. The docs explicitly note:
> **Fedora and RHEL**: only Debian-based distributions are supported today.
Please add official support for Fedora/RHEL-family distros, including atomic/immutable variants (Fedora Silverblue/Kinoite, Bazzite, etc.) that use `rpm-ostree` instead of `dnf`/`apt`.
## Why this matters
A growing number of desktop Linux users are on Fedora Atomic spins (Bazzite, Silverblue, Kinoite, uCore, Aurora) or RHEL-family systems, none of which can use the documented apt-based install path at all (no `apt`/`dpkg` present).
## What I tried as a workaround
On Bazzite 44 (Kinoite, rpm-ostree-based):
1. Downloaded the published `.deb` per the "Install from a downloaded file" instructions.
2. Converted it with `alien --to-rpm --scripts -k` inside an isolated Fedora toolbox container (to avoid touching the host).
3. Layered the resulting `.rpm` onto the host with `rpm-ostree install`.
The conversion succeeded and dependency resolution against Fedora repos passed cleanly (standard shared libs: gtk3, nss, alsa, cairo, pango, etc. — no Debian-specific deps left over), so a native `.rpm` build should be very feasible. This is only a personal workaround though — it's not a substitute for an official, tested package.
## Ask
- A native `.rpm` (and/or Flatpak, which would also solve atomic-distro distribution cleanly) published alongside the `.deb`.
- If a `.rpm` isn't planned soon, even documenting a supported/blessed workaround (e.g. toolbox/distrobox-based install) would help users on Fedora Atomic systems in the meantime.
Happy to help test on Bazzite if useful.
Contributor guide
No contributing guide indexed for this repository
Research direction
Start by reading the linked Claude Desktop Linux documentation and the current apt repository and downloaded .deb installation paths. Compare the requirements for Fedora/RHEL and atomic distributions, then define whether completion means a tested native .rpm, Flatpak, or an officially supported workaround documented for those systems.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- fedora, linux
- Domain
- desktop, operating-systems, release
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Active
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100