libretro / libretro/RetroArch

[Feature Request] Add update feature for the AppImage (GNU/Linux)

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#18,924 1 comment 10 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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feature request
Dominant language
C
Stars
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Forks
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Avg merge
7h 35m
Merged PRs (30d)
51

Description

What should happen

The AppImage Documentation - Making AppImages updateable document has the information that we need to properly support this.

Proposed implementations
  • Command line option: --update-appimage
  • GUI: Main Menu → Online Updater → Check for AppImage update [new entry]
Who would this benefit

This feature would benefit all GNU/Linux users by simplifying updates and ensuring they always have the latest version without manual downloads.

Other emulators or software with a similar feature

Updating AppImages improve user experience and reduce manual maintenance. This feature is already implemented in other emulator projects, including:

  • Cemu: Help → Check for updates
  • PCSX2: Help → Check for Updates
  • RPCS3: Help → Check for Updates
  • shadPS4QtLauncher: Help → Check for Updates

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Read the linked AppImage documentation first, then inspect RetroArch's existing command-line option handling and the Main Menu → Online Updater entry point. Done means GNU/Linux users can check for and apply AppImage updates through both the proposed --update-appimage option and the new GUI menu entry.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
c, linux
Domain
cli, desktop
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
52/100

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