SquashMate - AppImage & Deb Package Manager

A simple and elegant desktop application for managing AppImage installations and .deb package installations on Linux systems.

Background

Why SquashMate was created:

I built SquashMate out of personal frustration with managing application updates on Linux. As a developer, I frequently use tools like Cursor (AI-powered code editor) and Discord, which often come as AppImages or .deb packages. The update process was always tedious:

• AppImages: Download, make executable, extract, create desktop entries manually
• .deb packages: Terminal commands, dependency resolution, permission issues

One day, after spending 30 minutes wrestling with Cursor and Discord updates, I decided to create a proper GUI tool that would handle all of this automatically. SquashMate started as a simple script to update Cursor, but quickly evolved into a comprehensive package manager that works with any AppImage or .deb package.

The name "SquashMate":

• "Squash" comes from the AppImage extraction process (squashfs filesystem)
• "Mate" because it's your friendly companion for package management

Now, what used to take 30+ minutes of terminal commands takes just a few clicks in a clean, intuitive interface. Whether you're updating Cursor, installing Discord, or managing any other Linux application, SquashMate makes it effortless.

Features

Installation Management

• Easy AppImage Selection: Browse and select AppImage files with a clean file picker
• Easy .deb Package Selection: Browse and select .deb package files with a clean file picker
• Automatic AppImage Installation: Extracts and installs AppImages to ~/Applications/
• Automatic .deb Installation: Installs .deb packages using dpkg/apt with dependency resolution
• Desktop Integration: Creates .desktop files for AppImage launcher integration
• Progress Tracking: Real-time status updates and progress indication for both package types
• Version Management: Handles app updates while preserving user configurations
• Dependency Resolution: Automatically installs .deb package dependencies

Installed Items Management

• Unified Applications List: View all installed AppImages and .deb packages in one place
• Launch Applications: Launch installed AppImages directly from SquashMate
• Uninstall Applications/Packages: Remove apps/packages with confirmation dialogs
• Type Identification: Clear visual indicators distinguish AppImages from .deb packages
• Refresh Functionality: Update the installed items list on demand
• Configuration Preservation: User settings are kept during AppImage uninstallation

Logging & Debugging

• Background Logging (no in-app viewer): Operations and launches are logged under ~/.local/share/squashmate/
• Application Launch Logs: Individual logs per AppImage (helpful if a launch fails)
• Package Installation Logs: Detailed logs for .deb package installations and uninstallations
• Desktop Launch Logging: Launches from the applications menu are also logged via a wrapper
• Launch Wrapper: ~/.local/bin/squashmate_launcher.py captures errors when apps start from desktop entries
• Error Debugging: Failed launches and installations capture stderr output for troubleshooting

User Interface

• Tabbed Interface: Separate tabs for AppImage installation, .deb installation, and unified management
• Modern UI: Clean, minimal interface built with PyQt5
• Status Logging: Real-time status updates and comprehensive logging for all operations

Requirements

• Python 3.6+
• PyQt5
• Linux (Ubuntu/Debian compatible)

Installation

1. Clone or download this repository
2. Install PyQt5 dependency:

   sudo apt install python3-pyqt5

3. Make scripts executable (already done):

   chmod +x squashmate.py launch.sh

4. Run the application:

   ./launch.sh
   # or directly:
   python3 squashmate.py

Quick Install & Run

git clone <repository-url>
cd SquashMate
./install_squashmate.sh

This will:

• Install PyQt5 dependency
• Add SquashMate to your applications menu
• Create a desktop entry with icon
• Make SquashMate accessible via "Show Apps"

Manual Installation

If you prefer to run without installing to the system:

sudo apt install python3-pyqt5
./launch.sh

Usage

Accessing SquashMate

• From Applications Menu: Search for "SquashMate" in Ubuntu's "Show Apps"
• From Terminal: Run ./launch.sh in the SquashMate directory
• Categories: Found under System > Utilities in the applications menu

Installing AppImages

1. Go to the "Install AppImage" tab
2. Click "Select AppImage" to choose an AppImage file
3. Click "Install/Update Application" to begin installation
4. Monitor progress in the status log
5. The installed application will be available in your system's application launcher

Installing .deb Packages

1. Go to the "Install .deb" tab
2. Click "Select .deb Package" to choose a .deb package file
3. Click "Install .deb Package" to begin installation
4. Monitor progress in the status log (includes dependency installation)
5. The installed package will be available system-wide

Managing Installed Applications and Packages

1. Go to the "Manage Installed" tab
2. View all installed AppImages (📦) and .deb packages (📋) in a unified list
3. Select an item to:
   • Launch: Run AppImages directly (not available for .deb packages)
   • Uninstall: Remove the application/package (with confirmation)
4. Use Refresh to update the list after manual changes

Tip: Uninstall requires a second, stricter confirmation where you type the item name to avoid accidental removal.

Log Locations (view with any text editor)

• Main Log: ~/.local/share/squashmate/squashmate.log
• App Logs: ~/.local/share/squashmate/apps/<AppName>.log
• Package Logs: ~/.local/share/squashmate/deb_packages.log
• Launch Wrapper: ~/.local/bin/squashmate_launcher.py

Troubleshooting Desktop Launches

If apps installed with SquashMate don't launch from Ubuntu's dashboard:

1. Check the log files directly at ~/.local/share/squashmate/apps/<AppName>.log
2. Desktop launches are marked as "Desktop Launch" in logs
3. Common issues include missing dependencies or permission problems

Uninstalling SquashMate

Run the uninstall script:

./uninstall_squashmate.sh

How It Works

AppImage Installation:

1. Extraction: Uses the AppImage's built-in --appimage-extract command
2. Installation: Moves extracted files to ~/Applications/<AppName>/
3. Desktop Entry: Creates a .desktop file with launcher wrapper for error logging
4. Launch Wrapper: Installs ~/.local/bin/squashmate_launcher.py for desktop launches
5. Permissions: Sets proper executable permissions for all components
6. Logging: All launches (from SquashMate and desktop) are logged with errors

.deb Package Installation:

1. Validation: Verifies the .deb file format and integrity
2. Package Info: Extracts package metadata (name, version, dependencies)
3. Dependency Check: Identifies and installs required dependencies using apt
4. Installation: Uses dpkg -i to install the package, with fallback dependency resolution
5. Verification: Confirms successful installation using dpkg -l
6. Logging: Records installation attempts, successes, and failures

Note on .desktop files: Use install_squashmate.sh to create a correct desktop entry for your machine. The repository version uses relative paths for safety.

Future Enhancements

The codebase is designed to be modular, making it easy to add support for:

• Other package formats (Flatpak, Snap, etc.)
• Custom installation directories
• Advanced configuration options
• Batch installations
• Package search and download from repositories

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.