# What is a "desktop file"?

**URL:** <https://discourse.appimage.org/t/what-is-a-desktop-file/1346>\
**Category:** Creating AppImages\
**Created:** [July 18, 2019, 8:35am UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/what-is-a-desktop-file/1346 "2019-07-18T08:35:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ygramoel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/74df32/32.png) [@ygramoel](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/ygramoel)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 8:35am UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/what-is-a-desktop-file/1346/1 "2019-07-18T08:35:58Z")

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I am trying to create my first appimage and I have just read the online documentation. Most of it is clear, but there is one basic piece of information that I cannot find (overlooked?): how to create a desktop file and what its name or contents should be.

Google search for “appimage desktop file” does not seem to find this information either. Did I miss something? Is this something specific for appimage or is it a general thing for linux?

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**Author:** ![probono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/probono/32/81_2.png) [@probono](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/probono)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/what-is-a-desktop-file/1346/2 "2019-08-04T15:59:33Z")

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Desktop files are not specific to AppImage. Please see the freedesktop XDG desktop file specification.

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**Author:** ![ygramoel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/74df32/32.png) [@ygramoel](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/ygramoel)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2019, 7:58am UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/what-is-a-desktop-file/1346/3 "2019-08-05T07:58:31Z")

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You are right, thanks. I didn’t know desktop files and initially, I had some trouble finding the relevant documentation. This is the link that helped me: [https://specifications.freedesktop.org/menu-spec/menu-spec-1.0.html](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/menu-spec/menu-spec-1.0.html)