macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install desktop-file-utilslocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install desktop-file-utilsMacPorts ports tree · gnome/desktop-file-utils/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install desktop-file-utils with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Command-line utilities for working with desktop entries. Version 0.28 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add desktop-file-utilsAlpine Linux edge package indexes · desktop-file-utils · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install desktop-file-utilsDebian stable package indexes · desktop-file-utils · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install desktop-file-utilsFedora Rawhide package metadata · desktop-file-utils · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#desktop-file-utilsnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/de/desktop-file-utils/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S desktop-file-utilsArch Linux sync databases · desktop-file-utils · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install desktop-file-utilsopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · desktop-file-utils · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Command-line utilities for working with desktop entries
Project links
Commands and aliases
- desktop-file-edit
- desktop-file-install
- desktop-file-validate
- update-desktop-database
history
Project history and usage
desktop-file-utils is a freedesktop.org utility collection for working with desktop entry files. Its commands validate .desktop files, install or edit them, and update the MIME-type cache derived from desktop entries.
Project history
The release archive starts with version 0.1 in September 2003, and the NEWS file describes that initial release as containing desktop-file-validate and desktop-file-install. Over time the project added update-desktop-database, support for newer desktop-entry specification versions, Meson builds, and a wider set of recognized desktop environments.
Adoption history
desktop-file-utils became part of the practical plumbing of Linux desktop packaging because application packages ship .desktop launchers and MIME handlers that need validation and cache updates. The freedesktop.org page documents development in the xdg/desktop-file-utils GitLab repository and release tarballs on freedesktop.org.
How it is used
Packagers and desktop maintainers use desktop-file-validate to catch desktop-entry specification violations, desktop-file-install and desktop-file-edit to install or modify entries, and update-desktop-database to rebuild the cache of MIME types handled by desktop files.
Why package nerds care
For package nerds, desktop-file-utils is classic Linux desktop infrastructure: it rarely appears in screenshots, but it enforces the metadata that makes launchers, menus, MIME associations, and desktop integration work consistently across distributions.
Timeline
- 2003: Version 0.1 initial release contained desktop-file-validate and desktop-file-install.
- 2004: Version 0.7 added update-desktop-database.
- 2020: Version 0.25 added Meson build support and deprecated Autotools.
- 2023: Version 0.27 removed Autotools support and added desktop spec 1.5 support.
- 2024: Version 0.28 was released.
Related projects
- Related freedesktop.org standards include the Desktop Entry Specification and the broader XDG desktop integration specifications.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:database
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 8 platform targets.
- Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 3 build dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
desktop-file-edit | cli | global executable | |
desktop-file-install | cli | global executable | |
desktop-file-validate | cli | global executable | |
update-desktop-database | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-07-08
manager version0.28
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://wiki.freedesktop.org/www/Software/desktop-file-utils/
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://wiki.freedesktop.org/www/Software/desktop-file-utils/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:desktop-file-utils |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.28 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/desktop-file-utils |
| Homepage | https://wiki.freedesktop.org/www/Software/desktop-file-utils/ |
| Repository | https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xdg/desktop-file-utils |
| Upstream docs | https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/desktop-file-utils |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://www.freedesktop.org/software/desktop-file-utils/releases/desktop-file-utils-0.28.tar.xz |
| Dependencies | gettext, glib |
| Build dependencies | meson, ninja, pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | desktop-file-utils |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
desktop-file-utils 0.28-1
Utilities for .desktop files
https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/desktop-file-utils
sudo apt install desktop-file-utils- Section: devel
- Architecture: amd64
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Desktop File Utils
Nix95%
desktop-file-utils
nix profile install nixpkgs#desktop-file-utils- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Desktop File Utils
Ubuntu apt95%
desktop-file-utils 0.27-2build1
Utilities for .desktop files
https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/desktop-file-utils
sudo apt install desktop-file-utils- Section: devel
- Architecture: amd64
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Desktop File Utils
apk95%
desktop-file-utils 0.28-r0
Command line utilities for working with desktop entries
https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/desktop-file-utils
sudo apk add desktop-file-utils- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: desktop-file-utils
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Desktop File Utils
apk95%
desktop-file-utils-doc 0.28-r0
Command line utilities for working with desktop entries (documentation)
https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/desktop-file-utils
sudo apk add desktop-file-utils-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: desktop-file-utils
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Desktop File Utils
apk95%
desktop-file-utils-emacs 0.28-r0
Emacs mode for desktop-file-utils
https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/desktop-file-utils
sudo apk add desktop-file-utils-emacs- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: desktop-file-utils
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Desktop File Utils
dnf95%
desktop-file-utils 0.28-5.fc44
Utilities for manipulating .desktop files
https://www.freedesktop.org/software/desktop-file-utils
sudo dnf install desktop-file-utils- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: desktop-file-utils
- 6 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Desktop File Utils
pacman95%
desktop-file-utils 0.28-1
Command line utilities for working with desktop entries
https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/desktop-file-utils
sudo pacman -S desktop-file-utils- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Desktop File Utils
zypper95%
desktop-file-utils 0.28-3.2
Utilities for Manipulating Desktop Files
https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/desktop-file-utils
sudo zypper install desktop-file-utils- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Development/Tools/Other
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: desktop-file-utils
- 7 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Desktop File Utils
MacPorts95%
desktop-file-utils
sudo port install desktop-file-utils- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Desktop File Utils
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment