Desktop-file-utils

lastmod 2026-02-18created 2026-02-183 edits

desktop-file-utils is a collection of utilities for managing .desktop files in Linux desktop environments.

Features

• desktop-file-validate - Validates that a .desktop file conforms to the freedesktop.org specification
• desktop-file-install - Installs a .desktop file into the appropriate directory (/usr/share/applications/, etc.)
• update-desktop-database - Refreshes the MIME type cache to update file associations

A .desktop file defines a program's name, icon, launch command, MIME types, and so on as shown in the app launcher (application menu). When building packages or distributing custom apps, these tools are used to correctly install and validate desktop entries.

See also

• freedesktop.org
• desktop-file-utils
• gnome-menus
• mailcap

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