How to Install GitHub Desktop on Fedora Linux

GitHub Desktop is a powerful tool designed to simplify managing your code on GitHub. With GitHub Desktop, you can quickly and easily manage your repositories, collaborate with others, and keep track of changes to your code. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just getting started with coding, GitHub Desktop is a must-have tool for anyone looking to streamline their workflow.

Here are some key features of GitHub Desktop:

• Manage repositories: GitHub Desktop provides an easy-to-use interface for managing your repositories. You can clone, create, and edit repositories directly from the app.
• Collaborate with others: GitHub Desktop makes collaborating on your code easy. You can create pull requests, review code changes, and merge changes into your codebase.
• Keep track of changes: With GitHub Desktop, you can easily keep track of changes to your code. You can see who made changes, when, and what changes were made.
• Command line integration: GitHub Desktop integrates with the command line, allowing you to use both the GUI and the command line to manage your repositories.
• Cross-platform support: GitHub Desktop is available for Windows, macOS, and several popular Linux distributions.

Using Fedora Linux, you can install GitHub Desktop using the shiftkey third-party RPM. This guide will walk you through the installation process step by step. With GitHub Desktop, you can simplify your code management and collaborate more effectively with others.

Step 1: Update Fedora

Before installing GitHub Desktop, it’s important to ensure your Fedora system is up-to-date to avoid potential conflicts. Open your terminal and enter the following command to check for any outstanding updates:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

If you’ve recently updated your Linux Kernel, doing a system restart is recommended to ensure any changes take effect.

Step 2: Install GitHub Desktop

GitHub Desktop doesn’t offer official support for Linux distributions; a community-driven project called Shiftkey/Desktop supports various Linux distributions, including Fedora. Currently, a Shiftkey RPM mirror exists, making importing, installing, and keeping GitHub Desktop up-to-date easy for Fedora users.

There are currently two RPM mirrors, and we recommend using the first one provided by Shiftkey. However, you can use the second one as a backup if you encounter any issues.

Here are the steps to install GitHub Desktop on Fedora Linux using the shiftkey third-party RPM:

Option 1: Import @shiftkey package feed:

First, import the GPG key using the following command:

sudo rpm --import https://rpm.packages.shiftkey.dev/gpg.key

Once the GPG key is imported, import the RPM repo using the following command:

sudo sh -c 'echo -e "[shiftkey-packages]\nname=GitHub Desktop\nbaseurl=https://rpm.packages.shiftkey.dev/rpm/\nenabled=1\ngpgcheck=1\nrepo_gpgcheck=1\ngpgkey=https://rpm.packages.shiftkey.dev/gpg.key" > /etc/yum.repos.d/shiftkey-packages.repo'

Option 2 (Backup): @mwt package feed:

First, import the GPG key using the following command:

sudo rpm --import https://mirror.mwt.me/shiftkey-desktop/gpgkey

Once the GPG key is imported, import the RPM repo using the following command:

sudo sh -c 'echo -e "[mwt-packages]\nname=GitHub Desktop\nbaseurl=https://mirror.mwt.me/shiftkey-desktop/rpm\nenabled=1\ngpgcheck=1\nrepo_gpgcheck=1\ngpgkey=https://mirror.mwt.me/shiftkey-desktop/gpgkey" > /etc/yum.repos.d/mwt-packages.repo'

Finally, run the following command to install the GitHub Desktop client:

sudo dnf install github-desktop

Step 3: Launch GitHub Desktop Client

If you have completed the installation of GitHub Desktop on your Fedora Linux system, you may be wondering how to launch the application. Here are two methods to do it:

If you prefer to use the terminal, open it and type the following command to launch the GitHub Desktop client immediately:

github-desktop

If you prefer to use the application icon, you can find it in the following path:

Activities > Show Applications > GitHub Desktop

Click on the GitHub Desktop icon to launch the app on your system.

Example of GitHub desktop client icon on Fedora Linux:

Once you have installed and launched GitHub Desktop, there are several things you can do to customize and configure the app to suit your needs. Here are some tips to help you get started with GitHub Desktop:

• Configuring your user: To get started, you must configure your user account. Click on the “File” menu and select “Options” (Windows) or “Preferences” (Mac). From there, you can add your GitHub username and email address. This will allow you to commit changes to your repositories and collaborate with others on GitHub.
• Setting up your repository: To add a repository to GitHub Desktop, click on the “File” menu and select “Add Local Repository.” From there, you can browse your repository’s location on your local machine and select it. Once your repository has been added, you can manage it directly from GitHub Desktop.
• Customizing your view: GitHub Desktop offers several customization options to help you personalize your experience. You can change the theme and color scheme of the app, as well as customize the columns displayed in the repository list. Click on the “View” menu and select “Options” (Windows) or “Preferences” (Mac) to access these customization options.
• Using keyboard shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts are a great way to improve your workflow and save time. GitHub Desktop offers several keyboard shortcuts to help you perform common tasks more quickly. Click on the “Help” menu and select “Keyboard Shortcuts” to view a list of available shortcuts.
• Exploring the features: GitHub Desktop offers many powerful features that can help you manage your repositories and collaborate with others. These features include branch management, code review, and pull requests. Take some time to explore these features and see how they can help you streamline your workflow.

Example of GitHub Desktop application open on Fedora Linux:

Additional Tips

Updating GitHub Desktop

Keeping your GitHub Desktop client up-to-date is important to ensure that you have access to the latest features and bug fixes. If you imported the RPM as outlined in this guide, updating GitHub Desktop is straightforward. Run the following command using the DNF package manager to check for updates:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

If a new version of GitHub Desktop is available, DNF will prompt you to install it with any other system updates.

Removing GitHub Desktop

If you no longer need to use GitHub Desktop and want to remove it from your system, you can do so with the following command:

sudo dnf remove github-desktop

Additionally, suppose you don’t plan to use GitHub Desktop again using the RPM method. In that case, you can remove the repositories using one of the following commands that match the repository you imported:

sudo rm /etc/yum.repos.d/shiftkey-packages.repo

sudo rm  /etc/yum.repos.d/mwt-packages.repo

Conclusion

In conclusion, GitHub Desktop is a powerful tool that makes it easier to manage and collaborate on code repositories on GitHub. While GitHub Desktop does not offer official support for Linux distributions, a community-driven project called Shiftkey/Desktop supports various Linux distributions, including Fedora. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily install and launch GitHub Desktop on your Fedora Linux system and customize and configure the app to suit your needs.

Once you have GitHub Desktop up and running, you can explore its many powerful features, including branch management, code review, and pull requests. Additionally, GitHub Desktop offers several customization options, such as changing the theme and color scheme of the app, as well as customizing the columns displayed in the repository list.

Finally, it’s important to keep your GitHub Desktop client up-to-date to ensure that you have access to the latest features and bug fixes. Following the additional tips outlined in this guide, you can easily update or remove the GitHub Desktop as needed.

FAQs on GitHub Desktop on Fedora