Yes. Because the core of GitHub Desktop is open-source (built on Electron), the community maintains a fork specifically for Linux. These builds are distributed for and are functionally identical to the official Windows and Mac versions. How to Install GitHub Desktop (.deb)
sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/shiftkey-packages.gpg] https://shiftkey.dev any main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.dir/shiftkey-packages.list' Use code with caution. Step 3: Update and Install
Set your global username and email. This information attaches to your commits. It is best to match the email used on your GitHub account. 3. Clone or Create a Repository
wget -qO - https://apt.packages.shiftkey.dev/gpg.key | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/shiftkey-packages.gpg > /dev/null github desktop deb free
If you prefer not to add a third-party repository to your system, you can download the standalone .deb installer directly. Step 1: Fetch the Latest Release
Update your package index once more to recognize the new repository, then install the application: sudo apt update sudo apt install github-desktop -y Use code with caution. Method 2: Direct Download of the .deb Package
sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/packages.microsoft.gpg] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/ms-teams stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/github-desktop.list' How to Install GitHub Desktop (
While GitHub officially supports Windows and macOS, the Linux community maintains a robust, free, and open-source port. This guide walks you through installing GitHub Desktop on Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and other Debian-based distributions without spending a penny. Why Use GitHub Desktop on Linux?
sudo apt install wget gpg -y
If you're using a Debian-based system (like Ubuntu), you can install it using community-maintained The Shiftkey Fork : The most popular version is maintained by . You can download the latest file directly from their Releases page Installation via Terminal It is best to match the email used on your GitHub account
Officially, GitHub does not maintain a native Linux version of their Desktop client. To fill this gap, a dedicated open-source community maintains a cross-platform fork (often referred to as the "Shiftkey fork") that mirrors the exact look, feel, and functionality of the official client but includes native Linux support.
This is the de facto standard for running GitHub Desktop on Debian. While it is unofficial, it is .