freedesktop.org Desktop Entry

File Format
Name	freedesktop.org Desktop Entry
Ontology	Electronic File Formats Metadata freedesktop.org Desktop Entry
Extension(s)	.desktop, .directory
Wikidata ID	Q11693986
Released	2007

A Desktop Entry provides a name, an icon and a description for an application, a link to a web page, or an applications menu submenu. Keys can be localized by putting the POSIX locale in brackets after the key name, e.g. Name[fr]. They are typically found in /usr/share/applications/ and its local counterparts. It uses an INI-like syntax. It was originally developed by KDE, but has been adapted by freedesktop.org for use on other desktops.

Most Used Keys

• Type – Either Application, Link or Directory.
• Name – Name of the application/web page/submenu.
• GenericName – E.g. "Text Editor".
• Icon – Either a path to an icon or a name of one in /usr/share/icons/.
• Exec – The program to execute in case of type Application.
• URL – The URL of the web page in case of type Link.

Other Links

• Latest Specification