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Update install-gnu.md: Added AM AppImage management guide #1135

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Update install-gnu.md: Added AM AppImage management guide
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65 changes: 64 additions & 1 deletion docs/guides/install-gnu.md
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Expand Up @@ -18,7 +18,70 @@ installing RetroArch on systems running the GNU/Linux kernel.

---

## Flatpak (suitable for most Linux distributions)
## AppImage (suitable for most GNU/Linux distributions)

### AM

[AM](https://github.com/ivan-hc/AM) is a powerful command-line package manager for managing AppImage software. It allows users to install, update, and remove AppImages either system-wide or locally without manual setup.

1. Installation

There are no system packages available for AM in common repositories, so it must be installed manually.

Follow the official installation instructions provided at: https://github.com/ivan-hc/AM

During setup, you’ll be prompted to choose one of two installation modes:

* Option 1: AM – for system-wide AppImage management (requires root privileges).
* Option 2: appman – for local, user-level AppImage management (no root access required).

Choose the option that best suits your environment and permissions.


2. Searching for AppImages

Once installation is complete, verify that AM or AppMan is working by performing a search.
Use the appropriate command depending on your installation:


```
# For system-wide installation
am -q retroarch

# For user-level installation
appman -q retroarch
```

This query searches for available AppImages matching “retroarch” and displays a list of results.
Example output:

```
$ appman -q retroarch

SEARCH RESULTS FOR "RETROARCH":

◆ retroarch-nightly : RetroArch is a free and open-source, cross-platform frontend for emulators, game engines, video games, media players and other applications.
◆ retroarch-qt-nightly : RetroArch is a free and open-source, cross-platform frontend for emulators, game engines, video games, media players and other applications.
◆ retroarch-qt : RetroArch is a free and open-source, cross-platform frontend for emulators, game engines, video games, media players and other applications.
◆ retroarch : RetroArch is a free and open-source, cross-platform frontend for emulators, game engines, video games, media players and other applications.
```

3. Installing an AppImage

To install your chosen AppImage, use the -i flag.
For example, to install the RetroArch Nightly build (ideal for testing or bug reporting):

`appman -i retroarch-nightly`

AM or AppMan will automatically download, validate, and integrate the AppImage into your environment.

4. Notes and Recommendations

* Nightly builds are recommended when submitting bug reports or testing new features.
* Stable releases are better suited for everyday use.
* Use the same tool (am or appman) for all lifecycle tasks—installation, updates, and removal.

## Flatpak (suitable for most GNU/Linux distributions)

Flatpak is a distribution-agnostic packaging format with broad support
throughout the Linux ecosystem. An official [RetroArch
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