🌐 Website: https://kernelchief.github.io/almalinux-creative-installer/
AlmaLinux is stable, secure, and production-ready but setting it up for design, animation, video editing, or digital art can feel overwhelming. AlmaLinux Creative Installer bridges that gap.
This small, opinionated Qt-based application provides a clean graphical interface for freelancers, students, and beginners to install essential creative software with one click. No deep Linux knowledge required. No dependency headaches. No intimidating terminal sessions.
All applications are installed using supported system methods only, keeping your workstation stable, secure, and production-ready. It’s the easiest way to focus on creativity, not configuration.
This project was created by the maintainer and was requested/discussed in the AlmaLinux Media & Entertainment SIG (M&E SIG). If this mission resonates with you, please consider joining the SIG: https://chat.almalinux.org/almalinux/channels/sig-media-entertainment
Main window showing system requirements, install status, and guided workflows.
Apps tab showing the full catalog with install/remove buttons, EL version badges, and installed-only filter.
Logs window showing the live log while installing, removing apps / repos. Able to show enabled repos for debug and clear log in that window with button
- 🌐 Website
- 🚀 Quick Start
- 📦 Installation Methods
- 📦 Install AppImage Apps (Beginner Guide)
- 🧩 Supported Platforms
- 🎬 Target Applications
- 🎞️ DaVinci Resolve Guided Flow
- 🔐 Privilege & Security Model
- 🧹 Uninstalling
- ❓ FAQ
- 🧰 Troubleshooting
- 🤝 Community
- 📜 License
AlmaLinux Creative Installer v2.0.4 is the current stable release, supporting AlmaLinux 9 (PyQt5) and AlmaLinux 10 (PyQt6). Install it in two commands via COPR.
sudo dnf copr enable tristantheroux/AlmaLinux-Creative-InstallerThis works on both AlmaLinux 9 and AlmaLinux 10. DNF auto-detects your release and selects the matching build.
sudo dnf install almalinux-creative-installerThis will:
- install the application (and its Qt dependencies)
- register the polkit helper
- add a desktop entry
Which method should I use?
- COPR (recommended, above): two commands, and you get automatic updates with every
sudo dnf upgrade. Use this unless you have a reason not to.- Manual RPM (below): a one-time download with no automatic updates. You must re-download and reinstall by hand for every new release. Only use this if you can't enable COPR.
If you prefer not to use COPR, download the RPM directly from the GitHub Releases page:
https://github.com/KernelChief/almalinux-creative-installer/releases
Then install it from the directory where you downloaded it:
# AlmaLinux 9
sudo dnf install ./almalinux-creative-installer-2.0.4-1.el9.noarch.rpm
# AlmaLinux 10
sudo dnf install ./almalinux-creative-installer-2.0.4-1.el10.noarch.rpmNote: with this method you will need to repeat the download and install manually for each future release. COPR is recommended.
The application itself runs unprivileged.
When a system change is required (installing or removing software, enabling repositories), you will be prompted for authentication via polkit.
Polkit may temporarily cache authentication to avoid repeated prompts. Once the application is closed, the authorization is discarded.
You can launch the application:
- From your desktop environment’s application menu:
AlmaLinux Creative Installer - Or from a terminal:
almalinux-creative-installer
AlmaLinux Creative Installer uses the following approaches, depending on the software:
- DNF packages from system repositories
- Flatpak (Flathub) for apps where upstream recommends it on EL or where DNF packages are unavailable/outdated
- Local RPM installers
- Local .run installers (vendor-distributed software)
The System Requirements panel lets you enable the following repositories with one click:
| Repository | Purpose | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| CRB / PowerTools | Extra build dependencies for workstation apps | Required |
| EPEL | Community packages used by many creative tools | Required |
| RPM Fusion Free | Multimedia codecs (H.264, MP3, AAC) for video editors | Recommended |
| RPM Fusion Non-Free | Proprietary codecs and non-redistributable software | Optional |
| NVIDIA Drivers | AlmaLinux native open-kernel NVIDIA drivers (AL9, AL10, Kitten) | Optional |
Each repository row also has a Remove button once enabled, for undoing an
enable. Removing uninstalls the release package (e.g. epel-release) or, for
CRB/PowerTools, disables the repo — it does not uninstall packages you've
already installed from it, but those packages will stop receiving updates
until the repo is re-enabled.
If you're running AlmaLinux 10 with a BTRFS root filesystem, a Snapshots panel appears on the Setup tab offering one-click install of Snapper (via EPEL) for filesystem snapshot/rollback support. It's hidden entirely on AlmaLinux 9 or on non-BTRFS installs, since it isn't applicable there.
⚠️ AlmaLinux 10 only. AppImageLauncher requires a newer glibc than EL9 provides.
If you want to use an AppImage application, this is the easiest way:
- Open AlmaLinux Creative Installer.
- Find AppImageLauncher in the app list.
- Click Install.
- Download any AppImage you want from its official website.
- Double-click the downloaded
.AppImagefile. - If prompted, choose Execute.
- AppImageLauncher will guide you through the rest.
That’s it — after this, launching AppImages is much simpler for beginners.
| Platform | Qt backend | Support level |
|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux 9 | PyQt5 | Officially supported |
| AlmaLinux 10 | PyQt6 | Officially supported |
Not every app is available on both EL versions. The installer shows a small EL9 or EL10 badge next to apps that are restricted to one version. Apps with no badge work on both.
| App | EL9 | EL10 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GIMP | ✅ | ❌ | Not yet in EPEL 10 |
| Krusader | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Kdenlive | ✅ | ❌ | Not yet in EPEL 10 |
| Blender | ✅ | ❌ | EPEL 10 build is currently broken upstream |
| AppImageLauncher | ❌ | ✅ | glibc requirement |
| All Flatpak apps | ✅ | ✅ | Via Flathub |
| OpenColorIO | ✅ | ✅ | Via EPEL |
| DaVinci Resolve | ✅ | ✅ | Guided vendor install |
| 3DCoat | ✅ | ✅ | Guided vendor install |
| InstaMaterial | ✅ | ✅ | Guided vendor install (RPM via install.sh) |
| PopcornFX Editor | ✅ | ✅ | Via Flathub |
| JangaFX Elemental Suite | ✅ | ✅ | Guided portable binary install |
| FogPanther | ✅ | ✅ | Via Flathub |
| Gaffer | ✅ | ✅ | Guided portable binary install (works on EL9 and EL10) |
| Natron | ✅ | ✅ | Via Flathub |
| Open 3D Engine | ✅ | ✅ | Via COPR (hellaenergy/o3de), BETA |
| Unreal Engine 5.8 | ✅ | ✅ | Guided vendor install (Epic account), preview build |
| Unigine | ✅ | ✅ | Guided vendor install (.run) |
This table reflects current EPEL availability and will be updated as packages land in EL10.
This project focuses on real-world creative tools commonly used in studios, post-production, and content creation environments:
-
Image Processing
- GIMP (EL9 only — not yet in EPEL 10)
- Krita
- Inkscape
- darktable
- RawTherapee
- digiKam
- FontForge
- FogPanther
- OpenColorIO
-
3D
- Blender (EL9 only — EPEL 10 build currently broken upstream)
- MeshLab
- PrusaSlicer
- Material Maker
- FreeCAD
- 3DCoat
- InstaMaterial (guided vendor install)
-
Animation & Video
- Kdenlive (EL9 only — not yet in EPEL 10)
- OpenToonz
- VLC
- OBS Studio
- HandBrake
- Shotcut
- DaVinci Resolve
- PopcornFX Editor
- JangaFX Elemental Suite (guided portable binary install — EmberGen, GeoGen, IlluGen, LiquiGen)
- Gaffer (guided portable binary install, works on EL9 and EL10)
- Natron
-
Productivity
- Krusader
- Scribus
- draw.io
- LibreOffice
- OnlyOffice
- AppImageLauncher (EL10 only — glibc requirement)
-
Game Engines
- Epic Asset Manager
- Asset Manager Studio
- Godots
- Open 3D Engine (via COPR, EL9 and EL10, BETA)
- Unreal Engine 5.8 (guided vendor install, preview build)
- Unigine (guided vendor install)
-
Audio
- Ardour
- Bitwig Studio
- LMMS
- Audacity
- Carla
- Hydrogen
- Spotify
-
Communication
- Discord
- Mattermost
- Slack
The in-app list is the source of truth. EL version badges in the UI always reflect current availability.
DaVinci Resolve follows a guided workflow designed for AlmaLinux:
- If SELinux is enforcing, prompt to set it to permissive or disabled (permanent).
A reboot is required for the change to fully apply before launching Resolve. - Pre-install required system dependencies (prompts for privileges if needed).
- Open the official Blackmagic Design download page.
- Unzip the downloaded DaVinci Resolve archive (the file picker won’t see it otherwise).
- Prompt the user to select the installer (
.runor.rpm). - Run the installer:
.runis executed as the normal user (vendor requirement)..rpmis installed with elevated privileges.
Uninstalling Resolve runs the vendor uninstaller at /opt/resolve/installer
and must also be run as a normal user.
- The graphical application runs unprivileged
- All system-modifying actions run via polkit-protected helpers
- Authentication is requested only when required
- Vendor
.runinstallers and uninstallers are executed as the normal user
This keeps the UI safe, auditable, and aligned with system security best practices.
This repository follows basic security and code-quality best practices:
- Dependabot monitors dependencies and surfaces known vulnerabilities
- Code quality is reviewed during development using SonarQube-compatible static analysis tools (SonarLint)
These tools are advisory and do not imply certification or formal auditing.
Once installed via COPR, future releases are picked up automatically with a normal system update:
sudo dnf upgrade almalinux-creative-installer
⚠️ This only removes the installer app itself. It does not undo anything the installer did for you. Any apps you installed, drivers you enabled, and repositories or settings it applied stay installed and active. If you want those gone, remove them separately.
How you uninstall depends on how you installed. The AlmaLinux version makes no difference here.
If you installed via COPR (the recommended method), remove both the application and the repository:
# 1. Remove the application
sudo dnf remove almalinux-creative-installer
# 2. Remove the COPR repository
sudo dnf copr remove tristantheroux/AlmaLinux-Creative-InstallerIf you installed the manual RPM, there is no repository to disable, so just remove the application:
sudo dnf remove almalinux-creative-installerWhy should I enable RPM Fusion Free? RPM Fusion Free provides multimedia codecs (H.264, AAC, MP3) that are absent from AlmaLinux base and EPEL due to patent/licensing restrictions. Without it, many video files will not play back correctly in media players and editors.
Why does enabling RPM Fusion Non-Free also enable Free? RPM Fusion Non-Free depends on RPM Fusion Free. The installer enables both at once to satisfy the dependency automatically.
Why does DaVinci Resolve require SELinux permissive or disabled?
Resolve’s vendor installer and runtime expect permissive/disabled on EL.
The installer will prompt to set this permanently before continuing.
Why does the SELinux prompt sometimes not appear?
If SELinux is already permissive or disabled, the prompt is skipped.
Check with getenforce.
I rebooted and SELinux is still permissive. Why?
Check /etc/selinux/config. If it contains an invalid value like
SELINUX=enforced, the system falls back to permissive. Valid values are
enforcing, permissive, or disabled.
Why does the Resolve .run installer/uninstaller run as a normal user?
Blackmagic’s installer explicitly refuses to run as root. The UI enforces this.
Why are many apps installed via Flatpak?
Several upstreams (Krita, Inkscape, darktable, OBS Studio, etc.) recommend
Flatpak for Enterprise Linux to ensure up-to-date features and dependencies
that may lag or be absent in EL/EPEL repositories.
Where is the Resolve uninstaller?
It is located at /opt/resolve/installer and must be run as a normal user.
Why doesn’t the Resolve installer show in the file picker?
You must unzip/extract the downloaded archive first.
Can I re-enable SELinux enforcing after uninstalling Resolve?
Yes. The UI prompts to restore enforcing after a successful uninstall.
The Resolve installer/uninstaller won’t run over SSH.
Resolve’s .run uses interactive UI prompts. Run the installer from a graphical
desktop session as a normal user.
The app shows old behavior after I updated the source.
The UI calls the installed helper at /usr/libexec/almalinux-creative-installer-helper.
If you’re running from source, make sure the system package is updated too.
Flathub was added to my system. Is that expected?
Yes. Many apps (Krita, Inkscape, darktable, OBS Studio, and others) are installed
via Flatpak, and the installer adds Flathub system-wide to enable them.
The RPM build script fails.
build-rpm.sh uses the latest git tag for the version. Create a tag like
v2.0.2 before building.
- Please read our Code of Conduct
- Contribution guidelines: CONTRIBUTING.md
- Project context: Requested and discussed in the AlmaLinux Media & Entertainment SIG (M&E SIG)
- Want to help shape this space? Join the SIG: https://chat.almalinux.org/almalinux/channels/sig-media-entertainment
Major thanks to Cristian Slavik (NOX Visual Effects) for the icon design and production.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crisslavik/
This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPLv3).
This means:
- You are free to use, modify, and distribute this software
- Any redistributed or modified versions must remain GPLv3
- Source code must be made available when distributing binaries
See the LICENSE file for full terms.