SimpleX Installation Notes

⚠️ Known Issues

.deb Package Compatibility Problems

The official .deb packages (both Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04) have library compatibility issues:

Confirmed broken on:

✗ Debian Trixie (crash: SIGSEGV in libHSzstd)
✗ Pop!_OS (various library issues)

Root cause:

Complex dependency chain (Java, Haskell runtime, zstd, VLC libraries)
Ubuntu-specific library versions
Native library linking issues

✅ Recommended: AppImage

Use the AppImage for ALL installations:

cd ~/github/privacy-toolkit/tools/simplex
./install-appimage.sh

Why AppImage works:

✅ Bundles all dependencies
✅ No library conflicts
✅ Works on all distros
✅ Tested on Debian Trixie and Pop!_OS

📦 File Locations

After AppImage installation:

Binary: ~/.local/bin/SimpleX.AppImage
Desktop Entry: ~/.local/share/applications/simplex.desktop
Data (unchanged): ~/.local/share/simplex/
Config (unchanged): ~/.config/simplex/

🔄 Migrating from .deb to AppImage

If you tried the .deb first:

# Remove broken .deb
sudo apt remove simplex
sudo rm -rf /opt/simplex

# Install AppImage
./install-appimage.sh

# Your data is preserved (lives in ~/.local/share/simplex/)

📝 Testing Notes

System	.deb Package	AppImage
Debian Trixie (glibc 2.41)	✗ Crashes	✅ Works
Pop!_OS 22.04	✗ Issues	✅ Works
Ubuntu 24.04 native	? Unknown	✅ Works

Conclusion: Always use AppImage for SimpleX.

Last Updated: 2025-11-12 Tested On: Debian Trixie, Pop!_OS Recommendation: AppImage only

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