How to Install GIMP on Rocky Linux 10, 9 and 8

Installing GIMP on Rocky Linux comes down to picking the right package source for your release. Rocky 10 needs Flathub or the official AppImage because the default repositories do not ship the main gimp package; Rocky 9 and 8 can use AppStream if those older repository builds fit your needs. Use Flathub for the current upstream branch across Rocky 10, 9, and 8, or use the AppImage when you want a portable file under your home directory.

Install GIMP on Rocky Linux

Compare GIMP Install Methods on Rocky Linux

The best GIMP method depends on your priority: Rocky-managed packages, the newest upstream desktop build, or a portable file that stays outside DNF and Flatpak. Use one method at a time unless you intentionally compare package sources, because each method has a separate update and removal path.

Method	Rocky releases	Source	Version checked	Best use
Flatpak and Flathub	Rocky 10, 9, and 8	Verified Flathub app, org.gimp.GIMP	GIMP 3.2.4	Current GIMP branch with Flatpak-managed runtime updates.
Official AppImage	Rocky 10, 9, and 8	GIMP official downloads with SHA256SUMS check	GIMP 3.2.4	Portable install when you do not want a Flatpak remote or DNF package.
DNF AppStream	Rocky 9 and 8 only	Rocky AppStream	Rocky 9: GIMP 3.0.4 Rocky 8: GIMP 2.8.22	DNF-managed system package when the repository branch is acceptable.

Keep EPEL and RPM Fusion out of this install unless another package on your system already needs them. They do not provide the main gimp application for Rocky 10, 9, or 8; the related RPM Fusion result is only a Rocky 8 gimp-heif-plugin companion package, not GIMP itself.

The official GIMP Linux download page labels the AppImage support target as Debian 13 or a newer distribution. Rocky 10.2, 9.8, and 8.10 can run the current x86_64 AppImage, but Flathub remains the simpler current-build path for most Rocky desktops.

Prepare Rocky Linux Before Installing GIMP

Refresh installed packages before adding GIMP. This reduces dependency conflicts and gives DNF current repository metadata before the AppStream checks later in the guide.

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

The commands that change packages or system Flatpak remotes use sudo. For a refresher on privilege escalation, see the sudo command examples guide.

Install GIMP with Flatpak and Flathub

Use Flathub when you want GIMP 3.2.4 on Rocky 10, 9, or 8 without managing a local AppImage. The Flathub listing is verified, names The GIMP team as the publisher, and installs the GNOME Platform 50 runtime when needed.

Install Flatpak if Needed

Rocky Workstation images often include Flatpak already. Run the command anyway if you are unsure; DNF will report that the package is installed when no action is required.

sudo dnf install flatpak

Add the Flathub Remote

Add Flathub as a system remote so the app and runtime updates are available to all users on the desktop.

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Confirm that the remote is present before installing GIMP.

flatpak remotes --system --columns=name

flathub

Install and Verify the Flathub GIMP App

Install GIMP from Flathub. Flatpak will also install the required runtime if it is not already present.

sudo flatpak install flathub org.gimp.GIMP

Verify the app ID, version, origin, and installation scope.

flatpak info --system org.gimp.GIMP | grep -E '^[[:space:]]*(ID|Ref|Arch|Branch|Version|Origin|Installation):'

          ID: org.gimp.GIMP
         Ref: app/org.gimp.GIMP/x86_64/stable
        Arch: x86_64
      Branch: stable
     Version: 3.2.4
      Origin: flathub
Installation: system

Run a non-interactive version check before launching the desktop window.

flatpak run org.gimp.GIMP --version

GNU Image Manipulation Program version 3.2.4

This method is especially useful on Rocky 8, where AppStream stays on the older 2.8 branch. These terminal checks confirm the Flatpak app ID and version before you open the desktop interface.

Install the Official GIMP AppImage

Use the AppImage when you prefer a portable upstream file under your home directory. The helper below downloads the current x86_64 or aarch64 AppImage, verifies it against the official SHA256SUMS file, installs a local launcher, and copies the GIMP icon from the AppImage into your user icon theme.

Install Curl for the AppImage Helper

Most Rocky desktops already include curl. Install it only when the command is missing.

command -v curl >/dev/null || sudo dnf install curl

Create the GIMP AppImage Update Helper

Create a reusable helper in ~/.local/bin. It installs the latest AppImage into ~/Applications and rewrites the desktop entry whenever the version changes.

mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/bin" "$HOME/Applications" "$HOME/.local/share/applications"

cat > "$HOME/.local/bin/update-gimp-appimage" <<'APPHELPER'
#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail

BASE_URL="https://download.gimp.org/gimp/v3.2/linux"
APP_DIR="$HOME/Applications"
DESKTOP_DIR="$HOME/.local/share/applications"
ICON_ROOT="$HOME/.local/share/icons/hicolor"

mkdir -p "$APP_DIR" "$DESKTOP_DIR" "$ICON_ROOT/256x256/apps" "$ICON_ROOT/scalable/apps"

case "$(uname -m)" in
  x86_64|amd64) app_arch="x86_64" ;;
  aarch64|arm64) app_arch="aarch64" ;;
  *) echo "Unsupported architecture: $(uname -m)" >&2; exit 1 ;;
esac

latest="$(curl -fsSL "$BASE_URL/" | sed -nE 's/.*LATEST-IS-([0-9][0-9.]*).*/\1/p' | sort -V | tail -n 1)"
if [ -z "$latest" ]; then
  echo "Could not detect the latest GIMP AppImage version." >&2
  exit 1
fi

file_name="GIMP-${latest}-${app_arch}.AppImage"
target="$APP_DIR/$file_name"
tmp_file="$target.part"
checksums="$(mktemp)"
extract_dir="$(mktemp -d)"

trap 'rm -f "$checksums" "$tmp_file"; rm -rf "$extract_dir"' EXIT

curl -fsSL "$BASE_URL/SHA256SUMS" -o "$checksums"
expected="$(awk -v file="$file_name" '$2 == file { print $1; exit }' "$checksums")"
if [ -z "$expected" ]; then
  echo "Could not find SHA256 checksum for $file_name." >&2
  exit 1
fi

if [ ! -f "$target" ]; then
  curl -fL "$BASE_URL/$file_name" -o "$tmp_file"
  printf '%s  %s\n' "$expected" "$tmp_file" | sha256sum -c -
  mv "$tmp_file" "$target"
  chmod +x "$target"
fi

find "$APP_DIR" -maxdepth 1 -type f -name "GIMP-*-${app_arch}.AppImage" ! -name "$file_name" -delete

if [ ! -f "$ICON_ROOT/index.theme" ]; then
  cat > "$ICON_ROOT/index.theme" <<'EOF'
[Icon Theme]
Name=Local hicolor
Comment=Local application icons
Directories=256x256/apps,scalable/apps

[256x256/apps]
Size=256
Context=Applications
Type=Fixed

[scalable/apps]
Size=48
Context=Applications
Type=Scalable
MinSize=16
MaxSize=512
EOF
fi

(
  cd "$extract_dir"
  "$target" --appimage-extract usr/share/icons/hicolor/256x256/apps/gimp.png >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
  "$target" --appimage-extract usr/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/gimp.svg >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
)

if [ -f "$extract_dir/squashfs-root/usr/share/icons/hicolor/256x256/apps/gimp.png" ]; then
  cp "$extract_dir/squashfs-root/usr/share/icons/hicolor/256x256/apps/gimp.png" "$ICON_ROOT/256x256/apps/gimp-appimage.png"
fi

if [ -f "$extract_dir/squashfs-root/usr/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/gimp.svg" ]; then
  cp "$extract_dir/squashfs-root/usr/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/gimp.svg" "$ICON_ROOT/scalable/apps/gimp-appimage.svg"
fi

gtk-update-icon-cache -q "$ICON_ROOT" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true

cat > "$DESKTOP_DIR/gimp-appimage.desktop" <<EOF
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=GIMP (AppImage)
Comment=Edit images with GIMP AppImage
Exec=$target %U
Icon=gimp-appimage
Terminal=false
Categories=Graphics;2DGraphics;RasterGraphics;GTK;
StartupNotify=true
StartupWMClass=gimp
EOF

update-desktop-database "$DESKTOP_DIR" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
echo "Installed $target"
APPHELPER

chmod +x "$HOME/.local/bin/update-gimp-appimage"

Add ~/.local/bin to your current shell when it is not already in PATH, then run the helper.

export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
update-gimp-appimage

Run the helper again any time you want to check for a newer AppImage. If the installed file is current, it refreshes the desktop entry and exits without downloading another copy.

Verify the AppImage Version and Launcher

Find the installed AppImage and confirm that it starts from the terminal.

appimage="$(find "$HOME/Applications" -maxdepth 1 -type f -name 'GIMP-*.AppImage' | sort -V | tail -n 1)"
"$appimage" --version

GNU Image Manipulation Program version 3.2.4

The local desktop entry uses the name GIMP (AppImage). It appears in GNOME’s application search after the desktop environment refreshes its application list; logging out and back in is the most reliable refresh if it does not appear immediately.

grep -E '^(Name|Exec|Icon|StartupWMClass|Categories)=' "$HOME/.local/share/applications/gimp-appimage.desktop"
test -f "$HOME/.local/share/icons/hicolor/256x256/apps/gimp-appimage.png"
test -f "$HOME/.local/share/icons/hicolor/icon-theme.cache"

Name=GIMP (AppImage)
Exec=/home/USER/Applications/GIMP-3.2.4-x86_64.AppImage %U
Icon=gimp-appimage
StartupWMClass=gimp
Categories=Graphics;2DGraphics;RasterGraphics;GTK;

Install GIMP from Rocky AppStream on Rocky 9 or 8

Use AppStream when you prefer a DNF-managed package and accept the version in Rocky’s repositories. This method is release-limited: Rocky 10’s default BaseOS, AppStream, and Extras repositories do not provide gimp.

Check the AppStream Candidate

Query the available package before installing. Rocky 9 returned GIMP 3.0.4, while Rocky 8 returned GIMP 2.8.22 from its AppStream module stream.

dnf repoquery --available gimp --qf '%{name} %{evr} %{arch} %{repoid}'

If the command prints no package on Rocky 10, use Flatpak or AppImage instead of enabling unrelated third-party repositories.

Install and Verify the DNF Package

Install GIMP from AppStream on Rocky 9 or Rocky 8.

sudo dnf install gimp

Confirm the installed package and version.

rpm -q gimp
gimp --version

gimp-3.0.4-5.el9.x86_64
GNU Image Manipulation Program version 3.0.4

The AppStream package is useful for DNF-managed installs, not for showing the newest GIMP interface. If you want the current GIMP 3.2 first-run flow and workspace, use the Flatpak or AppImage method instead.

Launch GIMP on Rocky Linux

Launch GIMP from the terminal with the command that matches your install method.

gimp

flatpak run org.gimp.GIMP

appimage="$(find "$HOME/Applications" -maxdepth 1 -type f -name 'GIMP-*.AppImage' | sort -V | tail -n 1)"
"$appimage"

For graphical launch, open the Activities overview and search for GNU Image Manipulation Program for DNF or Flatpak installs, or GIMP (AppImage) for the local AppImage launcher. If a new Flatpak or AppImage launcher is missing from the active session, log out and back in so GNOME refreshes its application database.

On first launch, GIMP may show a welcome dialog with tabs for Welcome, Personalize, Contribute, Create, and Release Notes. The Personalize tab is worth checking before you start editing because it controls the color scheme, icon theme, icon scaling, font scaling, GUI language, update checks, and grouped tools.

Get Started with GIMP on Rocky Linux

Use the Create tab in the welcome dialog, or choose File > New, when you want to start with a blank image. The new-image dialog lets you choose a template, width, height, units, and advanced options before GIMP opens the canvas.

After the image opens, confirm the normal workspace: the toolbox and tool options on the left, the canvas in the center, and brushes, layers, and related docks on the right. This is the useful ready-to-edit state after installation, because it shows where a new user will work instead of repeating the welcome screen.

Update GIMP on Rocky Linux

Use the update command for the method you installed. Do not mix update commands between DNF, Flatpak, and AppImage installations.

Update the Flatpak Build

sudo flatpak update org.gimp.GIMP

Use a broader Flatpak update when you want to update all Flatpak apps and runtimes at once.

sudo flatpak update

Update the AppImage Build

Run the helper again. It checks the official download directory, verifies the checksum, replaces older AppImage files with the current file, and rewrites the desktop entry.

update-gimp-appimage

Update the DNF AppStream Package

Use DNF for AppStream installs on Rocky 9 or 8.

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh gimp

If you run many DNF updates on workstation systems, the DNF speed guide for Rocky Linux covers cache and mirror tuning.

Remove GIMP from Rocky Linux

Remove the package source you installed. Keep personal profile cleanup separate, because it deletes user settings, brushes, plug-ins, and recent-file history.

Remove the Flatpak App

sudo flatpak uninstall org.gimp.GIMP

Remove unused Flatpak runtimes only after checking that no other app still needs them.

sudo flatpak uninstall --unused

If GIMP was the only reason you added Flathub, remove the system remote after uninstalling the app.

sudo flatpak remote-delete --system flathub

Remove the AppImage Files

Remove the AppImage, update helper, desktop entry, and copied launcher icons.

rm -f "$HOME"/Applications/GIMP-*-x86_64.AppImage "$HOME"/Applications/GIMP-*-aarch64.AppImage
rm -f "$HOME/.local/bin/update-gimp-appimage" "$HOME/.local/share/applications/gimp-appimage.desktop"
icon_cache_dir="$HOME/.local/share/icons/hicolor"
rm -f "$HOME/.local/share/icons/hicolor/256x256/apps/gimp-appimage.png" "$HOME/.local/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/gimp-appimage.svg"
gtk-update-icon-cache -q "$HOME/.local/share/icons/hicolor" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true

if [ -d "$icon_cache_dir" ] && grep -q '^Name=Local hicolor$' "$icon_cache_dir/index.theme" 2>/dev/null && ! find "$icon_cache_dir" -type f ! -name 'index.theme' ! -name 'icon-theme.cache' | grep -q .; then
  rm -f "$icon_cache_dir/index.theme" "$icon_cache_dir/icon-theme.cache"
fi

Remove the DNF Package

sudo dnf remove gimp

Confirm that the RPM package is no longer installed.

rpm -q gimp || echo "GIMP RPM is not installed"

Remove Personal GIMP Settings

Only remove profile directories when you intentionally want to reset GIMP settings and user data. Back up custom brushes, palettes, plug-ins, and scripts first.

rm -rf "$HOME/.config/GIMP"
rm -rf "$HOME/.var/app/org.gimp.GIMP/config/GIMP"

Troubleshoot GIMP on Rocky Linux

Rocky 10 Reports No Match for GIMP

If Rocky 10 returns no AppStream gimp candidate from the default repositories, confirm your local result with repoquery, then use Flatpak or AppImage instead.

dnf repoquery --available gimp --qf '%{name} %{evr} %{arch} %{repoid}'

Flatpak Cannot Find Flathub

If flatpak install flathub org.gimp.GIMP cannot find the remote, list system remotes and add Flathub again when it is missing.

flatpak remotes --system --show-disabled --columns=name,options
sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Flatpak or AppImage Launcher Does Not Appear

Confirm the desktop entry exists first. If it does, log out and back in so GNOME reloads the exported Flatpak or local AppImage launcher.

ls /var/lib/flatpak/exports/share/applications/org.gimp.GIMP.desktop
ls "$HOME/.local/share/applications/gimp-appimage.desktop"

AppImage Checksum or Download Fails

Remove any partial download and rerun the helper. If the checksum still fails, do not run the file; wait for the mirror or checksum listing to settle, then try again.

rm -f "$HOME"/Applications/GIMP-*.AppImage.part
update-gimp-appimage

AppImage Starts from Extraction but Not Directly

A FUSE-related failure affects the AppImage runtime layer, not necessarily GIMP. Test extraction mode to separate those two layers before replacing the download.

appimage="$(find "$HOME/Applications" -maxdepth 1 -type f -name 'GIMP-*.AppImage' | sort -V | tail -n 1)"
"$appimage" --appimage-extract-and-run --version

GIMP Command Opens the Wrong Install

If you installed more than one method while testing, check which command is on your shell path and use method-specific launch commands. The DNF package provides gimp, Flatpak uses flatpak run org.gimp.GIMP, and the AppImage runs from ~/Applications.

command -v gimp || true
flatpak info org.gimp.GIMP 2>/dev/null || true
find "$HOME/Applications" -maxdepth 1 -type f -name 'GIMP-*.AppImage'

Conclusion

Rocky Linux now has a clear GIMP path: Flathub for the current branch across Rocky 10, 9, and 8, AppImage for a portable upstream build with checksum verification, or AppStream on Rocky 9 and 8 when DNF management matters more than version freshness. For command-line image conversion alongside GIMP, compare ImageMagick on Rocky Linux.