diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index b728f9d..31892cc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -107,7 +107,10 @@ jobs:
             libappindicator3-dev \
             librsvg2-dev \
             patchelf \
-            pkg-config
+            pkg-config \
+            imagemagick \
+            wget \
+            squashfs-tools
           # Create symlink for webkit2gtk-4.0 if it doesn't exist (Wails looks for 4.0)
           for PKG_DIR in /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/pkgconfig /usr/lib/pkgconfig /usr/share/pkgconfig; do
             if [ -d "$PKG_DIR" ] && [ -f "${PKG_DIR}/webkit2gtk-4.1.pc" ] && [ ! -f "${PKG_DIR}/webkit2gtk-4.0.pc" ]; then
@@ -145,3 +148,9 @@ jobs:
           else
             test -f build/bin/pubsub-gui && echo "✅ Linux binary created" || (echo "❌ Linux binary not found" && exit 1)
           fi
+
+      - name: Verify AppImage creation (Linux)
+        if: matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest'
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          ./scripts/create-appimage.sh ci-test
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index a8a0c39..c04e829 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ jobs:
           - os: macos-15
             platform: darwin/arm64
             artifact_name: darwin_arm64
+          - os: macos-15
+            platform: darwin/amd64
+            artifact_name: darwin_amd64
           - os: ubuntu-latest
             platform: linux/amd64
             artifact_name: linux_amd64
@@ -70,7 +73,10 @@ jobs:
             libappindicator3-dev \
             librsvg2-dev \
             patchelf \
-            pkg-config
+            pkg-config \
+            imagemagick \
+            wget \
+            squashfs-tools
           # Create symlink for webkit2gtk-4.0 if it doesn't exist (Wails looks for 4.0)
           # Check common pkg-config locations
           for PKG_DIR in /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/pkgconfig /usr/lib/pkgconfig /usr/share/pkgconfig; do
@@ -121,6 +127,21 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           wails build -ldflags "-X main.version=$VERSION -X internal/version.Version=$VERSION" -platform ${{ matrix.platform }} -clean
 
+      - name: Create AppImage (Linux)
+        if: matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest'
+        shell: bash
+        env:
+          VERSION: ${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
+        run: |
+          # Use shared script for AppImage creation (single source of truth)
+          ./scripts/create-appimage.sh "$VERSION"
+
+          # Also create regular tar.gz for users who prefer it
+          cd build/bin
+          tar -czf "../../pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_${VERSION}.tar.gz" pubsub-gui
+          cd ../..
+          echo "✓ Created tar.gz: pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_${VERSION}.tar.gz"
+
       - name: Package artifacts (macOS/Linux)
         if: matrix.os != 'windows-latest'
         shell: bash
@@ -133,12 +154,8 @@ jobs:
             cd build/bin
             tar -czf "../../pubsub-gui_${ARTIFACT_NAME}_${VERSION}.tar.gz" pubsub-gui.app
             cd ../..
-          else
-            # Package binary for Linux
-            cd build/bin
-            tar -czf "../../pubsub-gui_${ARTIFACT_NAME}_${VERSION}.tar.gz" pubsub-gui
-            cd ../..
           fi
+          # Note: Linux packaging is done in the AppImage step above
 
       - name: Package artifacts (Windows)
         if: matrix.os == 'windows-latest'
@@ -161,6 +178,7 @@ jobs:
           path: |
             pubsub-gui_${{ matrix.artifact_name }}_*.tar.gz
             pubsub-gui_${{ matrix.artifact_name }}_*.zip
+            pubsub-gui_${{ matrix.artifact_name }}_*.AppImage
 
   release:
     name: Create Release
@@ -203,7 +221,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Create checksums
         run: |
           cd artifacts
-          find . -maxdepth 1 \( -name "*.tar.gz" -o -name "*.zip" \) | while read file; do
+          find . -maxdepth 1 \( -name "*.tar.gz" -o -name "*.zip" -o -name "*.AppImage" \) | while read file; do
             if command -v shasum >/dev/null 2>&1; then
               shasum -a 256 "$file" >> pubsub-gui_${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}_checksums.txt
             else
@@ -232,10 +250,51 @@ jobs:
             - **macOS (Intel)**: `pubsub-gui_darwin_amd64_*.tar.gz`
             - **macOS (Apple Silicon)**: `pubsub-gui_darwin_arm64_*.tar.gz`
             - **Windows**: `pubsub-gui_windows_amd64_*.zip`
-            - **Linux**: `pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_*.tar.gz`
+            - **Linux**:
+              - **AppImage (Recommended)**: `pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_*.AppImage` - No dependencies required!
+              - **tar.gz**: `pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_*.tar.gz` - Requires runtime libraries (see below)
+
+            ### Installation Instructions
+
+            **macOS:**
+            Extract the `.app` bundle to `/Applications` or `~/Applications`
+
+            **Windows:**
+            Extract and run the `pubsub-gui.exe` binary
+
+            **Linux - AppImage (Recommended):**
+            ```bash
+            chmod +x pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_*.AppImage
+            ./pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_*.AppImage
+            ```
+            The AppImage bundles all dependencies - no additional installation required!
+
+            **Linux - tar.gz (Alternative):**
+            Extract and run the `pubsub-gui` binary. Requires the following runtime libraries:
+            - `libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0` (or `webkit2gtk-4.1` on Arch)
+            - `libgtk-3-0` (or `gtk3` on Arch/RHEL)
+            - `libappindicator3-1` (or `libappindicator-gtk3` on Arch/RHEL)
+
+            **Install on Debian/Ubuntu:**
+            ```bash
+            sudo apt-get update
+            sudo apt-get install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 libgtk-3-0 libappindicator3-1
+            ```
+
+            **Install on RHEL/CentOS/Fedora:**
+            ```bash
+            sudo dnf install webkit2gtk4 gtk3 libappindicator-gtk3
+            ```
+
+            **Install on Arch Linux:**
+            ```bash
+            sudo pacman -S webkit2gtk-4.1 gtk3 libappindicator-gtk3
+            ```
 
-            Extract the archive:
-            - **macOS**: Extract the `.app` bundle to `/Applications` or `~/Applications`
-            - **Windows/Linux**: Extract and run the `pubsub-gui` binary
+            **Or use the automated installer:**
+            ```bash
+            curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/b87/pubsub-gui/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
+            ```
+            The installer will automatically detect and install missing dependencies.
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 71302f7..5a53f9c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,11 +48,47 @@ curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/b87/pubsub-gui/main/scripts/install
 1. Download the appropriate binary for your platform from the [Releases](https://github.com/b87/pubsub-gui/releases) page:
    - **macOS**: `pubsub-gui_darwin_amd64_*.tar.gz` or `pubsub-gui_darwin_arm64_*.tar.gz`
    - **Windows**: `pubsub-gui_windows_amd64_*.zip`
-   - **Linux**: `pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_*.tar.gz` or `pubsub-gui_linux_arm64_*.tar.gz`
+   - **Linux**:
+     - **AppImage (Recommended)**: `pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_*.AppImage` - No dependencies required!
+     - **tar.gz**: `pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_*.tar.gz` - Requires runtime libraries (see below)
 
-2. Extract the archive and run the `pubsub-gui` binary
+2. **Linux - AppImage (Recommended):**
+   ```bash
+   chmod +x pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_*.AppImage
+   ./pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_*.AppImage
+   ```
+   The AppImage bundles all dependencies - no additional installation required!
+
+3. **Linux - tar.gz (Alternative):**
+   Extract the archive and run the `pubsub-gui` binary.
+
+   **Linux Runtime Dependencies** (for tar.gz only):
+
+   The Linux binary requires the following runtime libraries:
+   - `libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0` (Debian/Ubuntu) or `webkit2gtk4.1` (RHEL/CentOS/Fedora) or `webkit2gtk-4.1` (Arch)
+   - `libgtk-3-0` (Debian/Ubuntu) or `gtk3` (RHEL/CentOS/Fedora/Arch)
+   - `libappindicator3-1` (Debian/Ubuntu) or `libappindicator-gtk3` (RHEL/CentOS/Fedora/Arch)
+
+   **Install on Debian/Ubuntu:**
+   ```bash
+   sudo apt-get update
+   sudo apt-get install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 libgtk-3-0 libappindicator3-1
+   ```
+
+   **Install on RHEL/CentOS/Fedora:**
+   ```bash
+   sudo dnf install webkit2gtk4.1 gtk3 libappindicator-gtk3
+   ```
+   > **Note:** `webkit2gtk4.1` is available on Fedora 40+ and RHEL/CentOS 10+. For older versions (RHEL/CentOS 8-9, Fedora ≤39), only `webkit2gtk3` (4.0 ABI) is available, which may not be compatible.
+
+   **Install on Arch Linux:**
+   ```bash
+   sudo pacman -S webkit2gtk-4.1 gtk3 libappindicator-gtk3
+   ```
+
+   If you see an error like `libwebkit2gtk-4.1.so.0: cannot open shared object file`, install the missing dependencies above.
 
-3. (Optional) Add the binary to your PATH for global access
+4. (Optional) Add the binary to your PATH for global access
 
 ## 🎯 Quick Start
 
diff --git a/Taskfile.yaml b/Taskfile.yaml
index 8fd2b82..5d9dbc2 100644
--- a/Taskfile.yaml
+++ b/Taskfile.yaml
@@ -112,6 +112,16 @@ tasks:
       - task: build:windows
       - task: build:linux
 
+  build:appimage:
+    desc: Create Linux AppImage (requires Linux with GTK dev libs)
+    vars:
+      VERSION: '{{.VERSION | default "dev"}}'
+    preconditions:
+      - sh: test "$(uname -s)" = "Linux"
+        msg: "AppImage creation is only supported on Linux"
+    cmds:
+      - ./scripts/create-appimage.sh {{.VERSION}}
+
   # ============================================================================
   # Testing & Code Quality
   # ============================================================================
diff --git a/build/appicon.iconset/icon_128x128.png b/build/appicon.iconset/icon_128x128.png
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diff --git a/build/appicon.iconset/icon_16x16.png b/build/appicon.iconset/icon_16x16.png
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diff --git a/build/appicon.iconset/icon_64x64.png b/build/appicon.iconset/icon_64x64.png
deleted file mode 100644
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diff --git a/build/appicon.iconset/icon_64x64@2x.png b/build/appicon.iconset/icon_64x64@2x.png
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diff --git a/build/appicon.png b/build/appicon.png
index 74492e9..0307a5b 100644
Binary files a/build/appicon.png and b/build/appicon.png differ
diff --git a/scripts/create-appimage.sh b/scripts/create-appimage.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..37d9aef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/create-appimage.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,362 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+#
+# Create AppImage for Pub/Sub GUI
+#
+# Usage:
+#   ./scripts/create-appimage.sh [VERSION]
+#
+# Arguments:
+#   VERSION  - Version string (e.g., v1.0.0). Defaults to "dev"
+#
+# Environment Variables:
+#   BINARY_PATH      - Path to the built binary (default: build/bin/pubsub-gui)
+#   ICON_PATH        - Path to the icon file (default: build/appicon.png)
+#   OUTPUT_DIR       - Output directory for AppImage (default: current directory)
+#   SKIP_CHECKSUM    - Set to "1" to skip checksum verification (not recommended)
+#
+# Prerequisites:
+#   - Linux with GTK3 development libraries
+#   - wget, sha256sum, imagemagick (for placeholder icon)
+#   - squashfs-tools (for mksquashfs, required by appimagetool)
+#   - Built binary at BINARY_PATH
+#
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Colors for output
+RED='\033[0;31m'
+GREEN='\033[0;32m'
+YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+BLUE='\033[0;34m'
+NC='\033[0m' # No Color
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Configuration - Pinned versions for reproducibility and security
+# =============================================================================
+
+# linuxdeploy: using specific release tag with SHA256 verification
+LINUXDEPLOY_VERSION="1-alpha-20251107-1"
+LINUXDEPLOY_URL="https://github.com/linuxdeploy/linuxdeploy/releases/download/${LINUXDEPLOY_VERSION}/linuxdeploy-x86_64.AppImage"
+LINUXDEPLOY_SHA256_URL="https://github.com/linuxdeploy/linuxdeploy/releases/download/${LINUXDEPLOY_VERSION}/linuxdeploy-x86_64.AppImage.sha256"
+
+# GTK plugin: pinned to specific commit (commit hash provides content integrity)
+GTK_PLUGIN_COMMIT="3b67a1d1c1b0c8268f57f2bce40fe2d33d409cea"
+GTK_PLUGIN_URL="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/linuxdeploy/linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk/${GTK_PLUGIN_COMMIT}/linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk.sh"
+# Pre-computed SHA256 for the GTK plugin at this commit (13654 bytes)
+GTK_PLUGIN_EXPECTED_SHA256="b0f4cbc684a0103a9651f0955b635eaea0096b3a66c0f5a2c2aa337960375171"
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Parse arguments and set defaults
+# =============================================================================
+
+VERSION="${1:-dev}"
+BINARY_PATH="${BINARY_PATH:-build/bin/pubsub-gui}"
+ICON_PATH="${ICON_PATH:-build/appicon.png}"
+OUTPUT_DIR="${OUTPUT_DIR:-.}"
+SKIP_CHECKSUM="${SKIP_CHECKSUM:-0}"
+
+# Ensure OUTPUT_DIR exists and is absolute
+OUTPUT_DIR=$(cd "$OUTPUT_DIR" && pwd)
+mkdir -p "$OUTPUT_DIR"
+
+# Working directory for downloads
+WORK_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
+trap "rm -rf '$WORK_DIR'" EXIT
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Helper functions
+# =============================================================================
+
+log_info() {
+    echo -e "${BLUE}$1${NC}"
+}
+
+log_success() {
+    echo -e "${GREEN}$1${NC}"
+}
+
+log_warn() {
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}$1${NC}"
+}
+
+log_error() {
+    echo -e "${RED}$1${NC}" >&2
+}
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Validation
+# =============================================================================
+
+log_info "Creating AppImage for Pub/Sub GUI ${VERSION}"
+echo ""
+
+# Check we're on Linux
+if [[ "$(uname -s)" != "Linux" ]]; then
+    log_error "Error: AppImage creation is only supported on Linux"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Check binary exists
+if [[ ! -f "$BINARY_PATH" ]]; then
+    log_error "Error: Binary not found at $BINARY_PATH"
+    log_error "Run 'wails build -platform linux/amd64' first"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+log_success "Binary found: $BINARY_PATH"
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Download and verify linuxdeploy
+# =============================================================================
+
+log_info "Downloading linuxdeploy ${LINUXDEPLOY_VERSION}..."
+if ! wget -q "$LINUXDEPLOY_URL" -O "$WORK_DIR/linuxdeploy-x86_64.AppImage" 2>&1; then
+    log_error "Error: Failed to download linuxdeploy"
+    log_error "URL: $LINUXDEPLOY_URL"
+    log_error "Please verify the version exists and the URL is correct"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Try to download checksum file (may not exist for all releases)
+CHECKSUM_AVAILABLE=false
+if wget -q "$LINUXDEPLOY_SHA256_URL" -O "$WORK_DIR/linuxdeploy-x86_64.AppImage.sha256" 2>&1; then
+    CHECKSUM_AVAILABLE=true
+    log_success "Downloaded linuxdeploy checksum"
+else
+    log_warn "Checksum file not available for this release (this is normal for some releases)"
+    log_warn "Skipping checksum verification"
+fi
+
+if [[ "$SKIP_CHECKSUM" != "1" ]] && [[ "$CHECKSUM_AVAILABLE" == "true" ]]; then
+    log_info "Verifying linuxdeploy checksum..."
+    cd "$WORK_DIR"
+    sha256sum -c linuxdeploy-x86_64.AppImage.sha256 || {
+        log_error "Error: linuxdeploy checksum verification failed!"
+        exit 1
+    }
+    cd - > /dev/null
+    log_success "linuxdeploy checksum verified"
+elif [[ "$SKIP_CHECKSUM" == "1" ]]; then
+    log_warn "Skipping linuxdeploy checksum verification (SKIP_CHECKSUM=1)"
+fi
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Download and verify GTK plugin
+# =============================================================================
+
+log_info "Downloading linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk (commit ${GTK_PLUGIN_COMMIT:0:7})..."
+wget -q "$GTK_PLUGIN_URL" -O "$WORK_DIR/linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk.sh" || {
+    log_error "Error: Failed to download GTK plugin"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+# Verify download isn't empty (catches bad commit hashes, 404s, etc.)
+if [[ ! -s "$WORK_DIR/linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk.sh" ]]; then
+    log_error "Error: Downloaded GTK plugin is empty (bad URL or commit hash?)"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ "$SKIP_CHECKSUM" != "1" ]]; then
+    log_info "Verifying GTK plugin checksum..."
+    GTK_PLUGIN_ACTUAL_SHA256=$(sha256sum "$WORK_DIR/linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk.sh" | cut -d' ' -f1)
+    if [[ "$GTK_PLUGIN_ACTUAL_SHA256" != "$GTK_PLUGIN_EXPECTED_SHA256" ]]; then
+        log_error "Error: GTK plugin checksum verification failed!"
+        log_error "Expected: $GTK_PLUGIN_EXPECTED_SHA256"
+        log_error "Actual:   $GTK_PLUGIN_ACTUAL_SHA256"
+        log_error "The GTK plugin may have been modified. Update GTK_PLUGIN_EXPECTED_SHA256 if this is expected."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    log_success "GTK plugin checksum verified"
+else
+    log_warn "Skipping GTK plugin checksum verification (SKIP_CHECKSUM=1)"
+fi
+
+chmod +x "$WORK_DIR/linuxdeploy-x86_64.AppImage" "$WORK_DIR/linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk.sh"
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Prepare desktop file
+# =============================================================================
+
+log_info "Creating desktop file..."
+cat > "$WORK_DIR/pubsub-gui.desktop" << 'EOF'
+[Desktop Entry]
+Type=Application
+Name=PubSub GUI
+Comment=Google Cloud Pub/Sub Management Tool
+Exec=pubsub-gui
+Icon=pubsub-gui
+Categories=Development;
+Terminal=false
+EOF
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Prepare icon
+# =============================================================================
+
+if [[ ! -f "$ICON_PATH" ]]; then
+    log_warn "Icon not found at $ICON_PATH, creating placeholder..."
+    if command -v convert >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        convert -size 256x256 xc:'#4A90D9' \
+            -gravity center -pointsize 48 -fill white \
+            -annotate 0 'PS' \
+            "$ICON_PATH"
+        log_success "Created placeholder icon"
+    else
+        log_error "Error: ImageMagick (convert) not available to create placeholder icon"
+        log_error "Either install imagemagick or provide an icon at $ICON_PATH"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -s "$ICON_PATH" ]]; then
+    log_error "Error: Icon file exists but is empty: $ICON_PATH"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+log_success "Using icon: $ICON_PATH"
+
+# Copy icon to working directory with the name expected by desktop file
+# The desktop file specifies Icon=pubsub-gui, so linuxdeploy expects pubsub-gui.png
+ICON_EXT="${ICON_PATH##*.}"
+ICON_FOR_LINUXDEPLOY="$WORK_DIR/pubsub-gui.${ICON_EXT}"
+cp "$ICON_PATH" "$ICON_FOR_LINUXDEPLOY"
+log_info "Icon copied to: $ICON_FOR_LINUXDEPLOY (matching desktop file Icon entry)"
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Create AppImage
+# =============================================================================
+
+log_info "Creating AppImage..."
+
+# Save original working directory
+ORIGINAL_PWD=$(pwd)
+
+# Ensure OUTPUT_DIR exists and is writable
+log_info "Output directory: $OUTPUT_DIR"
+mkdir -p "$OUTPUT_DIR"
+if [[ ! -w "$OUTPUT_DIR" ]]; then
+    log_error "Error: Output directory is not writable: $OUTPUT_DIR"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Convert BINARY_PATH to absolute path if it's relative
+if [[ "$BINARY_PATH" != /* ]]; then
+    ABS_BINARY_PATH="$ORIGINAL_PWD/$BINARY_PATH"
+else
+    ABS_BINARY_PATH="$BINARY_PATH"
+fi
+
+# Set TMPDIR to a writable location (appimagetool/mksquashfs uses this for temporary files)
+# Prefer OUTPUT_DIR as it's guaranteed to be writable
+export TMPDIR="$OUTPUT_DIR/.appimage-tmp"
+mkdir -p "$TMPDIR"
+if [[ ! -w "$TMPDIR" ]]; then
+    # Fallback to system temp if OUTPUT_DIR/.appimage-tmp isn't writable
+    export TMPDIR="${TMPDIR_SYSTEM:-/tmp}"
+    mkdir -p "$TMPDIR"
+    if [[ ! -w "$TMPDIR" ]]; then
+        log_error "Error: Cannot create writable temporary directory"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    log_info "Using system temp for temporary files: $TMPDIR"
+else
+    log_info "Using OUTPUT_DIR for temporary files: $TMPDIR"
+fi
+
+# Change to OUTPUT_DIR - linuxdeploy creates AppImage in current working directory
+log_info "Changing to output directory: $OUTPUT_DIR"
+cd "$OUTPUT_DIR" || {
+    log_error "Error: Cannot change to output directory: $OUTPUT_DIR"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+# Copy GTK plugin to OUTPUT_DIR (linuxdeploy looks for it in current directory)
+cp "$WORK_DIR/linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk.sh" ./linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk.sh
+chmod +x ./linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk.sh
+
+log_info "Working directory: $(pwd)"
+log_info "Temporary directory: $TMPDIR"
+
+# Verify mksquashfs is available
+if ! command -v mksquashfs >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    log_error "Error: mksquashfs not found. Please install squashfs-tools:"
+    log_error "  sudo apt-get install squashfs-tools"
+    exit 1
+fi
+log_info "mksquashfs found: $(which mksquashfs)"
+
+# Verify we can write to current directory
+if [[ ! -w . ]]; then
+    log_error "Error: Current directory is not writable: $(pwd)"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Test write access by creating a test file
+TEST_FILE=".appimage-test-$$"
+if ! touch "$TEST_FILE" 2>/dev/null; then
+    log_error "Error: Cannot create files in current directory: $(pwd)"
+    exit 1
+fi
+rm -f "$TEST_FILE"
+log_info "Verified write access to current directory"
+
+export DEPLOY_GTK_VERSION=3
+"$WORK_DIR/linuxdeploy-x86_64.AppImage" \
+    --appdir "$WORK_DIR/AppDir" \
+    --executable "$ABS_BINARY_PATH" \
+    --desktop-file "$WORK_DIR/pubsub-gui.desktop" \
+    --icon-file "$ICON_FOR_LINUXDEPLOY" \
+    --plugin gtk \
+    --output appimage
+
+# Clean up GTK plugin from OUTPUT_DIR
+rm -f ./linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk.sh
+
+# Clean up temporary directory if we created it in OUTPUT_DIR
+if [[ "$TMPDIR" == "$OUTPUT_DIR/.appimage-tmp" ]]; then
+    rm -rf "$TMPDIR"
+fi
+
+# Return to original directory
+cd "$ORIGINAL_PWD" || {
+    log_error "Error: Cannot return to original directory: $ORIGINAL_PWD"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Rename and move output
+# =============================================================================
+
+# Find the generated AppImage in OUTPUT_DIR (linuxdeploy creates it in CWD where we ran it)
+# The name is based on the desktop file Name field (PubSub_GUI-x86_64.AppImage)
+GENERATED_APPIMAGE=$(ls -1 "${OUTPUT_DIR}"/PubSub_GUI*.AppImage 2>/dev/null || ls -1 "${OUTPUT_DIR}"/*.AppImage 2>/dev/null | head -1)
+
+if [[ -z "$GENERATED_APPIMAGE" ]]; then
+    log_error "Error: AppImage was not created in output directory"
+    log_error "Output directory: $OUTPUT_DIR"
+    log_error "Contents of output directory:"
+    ls -la "$OUTPUT_DIR" || true
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+OUTPUT_NAME="pubsub-gui_linux_amd64_${VERSION}.AppImage"
+OUTPUT_PATH="${OUTPUT_DIR}/${OUTPUT_NAME}"
+
+# Rename if the generated name is different
+if [[ "$(basename "$GENERATED_APPIMAGE")" != "$OUTPUT_NAME" ]]; then
+    log_info "Renaming AppImage: $(basename "$GENERATED_APPIMAGE") -> $OUTPUT_NAME"
+    mv "$GENERATED_APPIMAGE" "$OUTPUT_PATH"
+else
+    OUTPUT_PATH="$GENERATED_APPIMAGE"
+fi
+
+chmod +x "$OUTPUT_PATH"
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Summary
+# =============================================================================
+
+echo ""
+log_success "AppImage created successfully!"
+log_success "Output: ${OUTPUT_DIR}/${OUTPUT_NAME}"
+ls -lh "${OUTPUT_DIR}/${OUTPUT_NAME}"
diff --git a/scripts/generate-icons.sh b/scripts/generate-icons.sh
index bca5a87..368c372 100755
--- a/scripts/generate-icons.sh
+++ b/scripts/generate-icons.sh
@@ -26,9 +26,10 @@ else
     IMAGEMAGICK_CMD="convert"
 fi
 
-# Generate PNG icon (512x512) for macOS
+# Generate PNG icon (512x512) for macOS and Linux AppImage
+# Resize to fit within 512x512 (preserving aspect ratio), then extend to exactly 512x512 square
 echo "📱 Generating PNG icon (512x512)..."
-$IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 512x512 "$BUILD_DIR/appicon.png"
+$IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 512x512 -gravity center -extent 512x512 "$BUILD_DIR/appicon.png"
 
 # Generate Windows ICO file (multiple sizes)
 echo "🪟 Generating Windows ICO file..."
@@ -53,31 +54,45 @@ if [[ "$OSTYPE" == "darwin"* ]]; then
     echo "🍎 Generating macOS ICNS file..."
 
     ICONSET_DIR="$BUILD_DIR/appicon.iconset"
+    # Clean up any existing iconset directory
+    rm -rf "$ICONSET_DIR"
     mkdir -p "$ICONSET_DIR"
 
-    # Generate all required sizes for ICNS
-    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 512x512 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_512x512.png"
-    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 256x256 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_256x256.png"
-    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 128x128 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_128x128.png"
-    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 64x64 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_64x64.png"
-    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 32x32 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_32x32.png"
-    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 16x16 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_16x16.png"
+    # Ensure output directory exists
+    mkdir -p "$BUILD_DIR/bin/pubsub-gui.app/Contents/Resources"
+
+    # Generate all required sizes for ICNS (ensure they're exactly square)
+    # Standard sizes
+    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 512x512 -gravity center -extent 512x512 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_512x512.png"
+    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 256x256 -gravity center -extent 256x256 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_256x256.png"
+    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 128x128 -gravity center -extent 128x128 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_128x128.png"
+    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 64x64 -gravity center -extent 64x64 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_64x64.png"
+    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 32x32 -gravity center -extent 32x32 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_32x32.png"
+    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 16x16 -gravity center -extent 16x16 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_16x16.png"
 
     # Generate @2x versions
-    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 1024x1024 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_512x512@2x.png"
-    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 512x512 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_256x256@2x.png"
-    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 256x256 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_128x128@2x.png"
-    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 128x128 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_64x64@2x.png"
-    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 64x64 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_32x32@2x.png"
-    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 32x32 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_16x16@2x.png"
+    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 1024x1024 -gravity center -extent 1024x1024 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_512x512@2x.png"
+    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 512x512 -gravity center -extent 512x512 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_256x256@2x.png"
+    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 256x256 -gravity center -extent 256x256 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_128x128@2x.png"
+    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 128x128 -gravity center -extent 128x128 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_64x64@2x.png"
+    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 64x64 -gravity center -extent 64x64 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_32x32@2x.png"
+    $IMAGEMAGICK_CMD "$SVG_ICON" -background none -resize 32x32 -gravity center -extent 32x32 "$ICONSET_DIR/icon_16x16@2x.png"
 
     # Create ICNS file
-    iconutil -c icns "$ICONSET_DIR" -o "$BUILD_DIR/bin/pubsub-gui.app/Contents/Resources/iconfile.icns"
+    if iconutil -c icns "$ICONSET_DIR" -o "$BUILD_DIR/bin/pubsub-gui.app/Contents/Resources/iconfile.icns" 2>&1; then
+        echo "✅ macOS ICNS file generated!"
+    else
+        echo "❌ Failed to generate ICNS file"
+        echo "   Checking iconset directory contents..."
+        ls -la "$ICONSET_DIR" || true
+        echo "   Attempting to diagnose issue..."
+        # Clean up on failure
+        rm -rf "$ICONSET_DIR"
+        exit 1
+    fi
 
     # Clean up iconset directory
     rm -rf "$ICONSET_DIR"
-
-    echo "✅ macOS ICNS file generated!"
 else
     echo "⚠️  Skipping ICNS generation (macOS only)"
 fi
diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index 66d5801..0616952 100755
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -8,6 +8,22 @@
 # - Automatic platform detection (Linux, macOS, Windows)
 # - SHA256 checksum verification for downloaded archives
 # - Support for latest release or specific version
+# - Linux: AppImage by default (self-contained, no dependencies needed)
+#
+# Environment Variables:
+# - PUBSUB_GUI_REPO_URL: Override the GitHub repository URL
+# - PUBSUB_GUI_INSTALL_DIR: Override the installation directory
+# - PUBSUB_GUI_USE_TARBALL: Set to "1" to use tar.gz instead of AppImage on Linux
+#
+# Examples:
+#   # Install latest version (AppImage on Linux)
+#   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/b87/pubsub-gui/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
+#
+#   # Install specific version
+#   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/b87/pubsub-gui/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- v1.2.0
+#
+#   # Force tar.gz instead of AppImage on Linux
+#   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/b87/pubsub-gui/main/scripts/install.sh | PUBSUB_GUI_USE_TARBALL=1 bash
 #
 
 set -euo pipefail
@@ -30,10 +46,17 @@ detect_platform() {
     local os=""
     local arch=""
     local ext="tar.gz"
+    local use_appimage="false"
 
     case "$(uname -s)" in
         Linux*)
             os="linux"
+            # Default to AppImage for Linux (self-contained, no dependencies needed)
+            # Can be overridden with PUBSUB_GUI_USE_TARBALL=1
+            if [ "${PUBSUB_GUI_USE_TARBALL:-}" != "1" ]; then
+                use_appimage="true"
+                ext="AppImage"
+            fi
             ;;
         Darwin*)
             os="darwin"
@@ -54,9 +77,19 @@ detect_platform() {
             ;;
         arm64|aarch64)
             arch="arm64"
+            # AppImage currently only available for amd64
+            if [ "$os" = "linux" ]; then
+                use_appimage="false"
+                ext="tar.gz"
+            fi
             ;;
         armv7l|armv7)
             arch="armv7"
+            # AppImage not available for armv7
+            if [ "$os" = "linux" ]; then
+                use_appimage="false"
+                ext="tar.gz"
+            fi
             ;;
         *)
             echo -e "${RED}Error: Unsupported architecture: $(uname -m)${NC}" >&2
@@ -73,6 +106,7 @@ detect_platform() {
     PLATFORM_OS="$os"
     PLATFORM_ARCH="$arch"
     ARCHIVE_EXT="$ext"
+    USE_APPIMAGE="$use_appimage"
 }
 
 # Normalize GitHub repository URL (remove www, ensure https://github.com format)
@@ -239,6 +273,183 @@ verify_checksum() {
     fi
 }
 
+# Check and install Linux runtime dependencies
+check_linux_dependencies() {
+    if [ "$PLATFORM_OS" != "linux" ]; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    echo -e "${BLUE}Checking Linux runtime dependencies...${NC}"
+
+    # Check if required libraries are available
+    local missing_deps=()
+
+    # Function to check if a library exists
+    check_library() {
+        local lib_name="$1"
+
+        # Try ldconfig first (most reliable)
+        if command -v ldconfig >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            if ldconfig -p 2>/dev/null | grep -q "${lib_name}.so"; then
+                return 0
+            fi
+        fi
+
+        # Fallback: check common library paths
+        local lib_paths=(
+            "/usr/lib"
+            "/usr/lib64"
+            "/usr/local/lib"
+            "/usr/local/lib64"
+            "/lib"
+            "/lib64"
+        )
+
+        for lib_path in "${lib_paths[@]}"; do
+            if [ -f "${lib_path}/${lib_name}.so" ] || [ -f "${lib_path}/${lib_name}.so.0" ] || \
+               find "${lib_path}" -name "${lib_name}.so*" 2>/dev/null | grep -q .; then
+                return 0
+            fi
+        done
+
+        return 1
+    }
+
+    # Check for webkit2gtk-4.1 (most critical)
+    if ! check_library "libwebkit2gtk-4.1"; then
+        missing_deps+=("webkit2gtk-4.1")
+    fi
+
+    # Check for GTK3
+    if ! check_library "libgtk-3"; then
+        missing_deps+=("gtk-3")
+    fi
+
+    # Check for appindicator3
+    if ! check_library "libappindicator3"; then
+        missing_deps+=("appindicator3")
+    fi
+
+    if [ ${#missing_deps[@]} -eq 0 ]; then
+        echo -e "${GREEN}✓ All runtime dependencies are installed${NC}"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}Missing runtime dependencies detected: ${missing_deps[*]}${NC}"
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}Attempting to install missing dependencies...${NC}"
+
+    # Detect package manager and install dependencies
+    if command -v apt-get >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        # Debian/Ubuntu
+        local packages=()
+        for dep in "${missing_deps[@]}"; do
+            case "$dep" in
+                webkit2gtk-4.1)
+                    packages+=("libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0")
+                    ;;
+                gtk-3)
+                    packages+=("libgtk-3-0")
+                    ;;
+                appindicator3)
+                    packages+=("libappindicator3-1")
+                    ;;
+            esac
+        done
+
+        if [ ${#packages[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
+            echo -e "${BLUE}Installing: ${packages[*]}${NC}"
+            if [ "$EUID" -eq 0 ]; then
+                apt-get update -qq && apt-get install -y "${packages[@]}" || {
+                    echo -e "${YELLOW}Warning: Failed to install dependencies automatically${NC}"
+                    echo -e "${YELLOW}Please install manually: sudo apt-get install ${packages[*]}${NC}"
+                    return 1
+                }
+            else
+                echo -e "${YELLOW}Root privileges required to install dependencies${NC}"
+                echo -e "${YELLOW}Please run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install ${packages[*]}${NC}"
+                return 1
+            fi
+        fi
+    elif command -v yum >/dev/null 2>&1 || command -v dnf >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora
+        local packages=()
+        for dep in "${missing_deps[@]}"; do
+            case "$dep" in
+                webkit2gtk-4.1)
+                    packages+=("webkit2gtk4")
+                    ;;
+                gtk-3)
+                    packages+=("gtk3")
+                    ;;
+                appindicator3)
+                    packages+=("libappindicator-gtk3")
+                    ;;
+            esac
+        done
+
+        if [ ${#packages[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
+            echo -e "${BLUE}Installing: ${packages[*]}${NC}"
+            local pkg_manager="yum"
+            if command -v dnf >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+                pkg_manager="dnf"
+            fi
+
+            if [ "$EUID" -eq 0 ]; then
+                $pkg_manager install -y "${packages[@]}" || {
+                    echo -e "${YELLOW}Warning: Failed to install dependencies automatically${NC}"
+                    echo -e "${YELLOW}Please install manually: sudo $pkg_manager install ${packages[*]}${NC}"
+                    return 1
+                }
+            else
+                echo -e "${YELLOW}Root privileges required to install dependencies${NC}"
+                echo -e "${YELLOW}Please run: sudo $pkg_manager install ${packages[*]}${NC}"
+                return 1
+            fi
+        fi
+    elif command -v pacman >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        # Arch Linux
+        local packages=()
+        for dep in "${missing_deps[@]}"; do
+            case "$dep" in
+                webkit2gtk-4.1)
+                    packages+=("webkit2gtk-4.1")
+                    ;;
+                gtk-3)
+                    packages+=("gtk3")
+                    ;;
+                appindicator3)
+                    packages+=("libappindicator-gtk3")
+                    ;;
+            esac
+        done
+
+        if [ ${#packages[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
+            echo -e "${BLUE}Installing: ${packages[*]}${NC}"
+            if [ "$EUID" -eq 0 ]; then
+                pacman -S --noconfirm "${packages[@]}" || {
+                    echo -e "${YELLOW}Warning: Failed to install dependencies automatically${NC}"
+                    echo -e "${YELLOW}Please install manually: sudo pacman -S ${packages[*]}${NC}"
+                    return 1
+                }
+            else
+                echo -e "${YELLOW}Root privileges required to install dependencies${NC}"
+                echo -e "${YELLOW}Please run: sudo pacman -S ${packages[*]}${NC}"
+                return 1
+            fi
+        fi
+    else
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}Warning: Could not detect package manager${NC}"
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}Please install the following runtime dependencies manually:${NC}"
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}  - libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 (or webkit2gtk-4.1)${NC}"
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}  - libgtk-3-0 (or gtk3)${NC}"
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}  - libappindicator3-1 (or libappindicator-gtk3)${NC}"
+        return 1
+    fi
+
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Runtime dependencies installed${NC}"
+    return 0
+}
+
 # Download and install
 install_binary() {
     local version="$1"
@@ -246,6 +457,29 @@ install_binary() {
     local arch="$3"
     local ext="$4"
 
+    # Check Linux dependencies before installation (only for tar.gz, not AppImage)
+    if [ "$os" = "linux" ] && [ "$USE_APPIMAGE" != "true" ]; then
+        if ! check_linux_dependencies; then
+            echo -e "${YELLOW}Warning: Some runtime dependencies may be missing${NC}"
+            echo -e "${YELLOW}The application may not run correctly until dependencies are installed${NC}"
+
+            # Only prompt if running interactively (stdin is a TTY)
+            if [ -t 0 ]; then
+                read -p "Continue with installation anyway? (y/N) " -n 1 -r
+                echo
+                if [[ ! $REPLY =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
+                    echo -e "${RED}Installation cancelled${NC}"
+                    exit 1
+                fi
+            else
+                echo -e "${YELLOW}Continuing with installation (non-interactive mode)${NC}"
+                echo -e "${YELLOW}Please install dependencies manually if the application fails to run${NC}"
+            fi
+        fi
+    elif [ "$os" = "linux" ] && [ "$USE_APPIMAGE" = "true" ]; then
+        echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Using AppImage (all dependencies bundled)${NC}"
+    fi
+
     # Construct download URL (normalize GitHub URL first)
     local normalized_url=$(normalize_github_url "$REPO_URL")
     local archive_name="${BINARY_NAME}_${os}_${arch}_${version}.${ext}"
@@ -290,7 +524,94 @@ install_binary() {
     # Verify checksum
     verify_checksum "$archive_path" "$archive_name" "$version" "$normalized_url" "$tmp_dir"
 
-    # Extract archive
+    # Handle AppImage specially (no extraction needed)
+    if [ "$ext" = "AppImage" ]; then
+        echo -e "${BLUE}Installing AppImage...${NC}"
+
+        # Determine install location for AppImage
+        local appimage_dir="${INSTALL_DIR:-$HOME/.local/bin}"
+        local appimage_path="${appimage_dir}/${BINARY_NAME}.AppImage"
+
+        # Create directory if needed
+        mkdir -p "$appimage_dir"
+
+        # Check if we need sudo
+        local needs_sudo=false
+        if [ ! -w "$appimage_dir" ] && [ "$EUID" -ne 0 ]; then
+            needs_sudo=true
+        fi
+
+        # Remove existing AppImage if present
+        if [ -f "$appimage_path" ]; then
+            echo -e "${YELLOW}Removing existing AppImage...${NC}"
+            if [ "$needs_sudo" = true ]; then
+                sudo rm -f "$appimage_path"
+            else
+                rm -f "$appimage_path"
+            fi
+        fi
+
+        # Install AppImage
+        if [ "$needs_sudo" = true ]; then
+            sudo cp "$archive_path" "$appimage_path"
+            sudo chmod +x "$appimage_path"
+        else
+            cp "$archive_path" "$appimage_path"
+            chmod +x "$appimage_path"
+        fi
+
+        # Create symlink for easier command-line access
+        local symlink_path="${appimage_dir}/${BINARY_NAME}"
+        if [ -L "$symlink_path" ] || [ -f "$symlink_path" ]; then
+            if [ "$needs_sudo" = true ]; then
+                sudo rm -f "$symlink_path"
+            else
+                rm -f "$symlink_path"
+            fi
+        fi
+        if [ "$needs_sudo" = true ]; then
+            sudo ln -sf "$appimage_path" "$symlink_path"
+        else
+            ln -sf "$appimage_path" "$symlink_path"
+        fi
+
+        echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Successfully installed Pub/Sub GUI AppImage to ${appimage_path}${NC}"
+        echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Symlink created at ${symlink_path}${NC}"
+
+        # Verify installation
+        if [ -f "$appimage_path" ] && [ -x "$appimage_path" ]; then
+            if command -v "$BINARY_NAME" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+                echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Binary is available in PATH${NC}"
+            else
+                echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠ Binary is not in PATH${NC}"
+                echo -e "${YELLOW}Add ${appimage_dir} to your PATH, or run directly: ${appimage_path}${NC}"
+
+                # Suggest adding to PATH
+                local shell_rc=""
+                if [ -n "${ZSH_VERSION:-}" ] || [ -f "$HOME/.zshrc" ]; then
+                    shell_rc="$HOME/.zshrc"
+                elif [ -n "${BASH_VERSION:-}" ] || [ -f "$HOME/.bashrc" ]; then
+                    shell_rc="$HOME/.bashrc"
+                fi
+
+                if [ -n "$shell_rc" ] && ! grep -q "$appimage_dir" "$shell_rc" 2>/dev/null; then
+                    echo -e "${BLUE}Add this to your ${shell_rc}:${NC}"
+                    echo -e "${BLUE}export PATH=\"\$PATH:$appimage_dir\"${NC}"
+                fi
+            fi
+
+            # Show version if available
+            if "$appimage_path" --version >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+                echo -e "${GREEN}Version: $("$appimage_path" --version)${NC}"
+            fi
+        else
+            echo -e "${RED}Error: Installation verification failed${NC}" >&2
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        return
+    fi
+
+    # Extract archive (for non-AppImage formats)
     echo -e "${BLUE}Extracting archive...${NC}"
     cd "$tmp_dir"
 
@@ -379,7 +700,8 @@ install_binary() {
     if [ "$os" = "windows" ]; then
         extracted_binary=$(find . -name "${BINARY_NAME}.exe" -type f | head -1)
     else
-        extracted_binary=$(find . -name "$BINARY_NAME" -type f -perm +111 | head -1)
+        # /111 means "any execute bit is set" (executable by owner, group, or others)
+        extracted_binary=$(find . -name "$BINARY_NAME" -type f -perm /111 | head -1)
         if [ -z "$extracted_binary" ]; then
             extracted_binary=$(find . -name "$BINARY_NAME" -type f | head -1)
         fi
@@ -462,6 +784,13 @@ main() {
     # Detect platform
     detect_platform
 
+    # Show platform info
+    local format_info="$ARCHIVE_EXT"
+    if [ "$USE_APPIMAGE" = "true" ]; then
+        format_info="AppImage (self-contained)"
+    fi
+    echo -e "${BLUE}Platform: ${PLATFORM_OS}/${PLATFORM_ARCH} (${format_info})${NC}"
+
     # Get version
     local install_version="$VERSION"
     if [ "$VERSION" = "latest" ]; then