diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 12af15c1..164f1920 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,4 +9,13 @@ project.properties
 .settings/
 .classpath
 dependency-reduced-pom.xml
-*.exe
\ No newline at end of file
+*.exe
+linux-jdk/
+linux-aarch64-jdk/
+native-linux-x86_64/
+native-linux-aarch64/
+linux-jdk/
+*.AppImage
+*.AppImage-patched
+OpenJDK11U-jre_*_linux_hotspot_*.tar.gz
+packr_runelite-*.jar
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/runelite/launcher/Launcher.java b/src/main/java/net/runelite/launcher/Launcher.java
index 0edaa612..0ec695ac 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/runelite/launcher/Launcher.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/runelite/launcher/Launcher.java
@@ -94,14 +94,56 @@
 @Slf4j
 public class Launcher
 {
-	private static final File RUNELITE_DIR = new File(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".runelite");
-	public static final File LOGS_DIR = new File(RUNELITE_DIR, "logs");
-	private static final File REPO_DIR = new File(RUNELITE_DIR, "repository2");
-	public static final File CRASH_FILES = new File(LOGS_DIR, "jvm_crash_pid_%p.log");
+	private static final File LEGACY_RUNELITE_DIR = new File(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".runelite");
+
+	private static final File RUNELITE_DIR;
+	private static final File REPO_DIR;
+	public static final File LOGS_DIR;
+	public static final File CRASH_FILES;
+
 	private static final String USER_AGENT = "RuneLite/" + LauncherProperties.getVersion();
+	private static final String APP_NAME = "runelite";
+
+	static
+	{
+		// if ~/.runelite is found, use it instead of xdg defaults
+		// to bypass this check, either rename/move/delete the directory, or set RUNELITE_USE_XDG=1 in your environment
+		if (LEGACY_RUNELITE_DIR.exists() && System.getProperty("RUNELITE_USE_XDG", null) == null)
+		{
+			RUNELITE_DIR = new File(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".runelite");
+			REPO_DIR = new File(RUNELITE_DIR, "repository2");
+
+			LOGS_DIR = new File(RUNELITE_DIR, "logs");
+			CRASH_FILES = new File(LOGS_DIR, "jvm_crash_pid_%p.log");
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			switch (OS.getOS())
+			{
+				case Linux:
+				case MacOS:
+					RUNELITE_DIR = new File(OS.getXDG("data", APP_NAME));
+					REPO_DIR = new File(OS.getXDG("data", APP_NAME), "repository2");
+
+					LOGS_DIR = new File(OS.getXDG("state", APP_NAME));
+					CRASH_FILES = new File(LOGS_DIR, "jvm_crash_pid_%p.log");
+					break;
+				case Windows:
+				case Other:
+				default:
+					RUNELITE_DIR = new File(System.getProperty("user.home"), "." + APP_NAME);  // ~/.runelite
+					REPO_DIR = new File(RUNELITE_DIR, "repository2");
+
+					LOGS_DIR = new File(RUNELITE_DIR, "logs");
+					CRASH_FILES = new File(LOGS_DIR, "jvm_crash_pid_%p.log");
+					break;
+			}
+		}
+	}
 
 	public static void main(String[] args)
 	{
+
 		OptionParser parser = new OptionParser(false);
 		parser.allowsUnrecognizedOptions();
 		parser.accepts("postinstall", "Perform post-install tasks");
@@ -114,7 +156,7 @@ public static void main(String[] args)
 		parser.accepts("scale", "Custom scale factor for Java 2D").withRequiredArg();
 		parser.accepts("help", "Show this text (use --clientargs --help for client help)").forHelp();
 
-		if (OS.getOs() == OS.OSType.MacOS)
+		if (OS.equals("mac"))
 		{
 			// Parse macos PSN, eg: -psn_0_352342
 			parser.accepts("p").withRequiredArg();
@@ -124,7 +166,7 @@ public static void main(String[] args)
 		final ArgumentAcceptingOptionSpec<HardwareAccelerationMode> mode = parser.accepts("mode")
 			.withRequiredArg()
 			.ofType(HardwareAccelerationMode.class)
-			.defaultsTo(HardwareAccelerationMode.defaultMode(OS.getOs()));
+			.defaultsTo(HardwareAccelerationMode.defaultMode(OS.getOS()));
 
 		final OptionSet options;
 		final HardwareAccelerationMode hardwareAccelerationMode;
@@ -190,12 +232,12 @@ public static void main(String[] args)
 			}
 
 			log.info("Setting hardware acceleration to {}", hardwareAccelerationMode);
-			jvmProps.addAll(hardwareAccelerationMode.toParams(OS.getOs()));
+			jvmProps.addAll(hardwareAccelerationMode.toParams(OS.getOS()));
 
 			// As of JDK-8243269 (11.0.8) and JDK-8235363 (14), AWT makes macOS dark mode support opt-in so interfaces
 			// with hardcoded foreground/background colours don't get broken by system settings. Considering the native
 			// Aqua we draw consists a window border and an about box, it's safe to say we can opt in.
-			if (OS.getOs() == OS.OSType.MacOS)
+			if (OS.equals("mac"))
 			{
 				jvmProps.add("-Dapple.awt.application.appearance=system");
 			}
@@ -208,7 +250,7 @@ public static void main(String[] args)
 				jvmProps.add("-Drunelite.insecure-skip-tls-verification=true");
 			}
 
-			if (OS.getOs() == OS.OSType.Windows && !options.has("use-jre-truststore"))
+			if (OS.equals("windows") && !options.has("use-jre-truststore"))
 			{
 				// Use the Windows Trusted Root Certificate Authorities instead of the bundled cacerts.
 				// Corporations, schools, antivirus, and malware commonly install root certificates onto
@@ -323,18 +365,9 @@ public static void main(String[] args)
 						return true;
 					}
 
-					final String os = System.getProperty("os.name");
-					final String arch = System.getProperty("os.arch");
 					for (Platform platform : a.getPlatform())
 					{
-						if (platform.getName() == null)
-						{
-							continue;
-						}
-
-						OS.OSType platformOs = OS.parseOs(platform.getName());
-						if ((platformOs == OS.OSType.Other ? platform.getName().equals(os) : platformOs == OS.getOs())
-							&& (platform.getArch() == null || platform.getArch().equals(arch)))
+						if (OS.isCompatible(platform.getName(), platform.getArch()))
 						{
 							return true;
 						}
@@ -842,7 +875,7 @@ private static void postInstall(List<String> jvmParams)
 
 	private static void initDllBlacklist()
 	{
-		if (OS.getOs() != OS.OSType.Windows)
+		if (!OS.equals("windows"))
 		{
 			return;
 		}
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/runelite/launcher/OS.java b/src/main/java/net/runelite/launcher/OS.java
index b7edab4d..00b1e1f6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/runelite/launcher/OS.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/runelite/launcher/OS.java
@@ -24,32 +24,144 @@
  */
 package net.runelite.launcher;
 
+import java.nio.file.Path;
+import java.nio.file.Paths;
+
 import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
 import lombok.extern.slf4j.Slf4j;
 
+/*
+   */
+
 @Slf4j
 public class OS
 {
+	/*
+	 * XDG prefixed variables are OS-defaults
+	 * non-prefixed variables are the running environment variables
+	 * the minuscule variables are the runelite-specific variables
+	 * */
+	private static final Path CONFIG_HOME;
+	private static final Path DATA_HOME;
+	private static final Path CACHE_HOME;
+	private static final Path STATE_HOME;
+	private static final Path RUNTIME_DIR;
+	private static final Path PICTURES_DIR;
+
 	public enum OSType
 	{
 		Windows, MacOS, Linux, Other
 	}
 
 	private static final OSType DETECTED_OS;
+	private static final String DETECTED_ARCH;
 
+	private static final String placeholder = "%{project_name}";  // used on Windows
 	static
 	{
-		final String os = System
-			.getProperty("os.name", "generic")
-			.toLowerCase();
-		DETECTED_OS = parseOs(os);
+		String os = System.getProperty("os.name", "generic").toLowerCase();
+		DETECTED_ARCH = System.getProperty("os.arch", "unknown");
+
+		Path XDG_CONFIG_HOME;
+		Path XDG_DATA_HOME;
+		Path XDG_CACHE_HOME;
+		Path XDG_STATE_HOME;
+		Path XDG_RUNTIME_DIR;
+		Path XDG_PICTURES_DIR;
+
+		if (os.contains("mac") || os.contains("darwin"))
+		{
+			XDG_CONFIG_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "Library", "Preferences");
+			XDG_DATA_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "Library", "Application Support");
+			XDG_CACHE_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "Library", "Caches");
+			// STATE is a newcomer to the standard. it was split apart from the cache directory... but not on MacOS (yet, at least)
+			XDG_STATE_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "Library", "Caches");
+			XDG_RUNTIME_DIR = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "Library", "Caches");
+
+			XDG_PICTURES_DIR = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "Pictures");
+
+			DETECTED_OS = OSType.MacOS;
+		}
+		else if (os.contains("win"))
+		{
+			XDG_CONFIG_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "AppData", "Roaming", placeholder, "Config");
+			XDG_DATA_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "AppData", "Local", placeholder, "Data" );
+			XDG_CACHE_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "AppData", "Local", placeholder, "Cache");
+			XDG_STATE_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "AppData", "Local", placeholder, "Cache");
+			XDG_RUNTIME_DIR = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "AppData", "Roaming", placeholder);
+
+			XDG_PICTURES_DIR = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "Pictures", placeholder);
+
+			DETECTED_OS = OSType.Windows;
+		}
+		else if (os.contains("linux"))
+		{
+			XDG_CONFIG_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".config");
+			XDG_DATA_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".local", "share");
+			XDG_CACHE_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".cache");
+			XDG_STATE_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".local", "state");
+			//  the default runtime directory on systemd is /run/user/1000, but this depends on the init. other
+			//  init systems should make sure they've exported the runtime directory to the environment
+			XDG_RUNTIME_DIR = Paths.get("run", "user", System.getProperty("UID"));
+
+			XDG_PICTURES_DIR = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), "Pictures");
+
+			DETECTED_OS = OSType.Linux;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			XDG_CONFIG_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".runelite", "config");
+			XDG_DATA_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".runelite", "data");
+			XDG_CACHE_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".runelite", "cache");
+			XDG_STATE_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".runelite", "state");
+			XDG_RUNTIME_DIR = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".runelite", "runtime");
+
+			XDG_PICTURES_DIR = Paths.get(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".runelite", "Pictures");
+
+			DETECTED_OS = OSType.Other;
+		}
+
+		// note: system variables don't have a placeholder for the appname.
+		switch (DETECTED_OS)
+		{
+			case Linux:
+			case MacOS:
+				PICTURES_DIR = Paths.get(System.getProperty("XDG_PICTURES_DIR", XDG_PICTURES_DIR.toString()));
+				CONFIG_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("XDG_CONFIG_HOME", XDG_CONFIG_HOME.toString()));
+				DATA_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("XDG_DATA_HOME", XDG_DATA_HOME.toString()));
+				CACHE_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("XDG_CACHE_HOME", XDG_CACHE_HOME.toString()));
+				STATE_HOME = Paths.get(System.getProperty("XDG_STATE_HOME", XDG_STATE_HOME.toString()));
+				RUNTIME_DIR = Paths.get(System.getProperty("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR", XDG_RUNTIME_DIR.toString()));
+				break;
+			case Windows:
+			case Other:
+			default:
+				CONFIG_HOME = XDG_CONFIG_HOME;
+				DATA_HOME = XDG_DATA_HOME;
+				CACHE_HOME = XDG_CACHE_HOME;
+				STATE_HOME = XDG_STATE_HOME;
+				RUNTIME_DIR = XDG_RUNTIME_DIR;
+				PICTURES_DIR = XDG_PICTURES_DIR;
+				break;
+		}
+
 		log.debug("Detect OS: {}", DETECTED_OS);
 	}
 
-	static OSType parseOs(@Nonnull String os)
+
+	public static OSType getOs(@Nonnull String os)
+	{
+		return getOS(os);
+	}
+
+	public static OSType getOs()
 	{
-		os = os.toLowerCase();
-		if ((os.contains("mac")) || (os.contains("darwin")))
+		return getOS();
+	}
+
+	public static OSType getOS(@Nonnull String os)
+	{
+		if (os.contains("mac") || os.contains("darwin"))
 		{
 			return OSType.MacOS;
 		}
@@ -67,8 +179,89 @@ else if (os.contains("linux"))
 		}
 	}
 
-	public static OSType getOs()
+	public static OSType getOS()
 	{
 		return DETECTED_OS;
 	}
+	public static String getArch()
+	{
+		return DETECTED_ARCH;
+	}
+
+	public static boolean equals(String os)
+	{
+		return DETECTED_OS.equals(getOS(os.toLowerCase()));
+	}
+
+	public static String getXDG(@Nonnull String home, String appName) throws IllegalArgumentException
+	{
+		if (appName == null)
+		{
+			appName = "";
+		}
+
+		String config_home;
+		String data_home;
+		String cache_home;
+		String state_home;
+		String pictures_dir;
+		String runtime_dir;
+
+		if (OS.equals("windows"))
+		{
+			config_home = CONFIG_HOME.toString().replace(placeholder, appName);
+			data_home = DATA_HOME.toString().replace(placeholder, appName);
+			cache_home = CACHE_HOME.toString().replace(placeholder, appName);
+			state_home = STATE_HOME.toString().replace(placeholder, appName);
+			runtime_dir = RUNTIME_DIR.toString().replace(placeholder, appName);
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			config_home = Paths.get(CONFIG_HOME.toString(), appName).toString();
+			data_home = Paths.get(DATA_HOME.toString(), appName).toString();
+			cache_home = Paths.get(CACHE_HOME.toString(), appName).toString();
+			state_home = Paths.get(STATE_HOME.toString(), appName).toString();
+			runtime_dir = Paths.get(RUNTIME_DIR.toString(), appName).toString();
+		}
+		pictures_dir = Paths.get(PICTURES_DIR.toString(), appName).toString();
+
+		switch (home.toLowerCase())
+		{
+			case "config":
+				return config_home; 
+			case "data":
+				return data_home;
+			case "cache":
+				return cache_home;
+			case "state":
+				return state_home;
+			case "runtime":
+				return state_home;
+			case "pictures":
+			case "screenshots":
+				return pictures_dir;
+			default:
+				throw new IllegalArgumentException("XDG paths must be config, data, cache or state");
+		}
+	}
+	
+	public static boolean isCompatible(String platformName, String platformArch)
+	{
+		if (platformName == null)
+		{
+			return false;
+		}
+
+		OSType platformOS = OS.getOS(platformName);
+
+		// we should document why we are using the platform name when we don't find a match for the platform os
+		if (platformOS == OSType.Other ? platformName.equals(DETECTED_OS) : platformOS == DETECTED_OS)
+		{
+			if (platformArch == null || platformArch.equals(DETECTED_ARCH))
+			{
+				return true;
+			}
+		}
+		return false;
+	}
 }