diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dcda2146c..20e940689 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -76,6 +76,22 @@ Currently only a 64-bit version is available.
 The Linux version does not currently automatically update so you will need to
 repeat these steps to upgrade to future releases.
 
+### Archive extraction
+
+An archive is available for people who don't want to install `atom` as root.
+
+This version enables you to install multiple Atom versions in parallel. It has been built on Ubuntu 64-bit,
+but should be compatible with other Linux distributions.
+
+1. Install dependencies (on Ubuntu): `sudo apt install git gconf2 gconf-service libgtk2.0-0 libudev1 libgcrypt20
+libnotify4 libxtst6 libnss3 python gvfs-bin xdg-utils libcap2`
+2. Download `atom-amd64.tar.gz` from the [Atom releases page](https://github.com/atom/atom/releases/latest).
+3. Run `tar xf atom-amd64.tar.gz` in the directory where you want to extract the Atom folder.
+4. Launch Atom using the installed `atom` command from the newly extracted directory.
+
+The Linux version does not currently automatically update so you will need to
+repeat these steps to upgrade to future releases.
+
 ## Building
 
 * [Linux](docs/build-instructions/linux.md)
diff --git a/build/Gruntfile.coffee b/build/Gruntfile.coffee
index d9375d05c..f8ee607e5 100644
--- a/build/Gruntfile.coffee
+++ b/build/Gruntfile.coffee
@@ -285,6 +285,7 @@ module.exports = (grunt) ->
   ciTasks.push('dump-symbols') if process.platform is 'darwin'
   ciTasks.push('set-version', 'check-licenses', 'lint', 'generate-asar')
   ciTasks.push('mkdeb') if process.platform is 'linux'
+  ciTasks.push('mktar') if process.platform is 'linux'
   ciTasks.push('codesign:exe') if process.platform is 'win32' and not process.env.CI
   ciTasks.push('create-windows-installer:installer') if process.platform is 'win32'
   ciTasks.push('test') if process.platform is 'darwin'
diff --git a/build/tasks/mktar-task.coffee b/build/tasks/mktar-task.coffee
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f5edbb4be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/tasks/mktar-task.coffee
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+path = require 'path'
+
+module.exports = (grunt) ->
+  {spawn, fillTemplate} = require('./task-helpers')(grunt)
+
+  grunt.registerTask 'mktar', 'Create an archive', ->
+    done = @async()
+
+    appFileName = grunt.config.get('atom.appFileName')
+    buildDir = grunt.config.get('atom.buildDir')
+    shellAppDir = grunt.config.get('atom.shellAppDir')
+    {version, description} = grunt.config.get('atom.metadata')
+
+    if process.arch is 'ia32'
+      arch = 'i386'
+    else if process.arch is 'x64'
+      arch = 'amd64'
+    else
+      return done("Unsupported arch #{process.arch}")
+
+    iconPath = path.join(shellAppDir, 'resources', 'app.asar.unpacked', 'resources', 'atom.png')
+
+    cmd = path.join('script', 'mktar')
+    args = [appFileName, version, arch, iconPath, buildDir]
+    spawn {cmd, args}, (error) ->
+      if error?
+        done(error)
+      else
+        grunt.log.ok "Created " + path.join(buildDir, "#{appFileName}-#{version}-#{arch}.tar.gz")
+        done()
diff --git a/build/tasks/publish-build-task.coffee b/build/tasks/publish-build-task.coffee
index de46eb4fe..19061db02 100644
--- a/build/tasks/publish-build-task.coffee
+++ b/build/tasks/publish-build-task.coffee
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ getAssets = ->
         arch = 'amd64'
 
       # Check for a Debian build
-      sourcePath = "#{buildDir}/#{appFileName}-#{version}-#{arch}.deb"
+      sourcePath = path.join(buildDir, "#{appFileName}-#{version}-#{arch}.deb")
       assetName = "atom-#{arch}.deb"
 
       # Check for a Fedora build
       unless fs.isFileSync(sourcePath)
         rpmName = fs.readdirSync("#{buildDir}/rpm")[0]
-        sourcePath = "#{buildDir}/rpm/#{rpmName}"
+        sourcePath = path.join(buildDir, "rpm", rpmName)
         if process.arch is 'ia32'
           arch = 'i386'
         else
@@ -99,10 +99,17 @@ getAssets = ->
         assetName = "atom.#{arch}.rpm"
 
       cp sourcePath, path.join(buildDir, assetName)
+      assets = [{assetName, sourcePath}]
 
-      [
-        {assetName, sourcePath}
-      ]
+      # Check for an archive build on a debian build machine.
+      # We could provide a Fedora version if some libraries are not compatible
+      sourcePath = path.join(buildDir, "#{appFileName}-#{version}-#{arch}.tar.gz")
+      if fs.isFileSync(sourcePath)
+        assetName = "atom-#{arch}.tar.gz"
+        cp sourcePath, path.join(buildDir, assetName)
+        assets.push({assetName, sourcePath})
+
+      assets
 
 logError = (message, error, details) ->
   grunt.log.error(message)
diff --git a/docs/build-instructions/linux.md b/docs/build-instructions/linux.md
index c6a9e74eb..126604c49 100644
--- a/docs/build-instructions/linux.md
+++ b/docs/build-instructions/linux.md
@@ -74,18 +74,24 @@ If you have problems with permissions don't forget to prefix with `sudo`
 
   To use the newly installed Atom, quit and restart all running Atom instances.
 
-5. *Optionally*, you may generate distributable packages of Atom at `out`. Currently, `.deb` and `.rpm` package types are supported. To create a `.deb` package run:
+5. *Optionally*, you may generate distributable packages of Atom at `out`. Currently, `.deb` and `.rpm` package types are supported, as well as a `.tar.gz` archive. To create a `.deb` package run:
 
   ```sh
   script/grunt mkdeb
   ```
 
-  To create an `.rpm` package run
+  To create a `.rpm` package run
 
   ```sh
   script/grunt mkrpm
   ```
 
+  To create a `.tar.gz` archive run
+
+  ```sh
+  script/grunt mktar
+  ```
+
 ## Advanced Options
 
 ### Custom build directory
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6c796a711..a1f33742b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@
     "deprecation-cop": "0.54.1",
     "dev-live-reload": "0.47.0",
     "encoding-selector": "0.21.0",
-    "exception-reporting": "0.37.0",
-    "find-and-replace": "0.197.4",
+    "exception-reporting": "0.38.0",
+    "find-and-replace": "0.197.5",
     "fuzzy-finder": "1.0.3",
     "git-diff": "1.0.1",
     "go-to-line": "0.30.0",
@@ -106,13 +106,13 @@
     "package-generator": "1.0.0",
     "settings-view": "0.235.1",
     "snippets": "1.0.2",
-    "spell-check": "0.67.0",
+    "spell-check": "0.67.1",
     "status-bar": "1.2.1",
     "styleguide": "0.45.2",
     "symbols-view": "0.112.0",
-    "tabs": "0.92.0",
+    "tabs": "0.92.1",
     "timecop": "0.33.1",
-    "tree-view": "0.203.3",
+    "tree-view": "0.203.4",
     "update-package-dependencies": "0.10.0",
     "welcome": "0.34.0",
     "whitespace": "0.32.2",
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@
     "language-make": "0.21.0",
     "language-mustache": "0.13.0",
     "language-objective-c": "0.15.1",
-    "language-perl": "0.33.0",
+    "language-perl": "0.34.0",
     "language-php": "0.37.0",
     "language-property-list": "0.8.0",
     "language-python": "0.43.1",
diff --git a/script/mktar b/script/mktar
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..986063f9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/script/mktar
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# mktar name version arch icon-path build-root-path
+
+set -e
+
+SCRIPT=`readlink -f "$0"`
+ROOT=`readlink -f $(dirname $SCRIPT)/..`
+cd $ROOT
+
+NAME="$1"
+VERSION="$2"
+ARCH="$3"
+ICON_FILE="$4"
+BUILD_ROOT_PATH="$5"
+FILE_MODE=755
+
+TAR_PATH=$BUILD_ROOT_PATH
+ATOM_PATH="$BUILD_ROOT_PATH/Atom"
+
+TARGET_ROOT="`mktemp -d`"
+chmod $FILE_MODE "$TARGET_ROOT"
+NAME_IN_TAR="$NAME-$VERSION-$ARCH"
+TARGET="$TARGET_ROOT/$NAME_IN_TAR"
+
+# Copy executable and resources
+cp -a "$ATOM_PATH" "$TARGET"
+
+# Copy icon file
+cp "$ICON_FILE" "$TARGET/$NAME.png"
+
+# Remove executable bit from .node files
+find "$TARGET" -type f -name "*.node" -exec chmod a-x {} \;
+
+# Create the archive
+pushd "$TARGET_ROOT"
+tar caf "$TAR_PATH/$NAME_IN_TAR.tar.gz" "$NAME_IN_TAR"
+popd
+
+rm -rf "$TARGET_ROOT"