Exploring the new Flatpak and Snap package formats
Conclusions
Flatpak and Snap shake the foundations of the package management system principle, causing tremors among the stalwarts of all current Linux distributions. At first glance, the idea behind these upstart package systems makes good sense: If you are constantly dealing with backports, or if you have to resolve package dependencies manually, provisioning independent containers with applications is certainly an appealing concept.
On closer inspection, however, it turns out that the principle still has some rough edges. Snap and Flatpak are pursuing similar goals and are basically competing approaches. Fedora, the driving force behind Flatpak, insists that their system is more at home on desktops, and Canonical, maintainer of the Snap, touts the benefits of Snap as a tool for server rooms.
The user groups forming up around the Flatpak and Snap communities seem eerily similar to the split between RPM and Dpkg that has inconvenienced the Linux world for decades. It might be more sensible to agree on a common approach and to pursue it. But this hope seems futile given the dynamics of the open source world.
Infos
- RPM: http://rpm.org
- Dpkg: https://wiki.debian.org/dpkg
- Flatpak: http://flatpak.org
- Snap: https://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/snappy
- Cgroups: https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/cgroup-v1/cgroups.txt
- Namespaces: https://lwn.net/Articles/531114/
- Docker: https://www.docker.com
- LXC: https://linuxcontainers.org
- Flatpak backport für Debian Jessie: https://packages.debian.org/jessie-backports/flatpak
- Flatpak for Open Suse Tumbleweed: https://software.opensuse.org/package/flatpak
Hello WorldD-Bus example: http://media.wiley.com/product_ancillary/30/04717761/DOWNLOAD/776130code12(freedesktop).tar.gz- Other Flatpak examples: http://flatpak.org/developer.html
- Snappy Ubuntu Core: https://developer.ubuntu.com/core
- Snapcraft: http://snapcraft.io
- Installing Snapcraft und Snapd: http://snapcraft.io/docs/core/install
- Snap documentation: http://snapcraft.io/docs/build-snaps/
- Snap interfaces: http://snapcraft.io/docs/reference/interfaces
- Snap Store: https://uappexplorer.com/apps?type=snappy
« Previous 1 2 3 4
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.
-
openSUSE Leap 15.5 Beta Now Available
The final version of the Leap 15 series of openSUSE is available for beta testing and offers only new software versions.
-
Linux Kernel 6.2 Released with New Hardware Support
Find out what's new in the most recent release from Linus Torvalds and the Linux kernel team.
-
Kubuntu Focus Team Releases New Mini Desktop
The team behind Kubuntu Focus has released a new NX GEN 2 mini desktop PC powered by Linux.