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 World
D-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
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
News
-
Apple M1 Hardware Support to be Merged into Linux Kernel 5.13
Linux users will be able to install their favorite distribution on Apple’s M1-based hardware.
-
KDE Launches the Qt 5 Patch Collection
To support and maintain a stable Qt 5 for KDE Gears and Frameworks, KDE will maintain a patch collection.
-
Linux Creator Warns Next Kernel Could be Delayed
Linus Torvalds has issued concern about the size of kernel 5.12 and possible delays for its release.
-
System76 Updates its Pangolin Laptop
System76 has released a much-anticipated AMD version of their most popular laptop, the Pangolin.
-
New Debian-Based Distribution Arrives on the Market
TelOS is a new Debian-based Linux distribution with a customized, touch-screen-ready KDE Plasma 5 desktop.
-
System76 Releases New Thelio Desktop
One of the most ardent supporters of open source hardware has released a new desktop machine for home or office.
-
Mageia 8 Now Available with Linux 5.10 LTS
The latest release of Mageia includes improved graphics support for both AMD and NVIDIA GPUs.
-
GNOME 40 Beta has been Released
Anyone looking to test the beta for the upcoming GNOME 40 release can now do so.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 4.2 has Arrived
The latest stable version of OpenMandriva has been released and offers the newest KDE desktop and ARM support.
-
Thunderbird 78 Ported to Ubuntu 20.04
The Ubuntu developers have made the decision to port the latest release of Thunderbird to the LTS version of the platform.