Linux Flatpak distribution

[digitalethics]

Could you make a Flatpak available via Flathub? I don't think AppImages are a sustainable solution for end-users for they are neither sandboxed nor offer any kind of convenient update mechanism.

[VaiTon]

Is this feature on the roadmap? It would mean a lot for linux users! Thanks!

Also, electron-builder does support Flatpak: https://www.electron.build/configuration/flatpak.html

[danielweck]

Relevant code:

thorium-reader/package.json

Lines 217 to 227 in 2ad37fa

	"linux": {
	"target": [
	"deb",
	"AppImage"
	],
	"desktop": {
	"MimeType": "application/epub+zip"
	},
	"executableName": "thorium",
	"category": "Office"
	},

[danielweck]

Related: #1740

[danielweck]

Related: #1755

[danielweck]

From #1895

@Nitrousoxide

Flatpak is generally seeing a huge uptick as the app distribution method of choice for linux and it is distro agnostic. I know right now you have .deb releases, and of course you can always build it from source, but flatpak will let you control the dependencies you want installed and the baseline image your app is installed on so you can more easily ensure a standardized environment for it to run on while expanding the reach to more folks than just those running debian based OS's (or those who run it in a distrobox container)

Would it be possible include flatpak versions in your releases and to push your releases to flathub as well which is the main flatpak repo people turn to?

[danielweck]

https://www.electron.build/configuration/flatpak.html

Currently electron-builder does not support publishing apps to Flatpak repositories like Flathub. This means the Flatpak support in electron-builder is limited to generating single-file bundles which have various limitations compared to app bundles installed from a repository.

For what it’s worth, there are some plans to make it easier to publish Electron apps to Flathub. When that happens, it should be easier to create a Flathub publisher for electron-builder (which would work similary to the other publishers).

[kevinekitabu]

@danielweck Really appreciate this. Has anyone gotten it to work? One of our partners requested this and we are having problems getting this to work.

[danielweck]

follow up #2481

[mbridon]

Also, just a note, I tried the AppImage release, but couldn't figure out how to make it work and install it on Fedora 🤷‍♂️

A Flatpak app is much easier to work with, and with Flathub you get one click install straight from there 😍