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Appimage, Flatpak, Snap.wiki

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  • Flatpaks, AppImages and Snaps are the 3 major universal packaging systems
* Each covered separately linked down below

  • Not intended to start a fight but I know it will
* Please be civil in the comments

Table of Contents

Low Level Packages

  • Probably don't want to do it
* Snaps used to package pulse audio,

Each Have Very Different Goals

  • Surface level same job
* Different project goals * Not generally considered

  • I like to imagine a spectrum
* Snaps try to embrace everything, if you have snap tools entire system is snaps * Snap kernel https://snapcraft.io/pi2-kernel * System snaps https://snapcraft.io/pulseaudio * Flatpak addresses inconsistent dependencies * Different names or missing dependencies * Maintaining package management * AppImage self contained bundle no outside dependency * Besides generic FUSE install * 3rd party package managers do exist

History

  • Interestingly AppImages have been around the longest
  • Snap originally released in 2014
  • Flatpak originally released in 2015
  • AppImage name started being used in 2013
* Existed under names like klik and portable linux apps since 2004

Corporate Backing

  • Both Flatpak and Snaps and corporate backed
* Snaps well known as a Canonical project * Flatpak is a RedHat funded project * As for AppImage actual community project * Partially why it's existed for 16 years and isn't at the top * Funding is important and you might consider it important where it comes from * Personally I care about the end result

Tooling

  • The biggest issue with using snaps is tool access
* A lot of distros don't include in main repos * But even when they do in the case of flatpak * Every done through flatpak tools * Does comes with package manager advantages * Not as simple as AppImage * Tooling on user side is generic * Just need a working FUSE installation * Probably have installed if you've used any mtpfs tool

  • AppImages don't require any root access or any special install process
* As easy to install as a shell script * Make executable and done

  • .snap and .flatpakref useless without tools
* But once installed don't require root access

Package Distribution

  • Whilst all 3 have there own "stores"
* AppimageHub just a Github io list

  • AppImages generally distributed from devs website
  • Flathub is the primary store but alternatives do exist
  • Snaps on the other hand lock you to the snap store
* Which while user and dev tooling is open source this is not

Security

  • Both Snaps and Flatpaks attempt to do sandboxing
* Snaps are locked to AppArmor, Flatpaks to bubblewrap * Can be disabled for snaps and has flaws in flatpak * link down below * AppImages don't sandbox * Can be sandboxed by user, complete freedom

My Favourite

  • Try to install packages natively when possible
* If for whatever reason need to use * I go with App Image

* Very likely already have working FUSE installation * Dependency for a lot of apps * Leading to the meme status of "It Just Works"

  • There may be things I didn't cover
* Let me know down below