Installing applications with Flatpak: with or without "sudo"?

[foersu]

Hello,

when installing an application with Flakpak:
what is the difference of issuing the command with sudo or without sudo?

Code: Select all

flatpak install <remotes> <ApplicationID>

vs

Code: Select all

sudo flatpak install <remotes> <ApplicationID>

Thanx for your answers.

Regards.

[spamegg]

Without sudo, you will run the command as current user. With sudo, you run the command with the security privileges of root. The ownership of the installed files will belong to root, not current user, certain operations will require root permissions, and most likely it will be installed in a different location (than it would be without sudo).

However some installation commands require sudo.

Using the installed program should not be any different. Even though current user cannot change permissions of files owned by root, usually these installations will grant "Execute" permission to current user.

Either way, both approaches should be fine I think. For example apt will usually tell you to install stuff with sudo ...

[foersu]

If I have the choice of installing a flatpak application with or without the use of sudo, and the application will practically run ok in both cases: which one of both versions would you recommend: installation with or without sudo?

Regards.

P.S.: you are right, when installing as a normal user using apt, it always requires to use sudo.

[Hoser Rob]

AFAIK flatpak apps are stored in /var/lib. That's in the root directory. You cannot write to the root directory without using a sudo or root password (BTW I've never activated the root password in Ubuntu or Mint, not needed).

[tkocou]

Not sure if this will help:
I'm running the latest LM 20.1 as of this writing. When I browse the flathub repository (https://flathub.org/home) and click on an app for installation, I am presented with a dialog menu asking if I want to download the app or use the Software Manager of LM. On choosing the Software Manager (SM), the SM adds the app to itself and takes care of the necessary permissions while it installs the app.

Update: Found that the flatpak installation process has a bug in it. The software deficiency causes flatpak to not install all of the needed support files for flatpak apps found in flathub.org. The deficiency appears in both the GUI and CLI installation processes.
I have installed independent flatpak files without support problems.

Buyer beware!