How to install Flatpak applications

[xenopeek]

Update: Linux Mint 18.3 comes with native support for Flatpak. The below is only for older versions of Linux Mint.

Update 2: The PPA below no longer supports Ubuntu 14.04, on which Linux Mint 17.x are based. So if you're on Linux Mint 17.x you can't use this tutorial as is. I've not verified that the tutorial as is still works for Linux Mint 18, 18.1 or 18.2 other than to check the needed packages for those releases are in the PPA below.

For various applications you can now find Flatpaks to get newer version of them. A list is available on http://flatpak.org/apps.html. Right now it is mostly useful if you need/want a newer version of a Gnome application or if you want to test if some issue you have with one is also present in the latest ("nightly") development version of it. Flatpaks don't interfere with the other software installed on your system. Flatpaks are installed to /var/lib/flatpak and user preference files are stored in ~/.var (thus avoiding collision with other software installed on your system). Flatpak's own configuration is stored in ~/.local/share/flatpak.

In the below example I'll add the Flatpak repositories for the latest Gnome stable version. See my next comment for the steps to instead add the latest Gnome ("nightly") development version.

1. Add support for Flatpak
First you need to add support for Flatpak to your system.

Code: Select all

apt add-repository ppa:alexlarsson/flatpak
apt update
apt install flatpak

2. Add Flatpak repositories
Next you'll need to add the Flatpak repositories from which you want to be able to install.

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wget https://sdk.gnome.org/keys/gnome-sdk.gpg
flatpak remote-add --gpg-import=gnome-sdk.gpg gnome https://sdk.gnome.org/repo/
flatpak remote-add --gpg-import=gnome-sdk.gpg gnome-apps https://sdk.gnome.org/repo-apps/
rm gnome-sdk.gpg

3. Install a runtime
Next you'll need to install a runtime. (3.20 is the latest stable; you can check with "flatpak remote-ls --show-details gnome" what other versions are available.)

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flatpak install gnome org.gnome.Platform 3.20

4. Install an application
Lastly you'll want to install an application. You can see which applications are available for installation.

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flatpak remote-ls --app gnome-apps

Let's install Evince for this example:

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flatpak install gnome-apps org.gnome.Evince stable

5. Run an application
One final command.

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flatpak run org.gnome.Evince

What about updates?
You can update all your installed Flatpaks with one command.

Code: Select all

flatpak update

[xenopeek]

In the above example I added the Flatpak repositories for the latest Gnome stable version. Replace steps 2 through 4 with below to instead add the latest Gnome ("nightly") development version.

2. Add Flatpak repositories
Next you'll need to add the Flatpak repositories from which you want to be able to install.

Code: Select all

wget https://sdk.gnome.org/nightly/keys/nightly.gpg
flatpak remote-add --gpg-import=nightly.gpg gnome-nightly https://sdk.gnome.org/nightly/repo/
flatpak remote-add --gpg-import=nightly.gpg gnome-nightly-apps https://sdk.gnome.org/nightly/repo-apps/
rm nightly.gpg

3. Install a runtime
Next you'll need to install a runtime.

Code: Select all

flatpak install gnome-nightly org.gnome.Platform master

4. Install an application
Lastly you'll want to install an application. You can see which applications are available for installation.

Code: Select all

flatpak remote-ls --app gnome-nightly-apps

Let's install Evince for this example:

Code: Select all

flatpak install gnome-nightly-apps org.gnome.Evince master

[Lucap]

Flatpak Unboxes Major Changes In Its Latest Release

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2016/10/flat ... st-release

https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/releases/tag/0.6.13

[Royi]

What about updating the Flatpak application itself?

It seems Linux Mint 18.3 uses Flatpak 0.10.
While they released 0.11.4.

Why Linux Mint won't update?

[Royi]

Is there a way to update the FlatPak application in Linux Mint 18.3?