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Why Flatpak Won and Snap and AppImage Didn't. - Cameron Knauff (youtube.com)

submitted 1 week ago by ruffsl@programming.dev to c/linux@programming.dev

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[-] mrbigmouth502@piefed.zip 1 points 2 days ago

I like Flatpaks. They integrate fairly well, they can be used on a variety of different distros, you can install them without root permissions, and they'll often "just work", even when the same apps installed through your system's normal repos have issues.

However, if they have one significant drawback, it's that they're a pig on resources. They use a lot of storage, and when you're on a resource-constrained system, they'll use more RAM and generally run slower than apps installed from the normal repos. (inb4 anyone says "unused RAM is wasted RAM.")

[-] Sunshine@piefed.ca 1 points 3 days ago

Mic drop! This will cause a stir!

[-] thingsiplay@lemmy.ml 27 points 6 days ago

AppImages are completely different thing versus Flatpak and Snap.

[-] Samskara@sh.itjust.works 7 points 6 days ago

I use Appimage and flatpack, but not snaps.

[-] thingsiplay@lemmy.ml 2 points 6 days ago

I'm not sure why you reply this to me directly.

[-] hunnybubny@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 5 days ago

He is not using Snaps, though.

[-] thingsiplay@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 days ago

Sure (myself neither). I just don't understand why he replies that to me, as if it is an argument to make a point for or against my reply. And seeing that some people downvoted me confuses me even more. I just said I don't understand why he replied to me. Why would anyone downvote without explaining?? What is the reason people got it the wrong way? Really I'm just confused.

[-] fierysparrow89@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

Do tell... genuine question, what would you consider 2 significant differeces?

[-] Paranoidfactoid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

Flatpak is a central repository where an application is installed in a sandbox and cached. It can be updated from that central repository.

Snap is a mounted filesystem containing a repository and is stored locally. It is not sandboxed. It cannot be updated in part but is overwritten in whole. It is distributed by individual app maintainers, not a centralized repository.

[-] sunbeam60@feddit.uk 1 points 6 days ago

Sure. Streaming and DVDs are also completely different things but both deliver media to your TV. The consumer chooses what the consumer wants.

[-] thingsiplay@lemmy.ml 7 points 6 days ago

The comparison does not hold up, because for watching films it does not matter on what medium it is. But for applications it has huge implications for maintaining versions, updates, creating packages with or without runtimes and dependencies and a repository and so on, that work differently on operating systems and so on. This goes way beyond just the user choosing the format.

[-] sunbeam60@feddit.uk 5 points 5 days ago

I don’t think I’ve made my point very well.

From the user perspective, all they want is an app.

They choose the minimal effort way to get that app. If flatpaks are what is distribute in that icon that says App Store, that’s what they go with.

If we ever want to actually increase Linux usage in the mainstream that is the attitude we will have to take.

You’re right, but you’re right in the wrong way. Everything you say is true, but try explaining that to the average user of Windows.

[-] Magnum@infosec.pub 21 points 6 days ago

Comparing AppImages to Flatpaks is a bit of a stretch.

[-] rmrf@lemmy.ml 6 points 6 days ago

Agreed, I think AppImage has a strong future

[-] ulterno@programming.dev 6 points 5 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Turns out I came here to say the same thing as everyone.

AppImages are not in the same competition.
They have different uses and you would mostly not find out how many people are using them due to their nature of being very useful offline.

[-] Paulemeister@feddit.org 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

As a professional nix shill, I can proudly tell you every flatpak I ever wanted to use is packaged in nixpkgs

[-] ruffsl@programming.dev 1 points 4 days ago

Agreed, much prefer running apps via nix. Although I did have to fall back to flatpak install the bottles, but that is a bit of a special case where the software explicitly requires itself to be sandboxed or behaves less as expected otherwise.

[-] robbo@programming.dev 6 points 6 days ago

app images need to not be called app images. first time seeing it it sounds like some macos thing. but even still I don't see why they get compared so much to flatpak and snap when they are completely different.

[-] Samskara@sh.itjust.works 6 points 6 days ago

They serve the same purpose: Install software, that’s not in your distro‘s repository.

[-] NauticalNoodle@lemmy.ml 6 points 6 days ago

I used to hate AppImages until I had Snap forced on me. Then i thought AppImages weren't so bad and I fled Snap by running straight into the arms of Flatpak

[-] cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone 5 points 6 days ago

what are snaps? - me a linux mint user

[-] asudox@lemmy.asudox.dev 5 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

~~Afaik snaps are (or should be) actually better in theory~~, but unfortunately its backend is proprietary.

edit: nope, outdated info

[-] fierysparrow89@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

Long time linux user and I have a hard time keeping track of the differences between these 3 tech. This comparison did not help much. I can only imagine how lost people with less experience must feel.