Flatpak

Flatpak is a software deployment/package management utility created by RedHat and can be seen as an alternative/distant cousin to Apt & Synaptic Package Manager and very similar Canonicals Snap. As is the case with Snap, flatpak apps (software packages) are isolated from the rest of your system. They have their own file system and can’t interfere with other apps on your PC/Laptop.

Caveat for use – Minimal Resource PCs/Laptops

This guide installs gnome shell. If you are using a minimal Bodhi specification PC/Laptop, the memory demands may overwhelm your available system resources and as such your mileage on use may not be optimal.

Install Flatpak

Flatpak can be installed via Synaptic Package Manager, or via apt through Terminology. the latter is shown below.

sudo apt update && sudo apt install flatpak

Install FlatHub

Flathub is an app store for Flatpak apps, from where apps can be discovered and installed. Using Terminology, run the following command

sudo apt install gnome-software-plugin-flatpak
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

When the installation is complete, reboot Bodhi Linux to ensure all the

sudo reboot

Flathub

To open the Flathub, navigate to:

Main Menu > Applications > Other > Software

When Flathub opens you will see a list fo software categories, Editor Pick’s, Recent Releases, etc. Once you have found the software you’d like to install,  double-click to open page detailing the software. from within this page click the “install” button.

FlatPak Apps Management – command-line

All the following commands are run at the command-line using Terminology

Search for Apps

flatpak search <app name>

As an example, to search for the Spotify app the command is:

flatpak search spotify

NOTE: Take note of the Application ID and Remotes. These will be needed to install the app

Install an App

flatpak install <Remotes> <ApplicationID>

Using the example from Search (above), to install Spotify, the install command will be:

flatpak install flathub com.spotify.Client

List Installed Apps

flatpak list --app

Launch App

flatpak run <ApplicationID>

NOTE: Apps will be added to the Main Menu and can be launched there too.

Update All Apps

sudo flatpak update

Remove an App

flatpak uninstall <ApplicationID>
flatpak uninstall --unused

NOTE: The second command removes any unused runtimes used by the app that is being removed.

Completely Remove Flatpak & Apps

Using Flatpak Management – Command-line as a guide, perform the following steps using Terminology:

1. List Install Packages
   flatpak list
2. Remove all Packages. For each item listed in the output of step #1, run
   flatpak uninstall ApplicationID
flatpak uninstall --unused
3. Remove Flatpak
   sudo apt purge flatpak
4. Remove files
   sudo rm -rf /var/lib/flatpak
rm -rf ~/.local/share/flatpak
rm -rf ~/.cache/flatpak
   

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