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OBS AppImage
openSUSE Conference
May 27, 2017
Simon Peter
AppImage
Adrian Schröter
Open Build Service
Portable cross-distro application bundles
for the Linux desktop
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THE PROBLEM
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"As a developer, I want to reach
users with minimal effort"
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.exe .dmg ?
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Approach #1
OBS
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„Let‘s take the distribution
approach and scale it“
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A system to build distributions in a
controlled way
Allow application authors to package
applications for all major distributions
CENTRAL IDEA
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Source
(from User)
Base Binaries
(from OBS)
OBS checks
sources and
binares. And may
build the source.
Published Binaries
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Authors can get newer applications to mature distributions
Application authors can leverage already-packaged
dependencies
Optimized for base distribution
Optional submission to become part of official distribution
SOLVES...
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Still cannot link to a file for Linux
Still needs to understand RPM spec files, debian packaging
Still need to install applications before using them
Still need a package manager, mess around with repositories
Still need root rights to install
BUT...
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Approach #2
AppImage
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„Let‘s take the un-distro
approch, like Windows and
macOS“
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.exe .dmg .AppImage
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Distribution = base system
Applications directly from original
authors (upstreams)
Like Windows and macOS
CENTRAL IDEA
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DEMO
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EXECUTABLE
EXECUTABLE
SQUASHFS IMAGE
SQUASHFS IMAGE
AppImage
• One file per app
and version
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EXECUTABLE
EXECUTABLE
SQUASHFS IMAGE
SQUASHFS IMAGE
AppImage
• Binary
• Mounts the image
with FUSE when
executed
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EXECUTABLE
EXECUTABLE
SQUASHFS IMAGE
SQUASHFS IMAGE
AppImage • Bundle app and
everything that is not
part of all target
systems: icons, i18n,
Qt 5, KF5,…
• Built on host that as
old as the oldest target
systems
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MORE
• Binary delta updates
using AppImageUpdate – only download what has
changed
• Sandboxing
using, e.g., Firejail
• Optional appimaged daemon
for desktop integration (menus, icons, MIME types,
updates,...)
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Works for all common Linux distributions
Run the latest applications on mature (e.g.,
enterprise) OSes
One app = one file
Super simple for users: just download one
AppImage file, make it executable, and run
No unpacking or installation necessary
SOLVES...
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No root needed
No system libraries changed
Works out of the box, no installation of runtimes
needed
Works on Live ISOs, university lab computers,...
Can use the same AppImages when dual-booting
multiple distributions
SOLVES...
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„This is just very cool.“
https://plus.google.com/+LinusTorvalds/posts/WyrATKUnmrS
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Krita
OFFICIAL APPIMAGES
Microsoft
PowerShell
KDevelop
Scribus
OpenShot
digiKam
JetBrains
Toolbox
MuseScore
Kdenlive
Subsurface
ImagePlay
Drawpile
...hundreds more
Avidemux
https://github.com/probonopd/AppImageKit/wiki/AppImages
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BUT...
FOSDEM 2017
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Author needs a trusted, reliable, auditable build system
Author needs to track security updates of dependencies
Author needs to ensure licensing compliance
BUT...
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No content
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BETTER
TOGETHER
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OBS AppImage
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OBS: trusted, reliable, auditable build system
that tracks security updates of dependencies, ensures
licensing compliance, and hosts build products
AppImage: simple bundle format that allows upstream
application authors to reach Linux users easily
An ideal match!
OBS APPIMAGE
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DEMO
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Packaging workshop this afternoon:
let‘s take your application
and package it as an AppImage on OBS
Not signed up? Don‘t worry:
„Hello world“ at https://build.opensuse.org/package/show/home:probono/QtQuickApp
Instructions on https://github.com/probonopd/AppImageKit/wiki/Using-Open-Build-Service
OBS APPIMAGE
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appimage.org
#AppImage
build.opensuse.org
#opensuse-buildservice
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BACKUP
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"As a tester, I want to run
multiple builds without
messing up my system.“
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"As a user, I want to
download an application
from the original author
and run it, now!“
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mkdir p leafpad/leafpad.AppDir && cd leafpad
# Get existing binary
wget c „http://.../leafpad_0.8.172_amd64.deb“
# Turn into an AppDir
cd leafpad.AppDir
dpkg x ../leafpad_*.deb .
cp ./usr/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/leafpad.svg .
cp ./usr/share/applications/leafpad.desktop .
wget c https://.../AppRun
chmod a+x AppRun
cd ..
# Package as an AppImage
wget c https://.../appimagetool.AppImage
chmod a+x ppimagetool.AppImage
./appimagetool.AppImageleafpad.AppDir/
HELLO WORLD,…
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…MORE LIKE THIS
# Build on an „old enough“ build system
(for which recent compilers and build tools exist, e.g., CentOS 6.x)
# Make sure it is relocatable (no hardcoded „/usr“); otherwise patch it
# Turn into an AppDir
...
chmod a+x AppRun
# Bundle any libraries that might not be there in a recent enough version
# on each target system
# Package the AppDir as an AppImage
...
./appimagetool.AppImage leafpad.AppDir ./Leafpadx86_64.AppImage
# Test on each target system really! (I use Live ISOs)
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CONTINUOUS APPIMAGE WORKFLOW
2
Push
commit to
GitHub
1
Prepare
build sys-
tem, e.g.,
CentOS 6
with Qt5,…
3
Build and
package
as an
AppImage
4
Upload to,
e.g., Bintray,
GitHub
Releases
5
Post
download
link on
Project
homepage