Building and running applications with Flatpak

Abstract: Flatpak is the new way of packaging and running applications that is compatible across different Linux distributions. In this talk we will explore Flatpak’s internal sandboxing mechanisms and see how painless it is to install and run applications. Furthermore we will walk through all the components needed to package an application.

Presented at https://www.meetup.com/linux-technologies-berlin/events/239728061/

Transcript

1. lili@kinvolk.io Lili Cosic Building and running applications with Flatpak Github: lilic Twitter: LiliCosic
2. lili@kinvolk.io Berlin-based software company building foundational Linux technologies
3. lili@kinvolk.io Find out more about us… Blog: kinvolk.io/blog Github: github.com/kinvolk Twitter: kinvolkio Email: hello@kinvolk.io
4. lili@kinvolk.io What is Flatpak?
5. lili@kinvolk.io Flatpak? • Desktop Applications in Containers • Targeted at Linux desktop applications • Old name xdg-app • github.com/flatpak/flatpak
6. lili@kinvolk.io Advantages of Flatpak • Easy distribution to multiple Linux distros • Secure sandboxed application • Dependency bundling • Install different versions of the same application
7. lili@kinvolk.io Linux distributions: • Ubuntu • Fedora • EndlessOS • Arch • Debian • OpenSUSE • Gentoo • ….
8. lili@kinvolk.io How to use?
9. lili@kinvolk.io Installing from .flatpakref • Simple to install applications: $ flatpak install --from https://s3.amazonaws.com/alexlarsson/spotify-repo/spotify.flatpakref $ flatpak run com.spotify.Client
10. lili@kinvolk.io Installing from remote repositories • Remote - repository which hosts applications $ flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists gnome https://sdk.gnome.org/gnome.flatpakrepo $ flatpak remote-add gnome-apps https://sdk.gnome.org/gnome-apps.flatpakrepo $ flatpak remote-ls gnome-apps $ flatpak install gnome-apps org.gnome.Totem
11. lili@kinvolk.io Whats under the hood?
12. lili@kinvolk.io Credit http://docs.flatpak.org/
13. lili@kinvolk.io Technologies used • bubblewrap from Project Atomic • systemd • D-Bus • OCI • OSTree • Appstream
14. lili@kinvolk.io Flatpak Sandbox • Different to rkt, Docker, etc. • No need for root • bubblewrap • Unprivileged user namespaces* • portals
15. lili@kinvolk.io How to build Flatpaks?
16. lili@kinvolk.io Building a simple application $ flatpak build-init dictionary org.gnome.Dictionary org.gnome.Sdk org.gnome.Platform 3.22 $ wget https://download.gnome.org/sources/gnome-dictionary/3.20/gnome-dictionary-3.20.0.tar.xz $ tar xvf gnome-dictionary-3.20.0.tar.xz $ cd gnome-dictionary-3.20.0/ $ flatpak build ../dictionary ./configure --prefix=/app $ flatpak build ../dictionary make $ flatpak build ../dictionary make install $ cd .. $ flatpak build-finish dictionary --socket=x11 --share=network --command=gnome-dictionary $ flatpak build-export repo dictionary $ flatpak --user remote-add --no-gpg-verify --if-not-exists tutorial-repo repo $ flatpak --user install tutorial-repo org.gnome.Dictionary $ flatpak run org.gnome.Dictionary
17. lili@kinvolk.io $ flatpak-builder --repo=repo build org.gnome.Dictionary.json
18. lili@kinvolk.io flatpak-builder • flatpak-builder - tool that automates multi-step build process • Simplifies building applications • Manifest files • Reproducible • Maintainable
19. lili@kinvolk.io Manifest file example { "app-id": "org.gnome.Dictionary", "runtime": "org.gnome.Platform", "runtime-version": "master", "sdk": "org.gnome.Sdk", "command": "gnome-dictionary", "finish-args": [ "--share=ipc", "--socket=wayland", "--share=network", "--filesystem=home" ], "cleanup": ["/include", "/lib/pkgconfig", "/share/pkgconfig", "/share/aclocal", "/man", "/share/man", "/share/gtk-doc", "*.la", "*.a", ], "modules": [ { "name": "gnome-dictionary", "sources": [ { "type": "git", "url": "git://git.gnome.org/gnome-dictionary" } ] } ] }
20. lili@kinvolk.io Manifest file example { "app-id": "org.gnome.Dictionary", "runtime": "org.gnome.Platform", "runtime-version": "master", "sdk": "org.gnome.Sdk", "command": "gnome-dictionary", "finish-args": [ "--share=ipc", "--socket=wayland", "--share=network", "--filesystem=home" ], "cleanup": ["/include", "/lib/pkgconfig", "/share/pkgconfig", "/share/aclocal", "/man", "/share/man", "/share/gtk-doc", "*.la", "*.a", ], "modules": [ { "name": "gnome-dictionary", "sources": [ { "type": "git", "url": "git://git.gnome.org/gnome-dictionary" } ] } ] }
21. lili@kinvolk.io Manifest file example { "app-id": "org.gnome.Dictionary", "runtime": "org.gnome.Platform", "runtime-version": "master", "sdk": "org.gnome.Sdk", "command": "gnome-dictionary", "finish-args": [ "--share=ipc", "--socket=wayland", "--share=network", "--filesystem=home" ], "cleanup": ["/include", "/lib/pkgconfig", "/share/pkgconfig", "/share/aclocal", "/man", "/share/man", "/share/gtk-doc", "*.la", "*.a", ], "modules": [ { "name": "gnome-dictionary", "sources": [ { "type": "git", "url": "git://git.gnome.org/gnome-dictionary" } ] } ] }
22. lili@kinvolk.io Runtimes • Runtimes - basic dependencies - libraries • Base of your application • Which runtime you want to use depends on each application and the dependencies it requires • Application runtime must be already installed on the host system
23. lili@kinvolk.io Manifest file example { "app-id": "org.gnome.Dictionary", "runtime": "org.gnome.Platform", "runtime-version": "master", "sdk": "org.gnome.Sdk", "command": "gnome-dictionary", "finish-args": [ "--share=ipc", "--socket=wayland", "--share=network", "--filesystem=home" ], "cleanup": ["/include", "/lib/pkgconfig", "/share/pkgconfig", "/share/aclocal", "/man", "/share/man", "/share/gtk-doc", "*.la", "*.a", ], "modules": [ { "name": "gnome-dictionary", "sources": [ { "type": "git", "url": "git://git.gnome.org/gnome-dictionary" } ] } ] }
24. lili@kinvolk.io Manifest file example { "app-id": "org.gnome.Dictionary", "runtime": "org.gnome.Platform", "runtime-version": "master", "sdk": "org.gnome.Sdk", "command": "gnome-dictionary", "finish-args": [ "--share=ipc", "--socket=wayland", "--share=network", "--filesystem=home" ], "cleanup": ["/include", "/lib/pkgconfig", "/share/pkgconfig", "/share/aclocal", "/man", "/share/man", "/share/gtk-doc", "*.la", "*.a", ], "modules": [ { "name": "gnome-dictionary", "sources": [ { "type": "git", "url": "git://git.gnome.org/gnome-dictionary" } ] } ] }
25. lili@kinvolk.io Manifest file example { "app-id": "org.gnome.Dictionary", "runtime": "org.gnome.Platform", "runtime-version": "master", "sdk": "org.gnome.Sdk", "command": "gnome-dictionary", "finish-args": [ "--share=ipc", "--socket=wayland", "--share=network", "--filesystem=home" ], "cleanup": ["/include", "/lib/pkgconfig", "/share/pkgconfig", "/share/aclocal", "/man", "/share/man", "/share/gtk-doc", "*.la", "*.a", ], "modules": [ { "name": "gnome-dictionary", "sources": [ { "type": "git", "url": "git://git.gnome.org/gnome-dictionary" } ] } ] }
26. lili@kinvolk.io Manifest file example { "app-id": "org.gnome.Dictionary", "runtime": "org.gnome.Platform", "runtime-version": "master", "sdk": "org.gnome.Sdk", "command": "gnome-dictionary", "finish-args": [ "--share=ipc", "--socket=wayland", "--share=network", "--filesystem=home" ], "cleanup": ["/include", "/lib/pkgconfig", "/share/pkgconfig", "/share/aclocal", "/man", "/share/man", "/share/gtk-doc", "*.la", "*.a", ], "modules": [ { "name": "gnome-dictionary", "sources": [ { "type": "git", "url": "git://git.gnome.org/gnome-dictionary" } ] } ] }
27. lili@kinvolk.io flatpak-builder $ flatpak-builder --repo=repo build org.gnome.Dictionary.json • Creates new directory called build • Builds and installs modules • Finishes the build using the finish arguments • Creates a directory called repo and exports to it
28. lili@kinvolk.io Future of Flatpak
29. lili@kinvolk.io Flathub • Central place for building and hosting Flatpak builds • Flathub https://github.com/flatpak/flathub $ flatpak remote-add flathub http://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo $ flatpak --user install flathub org.gnome.Recipes
30. lili@kinvolk.io Flatpak vs Snap vs AppImage
31. lili@kinvolk.io Flatpak Snap AppImage Distributions Linux desktop and embedded Linux desktop, server, embedded, mobile Linux Desktop Updates Yes Yes, automatic No Company RedHat Canonical Independent Advantage Flathub Auto-build and publish from github No dependency Sandbox Yes Yes No
32. lili@kinvolk.io More Info about Flatpak flatpak.org docs.flatpak.org/en/latest flatpak.org/flatpak/flatpak-docs.html