I am confused by the number of different routes to install and/or upgrade my system.
Life was once simple, I used the Yast Software tool and did what I needed/could from within that.
Now with the arrival of (seemingly) competing technologies of Flatpak and AppImage, what do I do?
Can I Mix 'n Match? Or should I stick to Yast and the official repositories?
Regards, Martin
Martin, you should stick to the official repos whenever possible.
Flatpaks and AppImages provide an alternate way to install different versions of the same app that may or may not be available in the official repos.
They are contained and do not interfere with each other or the repo packages.
For example, you can have appA installed from the official repos, as a flatpak, and as an AppImage should you choose.
Conflicts happen only when you install the same package from multiple repos, mixing official and third party.
Flatpak updates are handled by the flatpak update command.
AppImages usually bake in update support into each executable.
My preference is as follows:
repos > flatpak > appImage
Yes, ignore the others as long as you can.
I agree with @hcvv , Martin. Stick to the Leap Repos and Packman. Don’t use anything else unless you have no other choice for a special purpose: ie, you absolutely MUST use an app that is in none of the regular Repos. But, then, use caution.
I have a mix of repo installed apps and flatpaks.
No problem at all
Just zypper dup for packages and use flatpak command for updating flatpaks.
You could probably even just use the GUI app manager that comes with your DE (Discover in case of KDE) and it should take care of both packages and flatpak for you, in one go.
Snapshots will still be created in this case (if you’re on btrfs and haven’t disabled this feature).
For me it is clear that the OP only uses openSUSe packages. All the talking about flatpaks, etc. will only confuse him.
And while some people here try to convince him that, as long as he stays to do that, he should not worry, you are fedding him again with all those strange other ways of living.
Please try to understand people’s way of working in their environment when answering and do not answer as if they live and work like you do.
No need to scare people away from flatpak/appimages, especially if they’re new to Linux.
Distro-provided packages are good and all, but the day you need an app which is not distributed in RPM, if you’re a novice a flatpak is a much more appealing option, rather than having to add 3rd party repos to your YaST.
Just my .02
I fully agree. And the replies IMHO apply
Yes. I really think bringing up flatpak is confusing the issue. First order when trying to help is to try and stick to the work methods of the person asking for help. You should only suggest such a big change if there is no other way to provide the solution.
“Now with the arrival of (seemingly) competing technologies of Flatpak and AppImage, what do I do?”
I’m not the one who brought it up, though, OP was.
I was just trying to help, and I find it a bit presumptuous to school others about the correct way of helping.
I threw what I consider useful knowledge out there, anyone’s free to pick it up or leave it on the table.
With that being said, I’m not spending one more second on this sterile discussion.
Fair enough. Your input is welcomed, but also the method for helping novices is worth pointing out. Keep up your participation on the forums, it is valuable.
As the OP, I appreciate any and all advice you may offer. Please don’t fall-out over this.
Thank you ALL for your help on this and many previous topics.
Regards, Martin
It is not by telling the OP to ignore flatpaks that you are going to solve their confusion. The way forward is to explain what each does, what is preferable and why.
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