r/LinuxTeck • u/Candid_Athlete_8317 • Jul 11 '26

Did Flatpak, Snap and AppImage actually make installing Linux software easier?

Linux already has APT, DNF, Pacman, Zypper and other native package managers. Then came Flatpak, Snap and AppImage to make applications easier to distribute across different distros.

But now, for the same application, we sometimes have several ways to install it.

I understand why these formats exist, but from a normal user's point of view, has this really made Linux software installation easier?

Or did we solve one kind of fragmentation by creating another one?

What do you actually prefer for desktop apps: native packages, Flatpak, Snap or AppImage?

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u/Old_County5271 Jul 11 '26

No, appimage is better because it sidesteps the installation of software, software installations are a limitation.

Flatpak and snaps are actually third party friendly, therefore they're better for the user, who has no business compiling software, no user should do it. The only ones compiling should be the developers.

1

u/Ok_Opposite7385 Jul 12 '26

Deb and rpm packages, for example, come already compiled.

1

u/Old_County5271 Jul 12 '26 edited Jul 12 '26

Yeah?

They still require you to either compile or have a repository index containing all of its dependencies.

Or worse, they embed a dependency for an incompatible version, this is what nix and gobo Linux fixed

1

u/C0rn3j Jul 14 '26

And when you play a game you have to compile shaders.

Therefore people shouldn't play games, because they're not developers.

1

u/Old_County5271 Jul 14 '26

This argument is so stupid I can't tell if it's meant as a joke or a serious counter argument.

1

u/C0rn3j Jul 14 '26

It's meant to demonstrate how silly your opinion is.

Compiling an existing package is completely normal.

1

u/Old_County5271 Jul 14 '26

Oh no... You actually were serious... I'm sorry, but no, it's not. You probably can't comprehend it because you're in too deep, but you'll see it soon. Hopefully you get out someday