I’ve been involved with Linux for a long time, and Flatpak almost seems too good to be true:
Just install any app on any distro, isolated from the base system and with granular rights management. I’ve just set up my first flatpak-centric system and didn’t notice any issues with it at all, apart from a 1-second waiting time before an app is launched.

What’s your long-term experience?

Notice any annoying bugs or instabilities? Do apps crash a lot? Disappear from Flathub or are unmaintained? Do you often have issues with apps that don’t integrate well with your native system? Are important apps missing?

  • tony@lemmy.hoyle.me.uk
    2·
    8 months ago

    Used it once… it’s as annoying as shit since you can’t just run apps you have to type ‘flatpack run org.mozilla.firefox’ instead of just typing ‘firefox’ (and I had to google that because I just can’t remember the sequence). Also for some reason it’s slow… as you mentioned a 1 second delay before anything works. I can’t see myself using it again.

    • Lvxferre@lemmy.ml
      01·
      8 months ago

      As a local fix, you could set up an alias. Open .bashrc and add the following line: alias firefox="flatpak run org.mozilla.firefox"

      • tony@lemmy.hoyle.me.uk
        1·
        8 months ago

        So now you have to do that every time you install a flatpak.

        Or just stick to a normal package manager, that does all that for you.

        • Lvxferre@lemmy.ml
          1·
          8 months ago

          Frankly? I’d rather stick to a normal package manager too, if available. But the alias trick is useful in a pinch, if you must use a flatpak.