How To Install and Use Flatpak In Linux Mint

Flatpak is a software utility for Linux operating systems that allows users to install and manage applications in a sandboxed environment, similar to how apps are installed and managed on mobile operating systems like iOS and Android. Flatpak is designed to be a universal package format that can work across different Linux distributions, making it easier for developers to distribute their apps and for users to install and use them. It uses a system called “bundles” to package applications and their dependencies, and it also allows for easy updating and rollback of application. You can browse the list of softwares or application available in Flatpak repository here : https://flathub.org/apps

Flatpak comes pre-installed in Linux Mint 18.3 or newer versions. If you want to use this in older versions of Linux Mint then you have to install it first.

Here’s the command to install Flatpak in Linux Mint via terminal.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install flatpak

You can check the version of Flatpak by the following command.

flatpak --version

If you need help about how to use the Flatpak in Linux Mint, you can type the following command in terminal.

flatpak -h

How to install any app in Linux Mint with Flatpak

First thing that you have to do here is to add the Fatpak repository . So fire the terminal and just copy and paste the following command.

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub \
https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

This command would give access to all of it’s application to Software Manager, where you can directly search any Flatpak app and install it. But if you love doing stuff in terminal then go ahead.

Next, browse the app from website : https://flathub.org/apps that you want to install. For instance, you want to install the Blurble- a word guessing game. Open that wepage (https://flathub.org/apps/details/app.drey.Blurble) and click on install button, this download the “flatpakref” file on your system. That file name would be “app.drey.Blurble.flatpakref”. Now, run the command for installing it –

cd Downloads
flatpak install flathub app.drey.Blurble

Next to run this app in termina type this command.

flatpak run app.drey.Blurble