To begin with, Flatpak is an open-source utility that helps you distribute, manage/install packages without thinking about the Linux distribution you’re using or the dependencies/libraries that the program requires to run.
Experienced Linux users can likely determine the most effective approach. However, beginners—and those who prefer to avoid the learning curve associated with package management—may encounter several challenges when using traditional package formats (deb/rpm):
•Need to resolve dependencies issues (dependencies refers to other packages that a program depends on to work).
•Find required libraries to make the software work.
•Adapt to new package managers when switching Linux distributions.
Preparing a Template
The first thing we need to do is prepare the Qubes template by simply issuing the following command in the template of your choice (Fedora 43 in this case):
sudo dnf install flatpakConfiguring & Installing Apps in AppVM
When creating the AppVM, make sure to select the aforementioned template, so that Flatpak is at our disposal.
Then we can execute the following command:
flatpak --user remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo Followed by the installation of the application in question (Remmina as an example):
flatpak --user install remmina -yRunning the application is as simple as doing:
flatpak --user run org.remmina.RemminaOnce the application is installed, it should appear in the AppVM’s list of available applications after pressing ‘Refresh applications’ in the qube settings, allowing you to launch it through the GUI instead of the terminal. The --user flag sets up a per-user installation, which is useful in Qubes OS when you want to create a separate AppVM qube for each application, such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and others.
Performing Updates in Flatpak
Any updates should be done with: flatpak --user update inside the qube, not its template.
You can use a script from dom0 to make updates in qubes automatic if you use one flatpak in many qubes.