.flatpak

What is a .flatpak file?

Flatpak is a sandboxed, distro-independent Linux application format — install once, run on any distribution.

Use caution
Type System
By Freedesktop.org (Alexander Larsson)
MIME application/vnd.flatpak

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What is it

Flatpak is the Linux community's preferred alternative to Snap for universal application packaging. Like Snap, it bundles applications with their dependencies and runs them in a sandbox. Unlike Snap, Flatpak's infrastructure is fully open-source, decentralised, and uses shared runtimes to reduce duplication between applications.

Flathub (flathub.org) is the primary repository, hosting thousands of applications. Flatpak separates applications from runtimes — a GNOME runtime shared by all GNOME-based apps, a KDE runtime for KDE apps — reducing the total disk space compared to fully self-contained packages. Portal APIs allow sandboxed apps to access files, printers, and other system resources with user permission.

Most Linux distributions except Ubuntu include Flatpak support. Install with `flatpak install flathub org.example.App`. Fedora, Linux Mint, and elementary OS ship Flatpak out of the box. For developers, `flatpak-builder` creates packages from manifest files.

Technical details
Full Name
Flatpak Application
MIME Type
application/vnd.flatpak
Developer
Freedesktop.org (Alexander Larsson)
Magic Bytes
N/A
Safety
.flatpak requires caution. Application package. Sandboxed but still runs code. Install from Flathub or trusted sources.
What opens it
flatpak (CLI)
FREE Linux
GNOME Software
FREE Linux
FAQ
Is Flatpak better than Snap?
Flatpak uses shared runtimes (smaller total disk usage), is fully open-source, and integrates better with desktop environments. Snap has broader system-level application support and auto-updates. The Linux community generally prefers Flatpak; Canonical pushes Snap.
Do Flatpak apps have full system access?
No. Flatpak apps run sandboxed with limited permissions. They request access to files, network, and devices through portal APIs. You can review and modify permissions with Flatseal (free).
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