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= Unfiltered Flathub =
= Unfiltered Flathub =
{{Change_Proposal_Banner}}


== Summary ==
== Summary ==
Line 7: Line 5:
<!-- A sentence or two summarizing what this change is and what it will do. This information is used for the overall changeset summary page for each release. Note that motivation for the change should be in the Benefit to Fedora section below, and this part should answer the question "What?" rather than "Why?". -->
<!-- A sentence or two summarizing what this change is and what it will do. This information is used for the overall changeset summary page for each release. Note that motivation for the change should be in the Benefit to Fedora section below, and this part should answer the question "What?" rather than "Why?". -->


The flatpak remote for Flathub will have no filtering, making all the Flathub content available in GNOME Software and via the flatpak commandline.
Fedora Workstation's existing [https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/workstation-working-group/third-party-repos/ third party repo feature] allows users to enable a selection of software repos that are hosted by external organizations. This selection has included a filtered version of Flathub since F35, which provides access to a small number of Flathub apps. This change would remove the filtering from our Flathub offering, so that users can enable a complete version of Flathub using the third party repositories feature. In the graphical software manager app, Flathub packages will only be selected by default when no Fedora package is available.


== Owner ==
== Owner ==
<!--
 
For change proposals to qualify as self-contained, owners of all affected packages need to be included here. Alternatively, a SIG can be listed as an owner if it owns all affected packages.
* Name: Workstation WG
This should link to your home wiki page so we know who you are.
* Email: mclasen@redhat.com
-->
* Name: [[User:FASAcountName| Your Name]]
<!-- Include you email address that you can be reached should people want to contact you about helping with your change, status is requested, or technical issues need to be resolved. If the change proposal is owned by a SIG, please also add a primary contact person. -->
* Email: <your email address so we can contact you, invite you to meetings, etc. Please provide your Bugzilla email address if it is different from your email in FAS>
<!--- UNCOMMENT only for Changes with assigned Shepherd (by FESCo)
<!--- UNCOMMENT only for Changes with assigned Shepherd (by FESCo)
* FESCo shepherd: [[User:FASAccountName| Shehperd name]] <email address>
* FESCo shepherd: [[User:FASAccountName| Shehperd name]] <email address>
-->
-->


== Current status ==
[[Category:ChangeAcceptedF38]]
[[Category:SystemWideChange]]
* Targeted release: [[Releases/38 | Fedora Linux 38 ]]
* Last updated:  {{REVISIONYEAR}}-{{REVISIONMONTH}}-{{REVISIONDAY2}}
* [https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/devel@lists.fedoraproject.org/thread/JXUEWBN6ZDFNOY4BKUH4MS343KFHMQYT/ Devel list thread]
* FESCo issue: [https://pagure.io/fesco/issue/2939 #2939]
* Tracker bug: [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2164894 #2164894]
* Release notes tracker: [https://pagure.io/fedora-docs/release-notes/issue/960 #960]
== Detailed Description ==
<!-- Expand on the summary, if appropriate.  A couple sentences suffices to explain the goal, but the more details you can provide the better. -->
Since F35, Fedora has included a Flatpak repo definition for Flathub in the fedora-flathub-remote package. This Flathub remote can be used by those who enable third-party software repositories through either GNOME Initial Setup or GNOME Software. Users who do not opt in do not see any content from Flathub.
The current Flathub remote is filtered by an allowlist, to only make a limited subset of software from Flathub available.
The unfiltered Flathub change has two parts:


== Current status ==
# Remove the allowlist from the Flatpak remote, so that when a user opts in, they gain access to all Flathub content and not just a small selection.
[[Category:ChangePageIncomplete]]
# Adjust GNOME Software so that it uses the following priority order when deciding which package to offer by default:
<!-- When your change proposal page is completed and ready for review and announcement -->
## Fedora Flatpaks
<!-- remove Category:ChangePageIncomplete and change it to Category:ChangeReadyForWrangler -->
## RPMs
<!-- The Wrangler announces the Change to the devel-announce list and changes the category to Category:ChangeAnnounced (no action required) -->
## Flathub Flatpaks
<!-- After review, the Wrangler will move your page to Category:ChangeReadyForFesco... if it still needs more work it will move back to Category:ChangePageIncomplete-->


<!-- Select proper category, default is Self Contained Change -->
This will mean that, when using the graphical software manager, Flathub Flatpaks will only be selected by default when there is no Fedora Flatpak or RPM.
[[Category:SelfContainedChange]]
<!-- [[Category:SystemWideChange]] -->


* Targeted release: [[Releases/<number> | Fedora Linux <number> ]]
Other details:
* Last updated: <!-- this is an automatic macro — you don't need to change this line -->  {{REVISIONYEAR}}-{{REVISIONMONTH}}-{{REVISIONDAY2}}
<!-- After the change proposal is accepted by FESCo, tracking bug is created in Bugzilla and linked to this page
Bugzilla state meanings:
ASSIGNED -> accepted by FESCo with ongoing development
MODIFIED -> change is substantially done and testable
ON_QA -> change is fully code complete
-->
* FESCo issue: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>
* Tracker bug: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>
* Release notes tracker: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>


== Detailed Description ==
* In GNOME Software, users will continue to be able to manually select a different source for individual applications.
<!-- Expand on the summary, if appropriate. A couple sentences suffices to explain the goal, but the more details you can provide the better. -->
* The filtering mechanism will remain in place, and it will be possible to reinstate a filter via a package update, should the need arise in the future.
* It has been indicated that it is legally acceptable for us to remove the filtering from the Flathub remote that we make available for users to opt into.
* The UI for enabling the third party repositories clearly states that they contain proprietary software.
* GNOME Software shows information about whether apps are open source or proprietary, so that users can decide whether they want to install them or not.


== Feedback ==
== Feedback ==
<!-- Summarize the feedback from the community and address why you chose not to accept proposed alternatives. This section is optional for all change proposals but is strongly suggested. Incorporating feedback here as it is raised gives FESCo a clearer view of your proposal and leaves a good record for the future. If you get no feedback, that is useful to note in this section as well. For innovative or possibly controversial ideas, consider collecting feedback before you file the change proposal. -->
<!-- Summarize the feedback from the community and address why you chose not to accept proposed alternatives. This section is optional for all change proposals but is strongly suggested. Incorporating feedback here as it is raised gives FESCo a clearer view of your proposal and leaves a good record for the future. If you get no feedback, that is useful to note in this section as well. For innovative or possibly controversial ideas, consider collecting feedback before you file the change proposal. -->
A previous version of this proposal was rejected by FESCo for Fedora 37. It has subsequently been modified to address the concerns raised:
* GNOME Software will prefer packages that have been through the Fedora packaging process, over those that have not.
* For developer tools that do not work well in a sandbox, there will be no Fedora Flatpak, and the RPM will be preferred over the Flathub Flatpak.
Some other questions and concerns that were raised in the previous discussion:
=== Who owns and runs Flathub? ===
Flathub is owned and run by [https://foundation.gnome.org/ the GNOME Foundation], which is a 501c(3) organization registered in the USA. (The GNOME Foundation [https://foundation.gnome.org/legal-and-trademarks/ owns the Flathub trademark], and employs one of the sysadmins who works on Flathub.)
As a non-profit, the GNOME Foundation is required to fulfill a charitable purpose. This is set out in its IRS registration, which states that the organization's mission is "broadening access to technology through the development and distribution of... usable free computer desktop software".
The GNOME Foundation is governed by its Board of Directors, which is elected by contributors to the GNOME project.
Plans exist to create additional governance around Flathub itself, so that other desktops and projects have a formal role in the running of the Flathub service.
=== Isn't Flathub full of repackaged binaries? ===
At present, around 10% of the apps on Flathub have been repackaged from another format. These other formats include distro packages and tarballs, as well as binaries. (The previous figure was 12% - the analysis for this can be read [https://blogs.gnome.org/wjjt/2022/06/14/how-many-flathub-apps-reuse-other-package-formats/ here].)
Flathub prefers that apps be built from source, and if sources are available this is what it is expected to be used. Repackaging is only used when sources aren't available, or when it isn't practical to build the entire application, due to size constraints.
=== But I don't like Flatpak because ___________ ===
Inevitably, people have opinions about the design choices for Flatpak - no technology is ever perfect. Nevertheless, Flatpak is a unique opportunity for Fedora. Some of the key advantages it offers:
* Allows supporting the same app over multiple OS versions
* Is compatible with next-generation image-based operating systems, like Silverblue
* Vibrant upstream application ecosystem, particularly around Flathub
* Distro and platform neutral with no vendor lock-in
* Support for application confinement/sandboxing
* Fully integrated into the GNOME desktop experience
No other application packaging tool has these qualities and, for all these reasons, Flatpak is an important part of the long-term plans for Fedora Workstation.
=== Lack of community presence around Fedora Flatpaks ===
We previously received feedback that there were no good contact points for Fedora Flatpaks. The newly created [https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/SIGs/Flatpak Fedora Flatpak SIG] aims to correct this situation, and will be the group that is responsible for Fedora Flatpaks in the future.
The SIG will work to improve the general state of Fedora Flatpaks, including documentation, issue tracking, and coordination.


== Benefit to Fedora ==
== Benefit to Fedora ==
<!-- What is the benefit to the distribution?  Will the software we generate be improved? How will the process of creating Fedora releases be improved?
 
      Be sure to include the following areas if relevant:
      If this is a major capability update, what has changed?
          For example: This change introduces Python 5 that runs without the Global Interpreter Lock and is fully multithreaded.
      If this is a new functionality, what capabilities does it bring?
          For example: This change allows package upgrades to be performed automatically and rolled-back at will.
      Does this improve some specific package or set of packages?
          For example: This change modifies a package to use a different language stack that reduces install size by removing dependencies.
      Does this improve specific Spins or Editions?
          For example: This change modifies the default install of Fedora Workstation to be more in line with the base install of Fedora Server.
      Does this make the distribution more efficient?
          For example: This change replaces thousands of individual %post scriptlets in packages with one script that runs at the end.
      Is this an improvement to maintainer processes?
          For example: Gating Fedora packages on automatic QA tests will make rawhide more stable and allow changes to be implemented more smoothly.
      Is this an improvement targeted as specific contributors?
          For example: Ensuring that a minimal set of tools required for contribution to Fedora are installed by default eases the onboarding of new contributors.


    When a Change has multiple benefits, it's better to list them all.
Flathub currently hosts nearly 2,000 apps, including many apps which are not included in the Fedora repositories. This includes popular proprietary apps, but also many open source apps which are maintained in Flathub by their developers. This change will make it easier for Fedora users to access this resource.
 
For users who already use Flathub, this change will make it easier to setup.
 
Additionally, out of the box application availability is one of the key metrics on which Fedora is judged in comparison to other distros. Having the option to easily enable Flathub will put us in a much more competitive position with regards to our rivals, and will make it easier for people to recommend Fedora as a user friendly Linux distro.


    Consider these Change pages from previous editions as inspiration:
This change will also be a significant improvement over the existing filtered version of Flathub that we offer. This has received a lot of negative feedback, with users being confused by the limited subset of Flathub that are included.
    https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/Annobin (low-level and technical, invisible to users)
    https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/ParallelInstallableDebuginfo (low-level, but visible to advanced users)
    https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/VirtualBox_Guest_Integration (primarily a UX change)
    https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/NoMoreAlpha (an improvement to distro processes)
    https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/perl5.26 (major upgrade to a popular software stack, visible to users of that stack)
-->


== Scope ==
== Scope ==
* Proposal owners:
* Proposal owners:
<!-- What work do the feature owners have to accomplish to complete the feature in time for release?  Is it a large change affecting many parts of the distribution or is it a very isolated change? What are those changes?-->
** Remove the allowlist in /usr/share/flatpak/fedora-flathub.filter, or replace it with one that allows everything
** Adjust the name of the remote to reflect its unfiltered nature


* Other developers: <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
* GNOME Software developers:
<!-- What work do other developers have to accomplish to complete the feature in time for release?  Is it a large change affecting many parts of the distribution or is it a very isolated change? What are those changes?-->
** Land this change to fix preference order in g-s: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-software/-/merge_requests/1511
** Make sure that the preference order works as desired on Silverblue as well, where we always want to prefer flatpaks over layering rpms. This is being discussed here: https://github.com/fedora-silverblue/issue-tracker/issues/354


* Release engineering: [https://pagure.io/releng/issues #Releng issue number] <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
* Release engineering: [https://pagure.io/releng/issues #Releng issue number]
<!-- Does this feature require coordination with release engineering (e.g. changes to installer image generation or update package delivery)?  Is a mass rebuild required?  include a link to the releng issue.
** No work needed
The issue is required to be filed prior to feature submission, to ensure that someone is on board to do any process development work and testing and that all changes make it into the pipeline; a bullet point in a change is not sufficient communication -->


* Policies and guidelines: N/A (not needed for this Change) <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
* Policies and guidelines: N/A (not needed for this Change) <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
<!-- Do the packaging guidelines or other documents need to be updated for this feature?  If so, does it need to happen before or after the implementation is done?  If a FPC ticket exists, add a link here. Please submit a pull request with the proposed changes before submitting your Change proposal. -->
* Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)
* Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)
<!-- If your Change may require trademark approval (for example, if it is a new Spin), file a ticket ( https://pagure.io/Fedora-Council/tickets/issues ) requesting trademark approval from the Fedora Council. This approval will be done via the Council's consensus-based process. -->
* Alignment with Objectives:
 
* Alignment with Objectives:  
<!-- Does your proposal align with the current Fedora Objectives: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/objectives/ ? It's okay if it doesn't, but it's something to consider -->


== Upgrade/compatibility impact ==
== Upgrade/compatibility impact ==
<!-- What happens to systems that have had a previous versions of Fedora installed and are updated to the version containing this change? Will anything require manual configuration or data migration? Will any existing functionality be no longer supported? -->
<!-- What happens to systems that have had a previous versions of Fedora installed and are updated to the version containing this change? Will anything require manual configuration or data migration? Will any existing functionality be no longer supported? -->


<!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
Existing Fedora installations with a configured Fedora Flathub remote will pick up the new, permissive filter.
 


== How To Test ==
== How To Test ==
<!-- This does not need to be a full-fledged document. Describe the dimensions of tests that this change implementation is expected to pass when it is done.  If it needs to be tested with different hardware or software configurations, indicate them.  The more specific you can be, the better the community testing can be.


Remember that you are writing this how to for interested testers to use to check out your change implementation - documenting what you do for testing is OK, but it's much better to document what *I* can do to test your change.
When third-party software is not enabled in GNOME Initial Setup or GNOME Software, search results from Flathub should not appear in GNOME Software.


A good "how to test" should answer these four questions:
When third-party software is enabled in GNOME Initial Setup or GNOME Software:


0. What special hardware / data / etc. is needed (if any)?
* Search results from Flathub should appear.
1. How do I prepare my system to test this change? What packages
* The default app selected by GNOME Software should be as follows:
need to be installed, config files edited, etc.?
2. What specific actions do I perform to check that the change is
working like it's supposed to?
3. What are the expected results of those actions?
-->


<!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
|-
! Fedora Flatpak? !! RPM? !! Flathub Flatpak? !! Default package
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || Fedora Flatpak
|-
| ✗ || ✓ || ✓ || RPM
|-
| ✗ || ✗ || ✓ || Flathub Flatpak
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✗ || Fedora Flatpak
|-
| ✓ || ✗ || ✗ || Fedora Flatpak
|-
| ✗ || ✓ || ✗ || RPM
|}


== User Experience ==


== User Experience ==
When opening GNOME Software after opting into 3rd party software, all the applications that
<!-- If this change proposal is noticeable by users, how will their experiences change as a result?
are available on Flathub will show up in search results.


This section partially overlaps with the Benefit to Fedora section above. This section should be primarily about the User Experience, written in a way that does not assume deep technical knowledge. More detailed technical description should be left for the Benefit to Fedora section.
Where there are overlaps, Fedora content will be preferred over Flathub content.


Describe what Users will see or notice, for example:
When opening GNOME Software without opting into 3rd party software, only Fedora content
  - Packages are compressed more efficiently, making downloads and upgrades faster by 10%.
will be show up in search results.
  - Kerberos tickets can be renewed automatically. Users will now have to authenticate less and become more productive. Credential management improvements mean a user can start their work day with a single sign on and not have to pause for reauthentication during their entire day.
- Libreoffice is one of the most commonly installed applications on Fedora and it is now available by default to help users "hit the ground running".
- Green has been scientifically proven to be the most relaxing color. The move to a default background color of green with green text will result in Fedora users being the most relaxed users of any operating system.
-->


== Dependencies ==
== Dependencies ==
<!-- What other packages (RPMs) depend on this package?  Are there changes outside the developers' control on which completion of this change depends?  In other words, completion of another change owned by someone else and might cause you to not be able to finish on time or that you would need to coordinate?  Other upstream projects like the kernel (if this is not a kernel change)? -->
<!-- What other packages (RPMs) depend on this package?  Are there changes outside the developers' control on which completion of this change depends?  In other words, completion of another change owned by someone else and might cause you to not be able to finish on time or that you would need to coordinate?  Other upstream projects like the kernel (if this is not a kernel change)? -->


<!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
No dependencies.


== Contingency Plan ==


== Contingency Plan ==
* Contingency mechanism: Reinstate the filtering we had in Fedora 36


<!-- If you cannot complete your feature by the final development freeze, what is the backup plan?  This might be as simple as "Revert the shipped configuration".  Or it might not (e.g. rebuilding a number of dependent packages).  If you feature is not completed in time we want to assure others that other parts of Fedora will not be in jeopardy.  -->
* Contingency deadline: Beta
* Contingency mechanism: (What to do?  Who will do it?) N/A (not a System Wide Change)  <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
<!-- When is the last time the contingency mechanism can be put in place?  This will typically be the beta freeze. -->
* Contingency deadline: N/A (not a System Wide Change)  <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
<!-- Does finishing this feature block the release, or can we ship with the feature in incomplete state? -->
* Blocks release? N/A (not a System Wide Change), Yes/No <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->


* Blocks release? No


== Documentation ==
== Documentation ==
<!-- Is there upstream documentation on this change, or notes you have written yourself?  Link to that material here so other interested developers can get involved. -->


<!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
* [https://pagure.io/fedora-third-party/blob/main/f/doc/fedora-third-party.1.md fedora-third-party]
N/A (not a System Wide Change)
* [https://github.com/flathub/flathub/wiki Flathub wiki]
* [https://fedoramagazine.org/comparison-of-fedora-flatpaks-and-flathub-remotes/ Comparison of Fedora Flatpaks and Flathub remotes]


== Release Notes ==
== Release Notes ==
<!-- The Fedora Release Notes inform end-users about what is new in the release.  Examples of past release notes are here: http://docs.fedoraproject.org/release-notes/ -->
<!-- The release notes also help users know how to deal with platform changes such as ABIs/APIs, configuration or data file formats, or upgrade concerns.  If there are any such changes involved in this change, indicate them here.  A link to upstream documentation will often satisfy this need.  This information forms the basis of the release notes edited by the documentation team and shipped with the release.


Release Notes are not required for initial draft of the Change Proposal but has to be completed by the Change Freeze.  
The Fedora Flathub remote now exposes all content from Flathub, instead of only a small subset. Flathub is not enabled by default. To enable software from Flathub, turn on third-party software in GNOME Initial Setup or GNOME Software.
-->

Latest revision as of 21:17, 26 January 2023

Unfiltered Flathub

Summary

Fedora Workstation's existing third party repo feature allows users to enable a selection of software repos that are hosted by external organizations. This selection has included a filtered version of Flathub since F35, which provides access to a small number of Flathub apps. This change would remove the filtering from our Flathub offering, so that users can enable a complete version of Flathub using the third party repositories feature. In the graphical software manager app, Flathub packages will only be selected by default when no Fedora package is available.

Owner

  • Name: Workstation WG
  • Email: mclasen@redhat.com

Current status

Detailed Description

Since F35, Fedora has included a Flatpak repo definition for Flathub in the fedora-flathub-remote package. This Flathub remote can be used by those who enable third-party software repositories through either GNOME Initial Setup or GNOME Software. Users who do not opt in do not see any content from Flathub.

The current Flathub remote is filtered by an allowlist, to only make a limited subset of software from Flathub available.

The unfiltered Flathub change has two parts:

  1. Remove the allowlist from the Flatpak remote, so that when a user opts in, they gain access to all Flathub content and not just a small selection.
  2. Adjust GNOME Software so that it uses the following priority order when deciding which package to offer by default:
    1. Fedora Flatpaks
    2. RPMs
    3. Flathub Flatpaks

This will mean that, when using the graphical software manager, Flathub Flatpaks will only be selected by default when there is no Fedora Flatpak or RPM.

Other details:

  • In GNOME Software, users will continue to be able to manually select a different source for individual applications.
  • The filtering mechanism will remain in place, and it will be possible to reinstate a filter via a package update, should the need arise in the future.
  • It has been indicated that it is legally acceptable for us to remove the filtering from the Flathub remote that we make available for users to opt into.
  • The UI for enabling the third party repositories clearly states that they contain proprietary software.
  • GNOME Software shows information about whether apps are open source or proprietary, so that users can decide whether they want to install them or not.

Feedback

A previous version of this proposal was rejected by FESCo for Fedora 37. It has subsequently been modified to address the concerns raised:

  • GNOME Software will prefer packages that have been through the Fedora packaging process, over those that have not.
  • For developer tools that do not work well in a sandbox, there will be no Fedora Flatpak, and the RPM will be preferred over the Flathub Flatpak.

Some other questions and concerns that were raised in the previous discussion:

Who owns and runs Flathub?

Flathub is owned and run by the GNOME Foundation, which is a 501c(3) organization registered in the USA. (The GNOME Foundation owns the Flathub trademark, and employs one of the sysadmins who works on Flathub.)

As a non-profit, the GNOME Foundation is required to fulfill a charitable purpose. This is set out in its IRS registration, which states that the organization's mission is "broadening access to technology through the development and distribution of... usable free computer desktop software".

The GNOME Foundation is governed by its Board of Directors, which is elected by contributors to the GNOME project.

Plans exist to create additional governance around Flathub itself, so that other desktops and projects have a formal role in the running of the Flathub service.

Isn't Flathub full of repackaged binaries?

At present, around 10% of the apps on Flathub have been repackaged from another format. These other formats include distro packages and tarballs, as well as binaries. (The previous figure was 12% - the analysis for this can be read here.)

Flathub prefers that apps be built from source, and if sources are available this is what it is expected to be used. Repackaging is only used when sources aren't available, or when it isn't practical to build the entire application, due to size constraints.

But I don't like Flatpak because ___________

Inevitably, people have opinions about the design choices for Flatpak - no technology is ever perfect. Nevertheless, Flatpak is a unique opportunity for Fedora. Some of the key advantages it offers:

  • Allows supporting the same app over multiple OS versions
  • Is compatible with next-generation image-based operating systems, like Silverblue
  • Vibrant upstream application ecosystem, particularly around Flathub
  • Distro and platform neutral with no vendor lock-in
  • Support for application confinement/sandboxing
  • Fully integrated into the GNOME desktop experience

No other application packaging tool has these qualities and, for all these reasons, Flatpak is an important part of the long-term plans for Fedora Workstation.

Lack of community presence around Fedora Flatpaks

We previously received feedback that there were no good contact points for Fedora Flatpaks. The newly created Fedora Flatpak SIG aims to correct this situation, and will be the group that is responsible for Fedora Flatpaks in the future.

The SIG will work to improve the general state of Fedora Flatpaks, including documentation, issue tracking, and coordination.

Benefit to Fedora

Flathub currently hosts nearly 2,000 apps, including many apps which are not included in the Fedora repositories. This includes popular proprietary apps, but also many open source apps which are maintained in Flathub by their developers. This change will make it easier for Fedora users to access this resource.

For users who already use Flathub, this change will make it easier to setup.

Additionally, out of the box application availability is one of the key metrics on which Fedora is judged in comparison to other distros. Having the option to easily enable Flathub will put us in a much more competitive position with regards to our rivals, and will make it easier for people to recommend Fedora as a user friendly Linux distro.

This change will also be a significant improvement over the existing filtered version of Flathub that we offer. This has received a lot of negative feedback, with users being confused by the limited subset of Flathub that are included.

Scope

  • Proposal owners:
    • Remove the allowlist in /usr/share/flatpak/fedora-flathub.filter, or replace it with one that allows everything
    • Adjust the name of the remote to reflect its unfiltered nature
  • Policies and guidelines: N/A (not needed for this Change)
  • Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)
  • Alignment with Objectives:

Upgrade/compatibility impact

Existing Fedora installations with a configured Fedora Flathub remote will pick up the new, permissive filter.

How To Test

When third-party software is not enabled in GNOME Initial Setup or GNOME Software, search results from Flathub should not appear in GNOME Software.

When third-party software is enabled in GNOME Initial Setup or GNOME Software:

  • Search results from Flathub should appear.
  • The default app selected by GNOME Software should be as follows:
Fedora Flatpak?  RPM?  Flathub Flatpak? Default package
✓ ✓ ✓ Fedora Flatpak
✗ ✓ ✓ RPM
✗ ✗ ✓ Flathub Flatpak
✓ ✓ ✗ Fedora Flatpak
✓ ✗ ✗ Fedora Flatpak
✗ ✓ ✗ RPM

User Experience

When opening GNOME Software after opting into 3rd party software, all the applications that are available on Flathub will show up in search results.

Where there are overlaps, Fedora content will be preferred over Flathub content.

When opening GNOME Software without opting into 3rd party software, only Fedora content will be show up in search results.

Dependencies

No dependencies.

Contingency Plan

  • Contingency mechanism: Reinstate the filtering we had in Fedora 36
  • Contingency deadline: Beta
  • Blocks release? No

Documentation

Release Notes

The Fedora Flathub remote now exposes all content from Flathub, instead of only a small subset. Flathub is not enabled by default. To enable software from Flathub, turn on third-party software in GNOME Initial Setup or GNOME Software.

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