How to Upgrade Flatpak on Linux Mint 21 or 20

Flatpak is a renowned software deployment tool essential for distributing applications efficiently on Linux-based operating systems, including Linux Mint 21 and its older stable release, Linux Mint 20. If you want to upgrade Flatpak on Linux Mint 21 or Linux Mint 20, this guide provides concise instructions to facilitate this process, ensuring you can leverage the latest features and security enhancements offered by the most recent version of Flatpak.

Key Reasons to Upgrade Flatpak:

  • Enhanced Security: Flatpak’s sandboxing technology offers an additional security layer, isolating applications from the system and mitigating potential vulnerabilities.
  • Simplified Application Management: With Flatpak, users can effortlessly install, update, and remove applications, streamlining software management processes.
  • Cross-Distribution Compatibility: Applications packaged with Flatpak can run on any Linux distribution supporting Flatpak, allowing developers to create a single package format for various distributions.
  • Access to Latest Features: Upgrading Flatpak ensures access to the newest features and improvements, enhancing the user experience.
  • Independent Updates: Applications packaged with Flatpak can be updated independently from the operating system, allowing users to utilize the latest versions without waiting for distribution updates.
  • Reduced Dependency Issues: Flatpak packages contain all necessary dependencies, so they minimize conflicts and compatibility issues between applications and system libraries.

Upgrading Flatpak on Linux Mint 21 or its older stable release of Linux Mint 20 allows users to enjoy enhanced security, simplified application management, and access to the latest features. This guide will walk you through the upgrade process using the command line and official Launchpad repositories, ensuring a smooth and efficient upgrade experience.

Upgrade Flatpak on Linux Mint 21 or 20

Step 1: Update Linux Mint Before Flatpak Upgrade

Updating your system’s existing packages before upgrading Flatpak on your Linux Mint system is essential. This helps avoid any potential complications or conflicts during the upgrade process. To update your system, open the command terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This command will update your package list and prompt you to upgrade any outdated packages to their latest versions.

Step 2: Import Flatpak PPA on Linux Mint 21 or 20

As most Linux Mint users know, Flatpak comes pre-installed on the system. However, if you want the latest stable version or even the development version with cutting-edge features, you can choose between two PPAs. Importing the stable version is generally recommended, but you can also opt for the development version if you prefer. You can permanently remove Flatpak and downgrade to a previous version if necessary.

To import the desired PPA, run the appropriate command in your terminal:

Import Flatpak stable PPA on Linux Mint:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:flatpak/stable -y

Import Flatpak development PPA on Linux Mint:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:flatpak/development -y

Step 3: Refresh Package Index After Flatpak PPA Import on Linux Mint

After importing the PPA, you need to update the package list to include the new packages from the PPA. To do this, run the following command in your terminal:

sudo apt update

Step 4: Upgrade Flatpak on Linux Mint 21 or 20 via APT Command

If Flatpak is installed, the system will prompt you to upgrade it. To upgrade Flatpak, run the following command:

sudo apt upgrade

If you prefer to reinstall Flatpak, you can do so using the following command:

sudo apt install flatpak

Enable Flathub on Linux Mint 21 or 20

Flathub is a popular repository that hosts a vast collection of Flatpak applications. Enabling Flathub allows you to search for and install applications easily.

To enable Flathub on your system, run the following command in your terminal:

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

Most likely this is already activated, but while upgrading Flatpak its a good time to check if it is enabled or not.

Now that you’ve upgraded Flatpak and enabled Flathub, you can enjoy your Linux Mint system’s latest features and applications. The following section will cover some cli commands with Flatpak.

Flatpak Commands Examples on Linux Mint

This section will go through 10 common Flatpak commands that will help you manage your Flatpak applications efficiently.

Install a Flatpak Application on Linux Mint

To install an application from Flathub or another Flatpak repository, use the following command format:

flatpak install flathub <application_id>

Replace <application_id> with the ID of the application you want to install.

Uninstall a Flatpak Application from Linux Mint

To remove an installed Flatpak application, use the following command:

flatpak uninstall <application_id>

Replace <application_id> with the ID of the application you want to remove.

Update a Flatpak Application on Linux Mint

To update a specific Flatpak application to its latest version, use the following command:

flatpak update <application_id>

Replace <application_id> with the ID of the application you want to update.

Update All Flatpak Applications on Linux Mint

To update all installed Flatpak applications, run the following command:

flatpak update

List Installed Flatpak Applications on Linux Mint

To view a list of all installed Flatpak applications on your system, use the following command:

flatpak list --app

Search for a Flatpak Application on Linux Mint

To search for an application in Flathub or another Flatpak repository, use the following command:

flatpak search <search_term>

Replace <search_term> with the keyword or application name you want to search for.

Show Flatpak Application Information on Linux Mint

To display detailed information about a specific Flatpak application, use the following command:

flatpak info <application_id>

Replace <application_id> with the ID of the application you want to view.

List Available Flatpak Repositories on Linux Mint

To view a list of all configured Flatpak repositories on your system, use the following command:

flatpak remote-list

Add a Flatpak Repository on Linux Mint

To add a new Flatpak repository, use the following command format:

flatpak remote-add <repo_name> <repo_url>

Replace <repo_name> with a name for the new repository and <repo_url> with the URL of the repository.

Remove a Flatpak Repository from Linux Mint

To remove a configured Flatpak repository, use the following command:

flatpak remote-delete <repo_name>

Replace <repo_name> with the name of the repository you want to remove.

Additional Flatpak Management Commands on Linux Mint 21 or 20.

This section will cover how to remove Flatpak from your system and some tips to ensure a clean removal.

Remove All Installed Flatpak Applications from Linux Mint

Before uninstalling Flatpak itself, it’s essential to remove all installed applications to avoid any leftover files. To remove all installed Flatpak applications, run the following command:

flatpak uninstall --all

Remove Unused Flatpak Runtimes From Linux Mint

After removing all applications, cleaning up unused runtimes is essential to free up space on your system. To remove unused Flatpak runtimes, use the following command:

flatpak uninstall --unused

Remove Flatpak from Linux Mint

After removing all applications and runtimes, uninstall Flatpak from your system. To remove Flatpak and its associated configuration files, run the following command:

sudo apt autoremove flatpak --purge

Remove Flatpak PPAs from Linux Mint

If you added any Flatpak PPAs (stable or development) earlier, it’s also a good idea to remove them. To remove a Flatpak PPA, use the following command format:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:<ppa_name>

Replace <ppa_name> with the name of the PPA you want to remove.

For example, to remove the stable PPA, run:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:flatpak/stable

To remove the development PPA, run:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:flatpak/development

Conclusion

Upgrading Flatpak on Linux Mint ensures you take full advantage of the latest features, security improvements, and enhanced application management capabilities. Following the guide, you can easily upgrade Flatpak to the latest stable or development version using the official Launchpad repositories. This will provide a more streamlined and secure experience, making your Linux Mint system even more efficient and user-friendly.

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