Achieving Secure Downloads with Flatpak: How Flatpak is Helping Linux Users Get the Best of Both Worlds
Flatpak is a popular Linux package format that has quickly become the go-to for many users, especially those who don’t use Debian-based distributions such as Ubuntu. It offers a low-friction way to install and maintain applications without having to worry about versioning issues or compatibility with different distros. Recently, Flathub opened up the ability for applications to be uploaded in binary form, which is essential for language-specific build systems like Electron/Node, Rust, Go etc. However, this means that users are unable to scrutinise the source code of their application in the Flathub build system. To address this problem many advocates of Flathub suggest running an antivirus scanner rather than looking further into why they can’t inspect the source code before installing it - an absurd premise indeed!