Optimizing Ubuntu Application Management with Snap and Flatpak: Practical Experience from ITFromZero

Ubuntu Application Management: Is apt Still “King”?

For IT professionals, especially those frequently interacting with Ubuntu servers, software installation and management are daily routines. For a long time, apt (or apt-get) has been the default, extremely familiar, and reliable tool. However, in recent years, two emerging “players,” Snap and Flatpak, are gradually establishing their positions, offering different approaches.

Pros and Cons of the Traditional Method (apt)

Pros:

• Deep System Integration: .deb packages are optimized and tightly integrated with Ubuntu, making full use of available libraries and resources.
• Stable and Reliable: Ubuntu’s official repositories usually contain thoroughly tested versions, ensuring high stability.
• Good Dependency Management: apt handles package dependencies cleanly, helping to keep the system “uncluttered.”

Cons:

• Older Software Versions: Packages in the main repositories are often not the latest versions to ensure stability. If you want a “fresher” version (e.g., Node.js or Docker), you usually have to add a PPA (Personal Package Archive) or compile from source, which can be inconvenient.
• Dependency Issues: Although apt manages dependencies well, these very dependencies can cause conflicts when installing software from various sources.
• Not Self-Contained: Applications depend on many system libraries, making it difficult to move or isolate them.

Snap and Flatpak: Two “Giants” of Linux Application Future

Both Snap and Flatpak emerged to overcome the limitations of traditional packaging systems, especially concerning dependencies and versions. Both offer a “containerized” approach to applications.

Snap: “Versatile” Application Packaging from Canonical

Snap is an application packaging technology developed by Canonical (the company behind Ubuntu). The main idea is that “snaps” include the application and all the libraries and dependencies it needs, running in an isolated environment.

Pros:

• Easy to Use and Consistent: The snap command syntax is very simple, easy to remember, and works similarly across all Linux distributions that support Snap.
• Automatic Updates: Snap applications are often updated automatically in the background, ensuring you always have the latest version without worrying.
• Security (Sandboxing): Each Snap application runs in its own “sandbox,” restricting access to the system, thereby enhancing security.
• Runs on Many Distros: Although developed by Canonical, Snap is not exclusive to Ubuntu but also works well on many other Linux distributions.
• Practical Experience: In a Ubuntu 22.04 staging environment, I often test various software configurations via Snap before deploying to production. It helps me quickly get tools operational without worrying about library conflicts with other applications on the same server.

Cons:

• Large Package Size: Because they bundle all dependencies, Snap packages are often larger than traditional .deb packages. For instance, an application like Firefox via Snap can take up over 200MB, while the .deb version is lighter.
• Initial Startup Speed: Some Snap applications might take a bit longer to start up for the first time.
• Occasional UI Inconsistency: In some cases, Snap applications might have slightly different fonts or interface themes compared to the rest of the system.

Flatpak: The “Universal” Solution Trusted by the Linux Community

Flatpak is another universal application packaging technology, developed by the community and widely supported by GNOME and Red Hat.

Pros:

• Distro-Independent: Flatpak is designed to work well on any Linux distribution, provided it has the Flatpak runtime installed.
• Robust Sandboxing: Similar to Snap, Flatpak offers a strong sandboxing mechanism, isolating applications from the main system.
• Large Community Support: With the huge Flathub application repository, you can find most of the popular applications.
• Latest Versions: Flatpak often provides very new, frequently updated application versions.

Cons:

• Requires Flatpak Runtime Installation: To run Flatpak, the system needs basic “runtimes” (e.g., GNOME Platform), which also consume a fair amount of disk space.
• Large Package Size: Like Snap, Flatpak packages are also quite heavy.
• Occasional UI Suboptimality: There are also cases where Flatpak applications do not display perfectly with the system theme.

Choosing Wisely: When to Use Snap, Flatpak (or apt?)

This is the most “head-scratching” question for many IT pros. After many trials and practical work, I’ve drawn a few conclusions:

• Use apt when:

  • You need basic system tools, development libraries, or server applications already optimized by Ubuntu in the main repositories.
  • Absolute stability and deepest system integration are priorities.
  • The application doesn’t require a very new version, or updates are not urgent.

• Use Snap when:

  • You want simplicity, “install and it just works” setup, and automatic, hassle-free updates.
  • The application you need is available on the Snap Store and maintained by its developers (e.g., Spotify, VS Code, Slack…).
  • Working on an Ubuntu server, where application isolation and easy deployment are top priorities.

• Use Flatpak when:

  • You always want the latest, “hottest” application versions.
  • You are particularly concerned about strong security and application isolation.
  • The application you need is not available on Snap or apt, but is on Flathub.
  • Working on Linux distributions other than Ubuntu and want a consistent experience.

In reality, there’s no single “best” tool. I often combine all three: apt for foundational packages, and Snap/Flatpak for desktop applications or specific dev tools. The important thing is to understand the pros and cons to choose what suits your needs.

Practical Implementation: Installing, Removing, and Updating Applications

With Snap

On Ubuntu, Snap is usually pre-installed. You can check with the following command:

snap version

If not, installation is very simple:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install snapd

Searching for applications:

snap find <app_name>
# Example: snap find spotify

Installing applications:

sudo snap install <app_name>
# Example: sudo snap install spotify

Updating applications: Snap updates automatically, but you can trigger it manually:

sudo snap refresh
# To update a specific application:
sudo snap refresh <app_name>

Removing applications:

sudo snap remove <app_name>
# Example: sudo snap remove spotify

Managing versions (revisions): Snap retains older versions of applications. You can list them and revert to an older version if needed:

snap list --all
sudo snap revert <app_name> --revision <revision_number>

With Flatpak

Flatpak is not pre-installed on Ubuntu by default, but adding it is easy:

Installing Flatpak:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install flatpak

Adding the Flathub repository: This is the largest and most important Flatpak application repository. You should add it right after installing Flatpak:

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

Restarting the system: After installing Flatpak and adding Flathub, I usually restart the machine to ensure everything is recognized correctly:

sudo reboot

Searching for applications:

flatpak search <app_name>
# Example: flatpak search kdenlive

Installing applications: You will need the application ID, usually obtained from the search command or from the Flathub website.

sudo flatpak install flathub <app_id>
# Example: sudo flatpak install flathub org.kde.kdenlive

Updating applications:

sudo flatpak update

Removing applications:

sudo flatpak uninstall <app_id>
# Example: sudo flatpak uninstall org.kde.kdenlive

Removing unused runtimes and data: Helps free up disk space.

sudo flatpak uninstall --unused

Conclusion

Application management on Ubuntu today has moved beyond the traditional apt framework. Snap and Flatpak offer many new options, making it easier to access the latest software, enhance security, and reduce conflicts. I hope these insights into their pros and cons, along with practical experience, will help you feel more confident when choosing and managing applications on your system. Don’t be afraid to experiment, as that’s the best way to find the “formula” that works best for you!