It fulfills a different purpose than system packages. First, it can be run without privileges/system modification, so it works on immutable distributions. Second, it doesn't share libraries between apps (with some exceptions) or the system, so you don't have to package separately for each. It essentially takes some of the container philosophy/tech and brings it to desktop apps. This also gives it some ability to do some sandboxing that isn't as easy with system installed apps.

This approach comes with some downsides. Particularly larger storage requirement for apps, sometimes less integration with the system, and lack of ability for apps to easily call/interact each other unless they're packaged together.

It's meant for complete GUI apps and not small tools/packages that are the standard in system package managers

Why is Flatpak the latest shit?

Works on Steam Deck out of the box.

What’s wrong with the classic *.deb viz. *.rpm distribution?

Doesn't work on Steam Deck.

Aren’t we all?

Next time, use a VPN so it doesn’t all show in the US.

Linux has always had a strong showing over there. If I had the misfortune of living there I'd certainly want all the privacy and autonomy I could get...

Speaking of countries, I'm surprised that China isn't in the top 10, especially considering their efforts to reduce reliance on US tech.

Graphs like this will always be population graphs. Russia is the 9th most populated country with 140 million people.

They don't. They have a CDN sponsor.

Flathub wouldn't be possible without the generous support of the following organizations and individuals. Organizations & Infrastructure

• Codethink
• Cloud Native Computing Foundation
• Fastly
• Mythic Beasts
• Prerender.io
• Scaleway

I don't like flatpaks or snaps or anything like it either, but I think they help a lot in situations like the Steam Deck or PinePhone where you want the base to be able to move slowly and be stable, while letting the apps on top move quickly.

The problems with flatpaks and similar is that it allows and even encourages developers to stick with horrendously outdated libraries, and your system is only as safe as the container's isolation defenses.

They also make it more difficult to go in and directly modify or tweak the program as the user.

And many developers are no longer offering bare-metal options.

If I remember correctly deepin which is the popular distro uses their own store of appimage files. That may have something to do with it

I'd expect them having their own state controlled version

They are probably having internet connection problems in China