Let’s imagine we have a PC that cannot connect to the internet, and we want to update or install Flatpak apps on it—how would we do that? I was told to use “create-usb”; I tried using it with AI assistance for GIMP, and I ended up with an .ostree file hidden in a folder! I don’t even know how to install an .ostree file, and doing this for multiple programs doesn’t seem straightforward. So, I have a proposal: alongside “Manual Installation” and “Run”—and right next to “Install”—let’s add a “Download Flatpak package” option (so it could potentially be installed later with a double-click). You might point out that AppImages exist, but they are too scattered across the web; gathering a dozen of them would be a hassle.
Hi there!
There is an issue with just using a downloaded .flatpak bundle: It does not include the runtime. If you were to install an .flatpak bundle on a fresh system, the application couldn’t run since important libraries provided by the runtime are missing.
Adding to that, a runtime can be layered. The GNOME runtime for example is build on top of the Freedesktop one. So, for Gimp you would need both the GNOME and Freedesktop runtime as well.
flatpak create-usb solves that by loading everything required into an OSTree repository. That is the same system an installed Flatpak uses. Using OSTree also means a certain amount of deduplication can be used to save space.
As for how to install it:
If you’re using the Flatpak CLI, it’s the same flatpak install you’d use to download it. On modern systems, it will even pick the downloaded OSTree repo automatically without additional arguments, otherwise you only need to add the --sideload-repo argument.
For more information, you can see the documentation:
So, TL;DR:
Flatpak bundles have some shortcomings around runtimes that make a download button not viable. flatpak create-usb works well, its just works a bit differently than you expected.
I spent a long time asking Google’s AI how to download it; eventually, I had to figure out things like the specific branch and other technical details—asking how to transfer the OnlyOffice file from an online PC to an offline one. It gave me commands like flatpak build-bundle ~/.local/share/flatpak/repo onlyoffice.flatpak org.onlyoffice.desktopeditors stable. Whether using Flatpak or OSTree, the installation process is complex—especially for beginners! It would be amazing to have a “download to USB” option, or a dedicated app for transferring files from an online PC to an offline one! Please consider this—and thanks anyway for the help! P.S.: There are just too many parameters to know if you’re downloading without AI—like the branch, whether it’s for standard users, etc.