How to Easily Install Flatpak Apps on Linux (Beginner’s Guide)

Installing Flatpak applications on Linux works well… once you understand how it works. But between command lines, manual permission adjustments, and specific settings for certain apps, it’s not always very practical, especially for beginners.

To simplify this task, developer Michaël Bertocchi, aka Mika, created Easy Flatpak. This open-source application offers a clear and accessible interface for installing Flatpak applications more easily, with a welcome addition: for certain software like Steam or Heroic Games Launcher, it guides you through the configuration of the necessary permissions, thanks to a system of personalized “recipes.

A simple but well-thought-out idea that saves time, avoids errors, and makes installing and using Flatpak applications much easier. Let’s take a look.

A Passionate Developer, a Project Born From a Simple Observation

Behind Easy Flatpak, we find Michaël Bertocchi, aka Mika or iMikado. French, development engineer, self-taught and rather versatile: from the web to the world of gaming and open-source software, he has explored many technologies over the years.

It was actually while trying to make his own games more accessible on Linux that he began to seriously get interested in Flatpak. He published them on Flathub, and there, surprise: many more downloads in a few days than on Android in several years.

From there, the desire to offer a tool to facilitate the installation of these apps was born. Initially, Easy Flatpak was a simple list of recipes to automatically configure the permissions needed for certain applications. Rejected by the Flathub teams for lack of added value, Mika did not give up. He reworked his idea from the ground up to make it what Easy Flatpak is today: a real little graphical manager for Flatpak, with a clear interface, well-thought-out features, and regular follow-up.

Easy Flatpak: An Interface Designed to Simplify Users’ Lives

Contrary to what its name might suggest, Easy Flatpak is not just another application manager. This small tool goes a little further by combining a graphical store, a permission manager, and an installation assistant.

The interface is clean, organized by categories (audio/video, games, office automation, etc.) with a well-visible search field and clear thumbnails for each application. We find the classics of the Flatpak catalog, with descriptions, screenshots, download size, version… everything you need to easily find your way around.

But what makes the application particularly useful is the ability to automate certain somewhat tedious settings. For apps like Steam, Heroic Games Launcher, or Discord, which sometimes require specific permissions (access to a games folder, for example), Easy Flatpak guides you through the installation. It asks you the right questions, then automatically applies the necessary permissions thanks to a system of custom-created recipes.

Another appreciable feature: multi-installation. Thanks to the Bundles section, you can install several apps at once depending on a specific use (gaming, graphics, development…). Practical for saving time after a new Linux installation.

And to top it all off, Easy Flatpak also allows you to update all your Flatpak applications with a single click, directly from its interface. No need to go through the command line to keep your apps up to date 👍.

On the settings side, you can adjust the appearance (dark mode, languages…), the installation scope (user or system), or even disable the Flathub API if needed. The app also manages updates to installed Flatpaks, with a button to update everything in one click.

How to Install Easy Flatpak

Easy Flatpak is available directly on Flathub. If Flatpak is already configured on your system, the installation is done with a single command:

flatpak install flathub org.dupot.easyflatpak

Once installed, you will find the application in your menu, like any other software. And if you haven’t already, remember to add the Flathub repository to your system. It is this that gives you access to the entire Flatpak library, including Easy Flatpak.

An App in Constant Evolution

Since its creation, Easy Flatpak has continued to improve. Mika continues to work actively on it, taking into account user feedback and regularly adding new features.

Recent additions include:

• A revised home page, with the latest new features highlighted.
• A centralized update system, with the possibility of updating everything in one click.
• A dark mode and support for several languages (French, English, Italian…).
• The famous multi-installation by bundle, very practical.

And it’s not over. Several improvement tracks are already planned:

• Redesign of the interface and code cleanup.
• Adding new functions such as resetting an application, managing its data, or blocking updates for a specific application.
• And also, in the long term, other application packs by use.

In short, Easy Flatpak is not static, and that’s also what makes it interesting.

In Summary

Easy Flatpak is a simple, efficient, and well-thought-out application. It is aimed at both beginners and more advanced users who want to save time managing their Flatpak applications.

Between its clear interface, its assisted installations with the right permissions, its support for bundles, and its active follow-up, the project has everything to please. And the fact that it is open source is a real plus 😊.