Sovereign Tech Agency invests €500k in Flatpak

The German Sovereign Tech Agency has pledged €508,640 towards the enhancement of Flatpak, a secure sandboxed platform for Linux desktop software. This two-year endeavor, spearheaded by Modal in collaboration with Para-Real Ltd., aims to bolster the platform's capabilities, security, and user experience. Flatpak is the primary application distribution method for various image-based operating systems, including Fedora Silverblue, openSUSE Aeon, SteamOS, and GNOME OS.

It also stands as the favored format for significant ecosystems such as GNOME, KDE, and elementary. Despite its maturity and being the best option on GNU/Linux today, Flatpak's sandboxing features still fall short compared to proprietary platforms like Android and iOS. Technical limitations persist, particularly in areas like audio output segregation and networking, which are yet to have dedicated Portals.

This investment will address these shortcomings, paving the way for more robust, secure operating systems. Modal, a key partner, emphasizes the significance of a strong app sandboxing story for Free Software OSes to compete with modern mobile platforms. The project, led by Sebastian and Adrian with organizational support from Kateryna and Cade, will see contributions from experienced contractors such as Philip Withnall, Julian Sparber, and Dhanuka Warusadura.

The initiative will ramp up over the coming months and is projected to conclude by the end of 2027. Community engagement is encouraged via Matrix channels, including #flatpak:matrix.org and #xdg-desktop-portals:matrix.org.