#what is org.gnome.Platform + why the frequent 750+MB updates to it + why no changelog?

5 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

blissful slate
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I'm looking at the Update Manager (I'm using Linux Mint 22 now, but I've seen this in all earlier versions I tried) and I see straightforward things, like an update to Timeshift, which is 807kB, and also the notes to what have been changed.
But every time I check the Update Manager I also see org.gnome.Platform that downloads 750+MB of data with no information on what it is (a Flatpack runtime package) and what the specific changes are. Things not always stop after allowing it to update, as sometimes I get some more updates coming through afterwards specific to my cpu architecture, like org.gnome.Platform.Compat.i386.

What is that thing for, why can't I see the changelog, and isn't there a more efficient way to update the underlying parts instead of having to re-download everything every time?

I already added this to the blacklist in the update manager so that it doesn't get updated daily, but I'm curious to know a bit more about it.

Kepernyokep_2024-12-08_15-36-26.png
glass fern
#

More or less simply speaking it's a blob of dependencies (runtime) that is used by flatpak apps \ programs that rely on gnome. Although it might say 750+mb per update, usually it only downloads changed parts.

I don't really know why update manager does them in "stages", but you can update all flatpaks (apps and runtimes) at once by using

flatpak update

from the terminal

past vault
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you can also replace that flatpak program with a native system package (the one relying on the whole huge gnome runtime) if it exists as such.

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you can also not have Update Manager update flatpaks using its settings.

spark nacelle