Keep up support of Snap until other Linux installation methods are improved

[buehren]

Summary

I suppose to keep releasing new versions of KeePassXC as Snap - at least until Flatpak supports native messaging and browser integration works.

Also, AppImage should not be the most prominent download option for Linux/Ubuntu IMHO. Otherwise it needs much better instructions (see below).

Context

As a user of Ubuntu (the most used desktop Linux?), I want to install KeePassXC...

• in a secure way
• with automatic updates
• with support for Firefox integration (KeePassXC-Browser) with the default Firefox snap installation

I currently do not see a satisfactory installation method:

• AppImage

  • Making the downloaded file executable is a first obstacle that many users cannot take.
  • When trying to run the AppImage from the file browser, nothing happened.
  • Starting from the command line shows the problem: dlopen(): error loading libfuse.so.2.
  • Can the AppImage easily be added as icon in the Gnome sidebar and to start automatically, for example? (I did not try further this time but I remember that this did not work out of the box the last time I tried. It was also not easy to find how to make this work.)
  • Does the AppImage installation work with KeePassXC-Browser?
  • AppImages do not update automatically as all other applications (at least when I tried last time).
  • In my opinion most users will be lost in this process. As this is the most prominent option in the Linux download page, most Linux/Ubuntu users are sent to this rough path that only few can complete. If I was in search of a password manager, I would look elsewhere now...

• Flatpak

  • As it seems, flatpak does not support native messaging yet https://github.com/flatpak/xdg-desktop-portal/pull/705
  • So KeePassXC cannot be used comfortably with the browser integration (KeePassXC-Browser) with this installation method.
  • Flatpak is also not installed by default on Ubuntu. Maybe a link to installations instructions would help.

• Ubuntu PPA

  • The mentioned usability issues (icon, autostart, updates, Firefox integration) should be fine with this installation method.
  • What is currently holding me back from this: I would like the most secure option for my password manager, and I believe that the containerized installations are best in that regard. (Or not?)

• Snap

  • Installation is a bit rough because of the required helper script, but all other usability issues are fine. Browser integration with the default Firefox snap also works.
  • Unfortunately KeePassXC updates are no longer distributed as snap (or maybe they are with a delay?)

[droidmonkey]

Concur with you that AppImage is garbage, its a fake containerized download, the only redeeming quality is that it doesn't force you to ship every support binary under the sun like Snap and Flatpak do (ie, Qt5).

Your remarks on Flatpak are plain wrong. KeePassXC Flatpak supports browser integration flawlessly. Browsers as flatpak AND snap (except Firefox) do not support native messaging, but that isn't something we can control.

The Firefox snap actually pre-deployed/authorized to use the xdg-desktop-portal to get native messaging to work, there is nothing more to that story than that. Snaps and flatpaks both use the xdg-desktop-portal.

Installing flatpak on Ubuntu is about this easy: sudo apt install flatpak

The snap update for 2.7.9 is in manual review right now waiting for the snap overlords to approve our ability to write the native messaging files directly to the respective directories in the home folder instead of using the helper script. Your love of snaps is misplaced, imo, but you are welcome to try flatpak. You probably should try it before posting false information though.

[buehren]

I like KeePassXC, and I think it is a pity that it is hard to get it working in Ubuntu. That is why I spend some time here and try to provide a user's point of view.

I also understand that there are technical difficulties and of course someone has to spend time working on improvements, so not everything that one wishes for can be done.

Concur with you that AppImage is garbage

I wonder why it is the most prominent installation method in the Linux download page. In my opinion this makes it hard and for many users even impossible to make it run.

Installing flatpak on Ubuntu is about this easy: sudo apt install flatpak

Maybe this should also be mentioned in the installation instructions (or linked to flatpak's instructions).

The snap update for 2.7.9 is in manual review right now waiting for the snap overlords to approve our ability to write the native messaging files directly to the respective directories in the home folder instead of using the helper script.

Good to hear that! Hope that it will be approved. 👍

Is it planned to continue supporting snap? Then I suggest to remove the message on https://snapcraft.io/keepassxc: "NOTE: KeePassXC no longer supports this distribution method."

This and the not-yet-available latest version made me think that it is not supported.

Your love of snaps is misplaced, imo

I do not love it - but as the other options failed as described (for me), and this is the default in the most used Linux distribution, I think it should be supported. (And that seems to be the case 👍, contrary to what is written on https://snapcraft.io/keepassxc )

you are welcome to try flatpak. You probably should try it before posting false information though.

I did, and it did not work. Now I tried again:

In Firefox I get "Cannot connect to KeePassXC", and after clicking the reload button: "Key exchange was not successful". Another click on reload brings KeePassXC window to the foreground (or even starts KeePassXC), but nothing else seems to happen. Removing the connected database from the KeePassXC-Browser add-on, restarting KeePassXC (flatpak) and Firefox (snap) did not help.

The flatpak installation has updated ~/.mozilla/native-messaging-hosts/org.keepassxc.keepassxc_browser.json. But the browser integration settings page shows this text: "Browsers installed as snaps are currently not supported".

Is the KeePassXC Flatpak supposed to work with the default Firefox installation in Ubuntu, i.e., with Firefox installed as Snap? (IMO this default is used by most people whether we like Snap or not.)

[droidmonkey]

It is possible that Firefox installed as a snap does not work with KeePassXC installed as a flatpak. This would have more to do with the firefox snap sandbox restrictions than anything else.

If you are on our website to download KeePassXC, then AppImage is truly the only option. The others are not downloaded from our website, they are installed through command line or store offerings. I have asked the other leads if they are willing to promote Flatpak method over Appimage.

We do not support bug reports against the Snap installation method. Troubleshooting snaps is a huge pain in the butt that consumes literal hours of time. That doesn't mean we won't keep it up to date.