What are distro-specific app, flatpak, snap, and appimage?

In the Linux world, there are distro-specific apps, flatpaks, snaps, and appimages.  A particular application may be built in any of these forms.

Distro-Specific Apps

• They are applications packaged in formats tied to a specific Linux distribution, for example, .deb for Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Min, and .rpm for Fedora, openSUSE, Red Hat

• Pros:

  • Seamless integration with the distro’s package manager.

  • Optimized for that system’s libraries and standards.

• Cons:

  • Not portable across distros.

  • Developers must maintain multiple packages for different distros.

Flatpak

• A universal packaging system that runs apps in a sandboxed  environment.

• Key Features:

  • Uses runtimes (shared libraries) to reduce duplication.

  • Strong sandboxing for security.

  • Managed via flatpak command and Flathub repository.

• Pros: Works across most Linux distros, good security isolation.

• Cons: Larger disk usage, slower startup compared to native package

Snap

• Developed by Canonical (Ubuntu’s parent company).

• Key Features:

  • Self-contained packages with all dependencies.

  • Automatic updates via Snap Store.

  • Runs in a sandbox with confinement levels.

• Pros:  Works across most Linux distros, Easy updates, wide adoption in Ubuntu ecosystem.

• Cons: Slower startup, centralized control (Snap Store), less popular outside Ubuntu

AppImage

• Portable application format — just download and run the file.

• Key Features:

  • Single executable file containing the app and dependencies.

  • No installation required; works like a portable app on Windows.

• Pros: Extremely simple, lightweight, no root access needed. Works across most Linux distros,

• Cons: No built-in update mechanism (unless developer adds it), weaker sandboxing.

Which type of application to use?

• Use distro-specific packages if you want tight integration with your Linux distribution.

• Use Flatpak for cross-distro desktop apps with good sandboxing.

• Use Snap if you’re in the Ubuntu ecosystem and want automatic updates.

• Use AppImage for portable, no-install apps you can run anywhere.

Personal experience:

I found that distro-specific packages are easy to install but are prone to have bugs particularly after system updates. So I have used many flatpak applications, for example Smplayer, and Celluloid flatpaks.

For Acestream Player, I can only install  its snap form for viewing acestream videos.