Google tests Flatpak packaging for Chrome and Chromium on Linux

Google has begun experimenting with Flatpak packaging for the Chrome and Chromium browsers on Linux. This experimental infrastructure was integrated into the Chromium repository by developer Tom Anderson to test more restrictive sandboxing configurations and expand integration with XDG portals.

While the code is present in the main development tree, Google has clarified that this is a testing phase and does not constitute a commitment to official support. The new build process includes a specific argument, ‘enable_flatpak’, which is disabled by default to avoid affecting standard builds. When activated, the process bypasses certain system integrations, such as desktop files, symlinks in /usr/bin, and AppArmor profiles, to focus on the Flatpak environment.

The experiment includes logic for mapping specific App IDs: ‘org.chromium.Chromium’ for the open-source project and ‘com.google.Chrome’ for the Google Chrome browser. If successful, this approach could simplify installation across various Linux distributions that fall outside the traditional Debian or RPM-based ecosystems.