Question about Linux app

[Lavender]

I'm not a software dev, but I'm curious why Calibre for Linux doesn't use an Appimage or Flatpak release. I read the Linux install notes on https://calibre-ebook.com/download_linux, and the question occurred to me. If Calibre is going to use custom copies of its needed dependencies, why not use one of those packaging formats? It seems like the app would be easier for users to update that way. Besides that the only reason I see people dis those packaging formats is that they require the extra space for all their necessary dependencies to run. So if we're going to have the extra footprint, why not have easy updates? Idk.

I am not claiming this is what should be done btw. I'm not a dev, and I don't think I somehow know better. I only switched to Linux in 2024, so please educate me if I'm missing something.

[dunhill]

The best way is to run the installation script described on the official website every time Calibre notifies you of an update:

sudo -v && wget -nv -O- https://download.calibre-ebook.com/linux-installer.sh | sudo sh /dev/stdin

. Use this command in the terminal, and the next time you open the terminal, you won't need to copy it again. Just move the arrow up, and the commands you've used will appear.
If you use this method, you'll have Calibre updated on the same day as the notification. The formats you mentioned often take more than a week to update.

[enuddleyarbl]

There are a couple of issues with running that installation script (at least for me):

First, on an atomic linux distribution (like Bazzite), that version will make changes to system files (I'm guessing that's true, simply because it runs as root). The work-around for that is also included on the website ( https://calibre-ebook.com/download_linux ) and is:

You can also do an "isolated" install that only touches files inside the installation folder and does not need to be run as root, like this:

wget -nv -O- https://download.calibre-ebook.com/linux-installer.sh | sh /dev/stdin install_dir=~/calibre-bin isolated=y

My other issue is the various dependencies:

From the website:

• You must have xdg-utils, wget, xz-utils and Python installed on your system before running the installer.
• If you get an error about Wayland when running calibre from the terminal and calibre does not start, run calibre as QT_QPA_PLATFORM=xcb calibre which will prevent it from using Wayland.
• You need GLIBC 2.34 or higher and libstdc++.so.6.0.30 (from gcc 11.4.0) or higher to run calibre
• If you get an error Could not load the Qt platform plugin xcb you are missing some needed X11-XCB libraries, such as libxcb-cursor0 or libxcb-xinerama0, for details see here.

And, on an atomic distribution, getting those dependencies installed (and for me, even figuring out if I have them installed) will take some finagling. Having a flatpak of Calibre (which includes all its dependencies) gets rid of that issue. So, I'm using the unofficial flatpak from Bazzite's Bazaar (which pulls it from Flathub). I just wish there were an official version.

EDIT 1: I've been contemplating using the isolated install command in a distrobox. I've already got a Debian distrobox running for Signal (same reason -- the Signal flatpak is unofficial). So, I'd just have to work my way through seeing if the dependencies are all in that distrobox, installing them, if necessary, and running that script. But, using a flatpak is a whole lot easier on me.

EDIT 2: Another option might be Homebrew. There appears to be a cask for calibre (EDIT: oops, that cask appears to be just for Mac), but I'm entirely clueless about Homebrew and what it does:

https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/calibre

[un_pogaz]

The reason Calibre does not have an official Appimage or Flatpak is because Calibre embeds itself all its dependencies rather than using a dependency tree, aka Appimage/Flatpak install the say dependcies individualy so that can be updated outside of Calibre.
The advantage of the official method is that it allows Calibre to be much more stable and easier to install on a wide variety of distro. Unfortunately, however, this approach is not very Linux-like, and therefore it not allowed.

The main conter-part is that the official script need to be manualy run at every update, not that much, but it a thing.

Depending of your distro, you can get unoficial package that support auto-update and use the offical script:
Appimage: ivan-hc/Calibre-appimage
Arch Aur: calibre-bin

This two are updated in 24h range.

[Mr_H_Poirot]

I have calibre on Windows and Linux (mint)

The time it takes to go to the website, ctrl-c, open a terminal and ctrl v, enter password, hit enter on Linux is quicker than downloading the install file, double clicking, clicking yes to allow it to make changes, clicking next etc etc on Windows

I mean it's not much of a hassle on Windows either. But the copy and paste script is certainly no harder or longer

[un_pogaz]

Originally Posted by Mr_H_Poirot

I have calibre on Windows and Linux (mint)

The time it takes to go to the website, ctrl-c, open a terminal and ctrl v, enter password, hit enter on Linux is quicker than downloading the install file, double clicking, clicking yes to allow it to make changes, clicking next etc etc on Windows

I mean it's not much of a hassle on Windows either. But the copy and paste script is certainly no harder or longer

That is if you do a manual install. If you do that for a single program from time to time, okay, but for 10, 50, 100 in a row? Better have One single program that do all that work for you.
Here's why you use a Package Manager, like it the great norm on Linux: you just need to do a simple action/click a button and all your programs on the PC is updated without have to go on the webpage, download the installer/manualy run a script for each of them.

Now, here the thing: Package Manager require to download/use a AppImage. And the way of how Calibre work make that none official package can be made, shared and used (or more precisely, any official AppImage will be rejected by the vast majority of Package Manager).

[Mr_H_Poirot]

My point is that it is no worse than the windows option. That doesn't auto update either

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Lavender

I'm not a software dev, but I'm curious why Calibre for Linux doesn't use an Appimage or Flatpak release.

Very many people hate Appimage or Flatpak, though for not quite the same reasons.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by un_pogaz

Now, here the thing: Package Manager require to download/use a AppImage. And the way of how Calibre work make that none official package can be made, shared and used (or more precisely, any official AppImage will be rejected by the vast majority of Package Manager).

No, AppImage is commonly a website download, not something managed by a package manager, like deb or rpm which is in a repository.

[dunhill]

Then your problem lies with your Linux distribution. There are no problems with Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Debian, EndeavourOS, or Manjaro; I can't say for sure about others.