In the world of Linux desktop computing, there exists a foundational "common language" that underpins all interoperability—the XDG specifications, developed and maintained by the freedesktop.org organization. XDG is the critical standard for solving Linux's ecosystem fragmentation and establishing unified resource access protocols. Whether you are an application developer or a distribution maintainer, ensuring your product runs well on a modern Linux desktop necessitates adherence to the XDG standard. It is the key cornerstone enabling the Linux desktop to evolve from "working in silos" to "unified collaboration."
From desktop icons and application menus to system notifications and file dialogs, XDG specifications permeate every facet of the user experience. They enable different distributions and desktop environments to work together seamlessly, fundamentally curbing ecosystem fragmentation. It can be said that any application technology aspiring to integrate into the global mainstream Linux ecosystem must earn the recognition and support of the XDG standard. Recently, XDG has officially incorporated the "Linyaps" application format into its native support framework!
This integration is not merely a technical alignment; it represents formal recognition from the international open-source community for Linyaps' technical roadmap and ecosystem value, signifying that Linyaps is emerging as a major force in the realm of Linux application distribution and sandboxing!
I. Linyaps: From a Chinese Open-Source Project to an International Ecosystem Co-builder
Linyaps is a next-generation, cross-distribution Linux package format initiated by the deepin community and incubated under the OpenAtom Foundation. It aims to solve the long-standing problem of application distribution fragmentation within the Linux ecosystem.
With core tenets of "cross-distribution compatibility, sandbox security, and minimal dependencies," and guided by the technical philosophy of "one architecture, one build," Linyaps breaks down the ecological barriers of traditional package management architectures. For a given architecture, developers need to build their application package only once to ensure it runs across different Linux distributions, significantly reducing development and maintenance costs.
With this update, Linyaps, as the first cross-distribution package format led by a Chinese community, has been formally integrated into the official XDG support system. This marks Linyaps' technical architecture and security model as fully compliant with international standards.
Technically, Linyaps seamlessly reuses XDG's standardized interfaces and mature permission system, natively possessing core security capabilities such as fine-grained authorization, minimum privilege access, and full-process operation tracing. This means Linyaps applications no longer need to rely on traditional "full-disk mount" methods to access user resources. Instead, they follow industry-standard secure interaction protocols, similar to Flatpak, achieving an experience upgrade from "usable" to "both secure and user-friendly."
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For users, this translates to genuine security and control. In the past, containerized applications might require broad access to personal folders, raising privacy concerns. Now, via the XDG standard, every attempt by a Linyaps application to access the camera, contacts, or specific files requires explicit user authorization. The "principle of least privilege" takes effect automatically, making security protection both robust and unobtrusive, allowing even non-technical users to operate with peace of mind.
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For developers, this means significantly lower development costs and inherent compliance assurance. Developers no longer need to duplicate efforts to adapt to the permission systems of different distributions. This not only greatly reduces the development and maintenance burden but also means Linyaps applications are born compliant with Linux desktop security norms, making it easier to gain user trust.
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For the entire Linux desktop ecosystem, this marks a crucial step towards standardization and unification for containerized applications. Linyaps fills the gap in cross-distribution permission management, truly evolving from a "specialty format of deepin" to a "universal choice for all Linux." It encourages different application formats to adhere to the same set of resource access standards, reducing ecosystem fragmentation and making the Linux desktop more consistent and powerful in both security and user experience.
II. Open Collaboration: Building the Next-Generation Application Format Standard Together
XDG's native support for Linyaps is an upstream integration based on technical implementation and community collaboration, and furthermore, formal recognition from the international Linux community for Linyaps' technical direction and ecosystem value.
Currently, Linyaps has achieved native adaptation for over 6,000 commonly used applications and can run on 10+ major distributions including deepin, UOS, Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora. With this official integration into the XDG specification, Linyaps has demonstrated a clear path toward becoming a mainstream Linux application format of the future. This is not just a technical fusion but a critical step for Linyaps towards a standardized distribution model.
We believe that true standards originate from widespread practice and community co-creation. Every step forward for Linyaps is inseparable from the collaboration and contributions of the open-source community. Moving forward, we will continue to work hand-in-hand with global developers, communities, and users to jointly propel the Linux application ecosystem towards a more open, interconnected, and user-friendly future. We welcome you to join the Linyaps ecosystem co-construction effort and help define the next generation of Linux application standards!
About Linyaps: https://linyaps.org.cn/en