docs: expand Flatpak install guide for end users

Add prerequisites, launch, update, uninstall, and Flatpak-specific
troubleshooting so the README is usable without build.md.
This commit is contained in:
Sebastian Palencsar
2026-06-23 12:00:00 +02:00
parent 7d2ed1166d
commit 7b3fe9bf32

View File

@@ -37,16 +37,56 @@ Three sensible paths right now:
### Option A: Flatpak (Recommended)
For security (sandboxing) and ease of updates, we recommend installing BearWave from our independent, GPG-signed repository. This is also the ideal path for immutable distributions (like Fedora Silverblue or SteamOS):
For security (sandboxing) and ease of updates, we recommend installing BearWave from our independent, GPG-signed repository. This is also the ideal path for immutable distributions (like Fedora Silverblue or SteamOS) and on non-Arch distributions (e.g. Fedora with Plasma, Deepin with DDE).
**Prerequisite:** [Flatpak](https://flatpak.org/setup/) must be installed on your system. On many distributions it is already present; otherwise install it from your package manager first.
**Install:**
```bash
# Add the BearWave repository
# Add the BearWave repository (GPG-signed)
flatpak remote-add --user bearwave-repo https://flatpak.bearwave.app/bearwave.flatpakrepo
# Install the application
# Install the application (first run also pulls the KDE Platform 6.10 runtime)
flatpak install --user bearwave-repo de.nerdbear.bearwave
```
Confirm the prompts when Flatpak asks to install the runtime and app.
**Launch:**
```bash
flatpak run de.nerdbear.bearwave
```
After installation, BearWave should also appear in your application menu as `BearWave`.
**Update:**
```bash
flatpak update de.nerdbear.bearwave
```
**Uninstall:**
```bash
flatpak uninstall de.nerdbear.bearwave
# optional: remove the remote if you no longer need it
flatpak remote-delete bearwave-repo
```
**Notes:**
- BearWave is a single-instance app. Starting it again while it is already running raises the existing window instead of opening a second copy.
- Desktop integration is best on KDE Plasma. On other desktops (e.g. DDE), the app runs via Flatpak but keeps its KDE-first look and does not adopt native desktop styling.
- If the UI behaves oddly right after an update, clear the Flatpak QML cache and restart:
```bash
rm -rf ~/.var/app/de.nerdbear.bearwave/cache/BearWave/BearWave/qmlcache
killall bearwave
flatpak run de.nerdbear.bearwave
```
### Option B: Arch Linux (AUR)
BearWave is available in the Arch User Repository as `bearwave-git`.
@@ -175,15 +215,15 @@ If the system language is German, BearWave appears in German. Otherwise it falls
BearWave should currently be understood as:
- officially documented for source builds
- most naturally aligned with Arch Linux packaging
- likely portable to other Linux distributions with Qt 6 / KF6 / QtMultimedia packages available
- not yet positioned as a broadly packaged consumer desktop app
- officially documented for Flatpak, source builds, and Arch Linux (AUR)
- most naturally aligned with Arch Linux + KDE Plasma for development and source installs
- broadly usable on other distributions via Flatpak, with KDE-first desktop integration
- not yet positioned as a broadly packaged consumer desktop app beyond the Flatpak repository
If you want the least surprising path today, use either:
- a local source build
- the included Arch `PKGBUILD`
- **Flatpak** on Fedora, immutable distros, or non-Arch systems
- a local source build or the included Arch `PKGBUILD` on Arch Linux
## Dependencies
@@ -312,7 +352,20 @@ rm -f "$HOME/.config/autostart/de.nerdbear.bearwave.desktop"
## Troubleshooting
### No audio playback
### Flatpak install or update fails
- verify Flatpak is installed: `flatpak --version`
- if the remote already exists: `flatpak remote-modify --user bearwave-repo --url=https://flatpak.bearwave.app/bearwave.flatpakrepo`
- check installed build: `flatpak info de.nerdbear.bearwave`
- signature errors usually mean the repository on the server is out of date; retry later or report an issue
### Flatpak: no audio playback
- ensure PulseAudio or PipeWire with PulseAudio compatibility is running (the Flatpak uses `--socket=pulseaudio`)
- test another station URL because some streams go offline
- confirm you are running the Flatpak build, not a leftover source/AUR binary: `which bearwave` vs `flatpak run de.nerdbear.bearwave`
### No audio playback (source / AUR build)
- ensure `qt6-multimedia` and a backend like `qt6-multimedia-ffmpeg` or `gst-plugins-good` are installed
- test another station URL because some streams go offline