The Software Manager app in Linux Mint 22 will deliver faster start-up times and introduce a significant security safeguard for search results.
As you may know (and if you don’t, what’s living on Mars like? ;P), the Linux Mint Software Manager (package name mintinstall) allows users to install DEB packages from the Ubuntu/Linux Mint repositories as well as Flatpak apps from Flathub.
However, not all apps on Flathub are verified.
So, Software Manager will now show verified Flatpaks only. Unverified Flatpaks will not appear in any search results.
Now, a lack of verification isn’t necessarily a major red flag. Many unverified apps on Flathub (and other stores) come from trustworthy packagers and community efforts. But as we’ve seen on others stores, big-name software lacking verification can be iffy.
With this in mind, it’s understandable that Linux Mint is choosing to err on the side of caution and hide unverified Flatpak apps entirely from view.
