Spaced Update

The update application for Spaced Linux.

Spaced Update updates Spaced Linux systems through APT and Flathub in a single, simple GTK interface. Package and Flatpak operations run as root via pkexec against a small helper script, with a live progress and log view.

What it does today

• Check for Updates lists every available APT package and Flatpak application update with a checkbox for each, plus a Select all toggle.
• Install Selected applies only the packages/apps you check, using the helper's apt-install and flatpak-update subcommands with per-step progress. (The default helper run still does a full dist-upgrade + system Flatpak + boot menu + initramfs refresh.)
• Shows a clear overall progress bar and named update stages. The real command output remains available in a collapsed, scrollable Technical details panel when it is useful, without taking over the normal experience.
• Uses one adaptive, theme-aware interface for both light and dark Spaced Linux themes, with readable update cards and full-size action targets.
• Runs the privileged steps through the Polkit action com.spacedlinux.update so the helper is policy-controlled.

Full OS update

The OS Update tab checks the crhy/spaced release feed for the newest Spaced Linux version and compares it against the installed /etc/os-release version. Spaced Linux is a rolling release, so OS updates are applied from the package repositories via the existing update helper — no ISO download is needed. The tab simply tells you whether your system is current and routes the actual update through the normal dist-upgrade path, with a reboot recommendation when done.

Layout

bin/spaced-update                # launcher: runs the GTK app
src/spaced-update.py             # GTK3 UI and worker
src/spaced-update-helper         # privileged bash helper (pkexec)
data/spaced-update.desktop       # desktop entry
data/com.spacedlinux.update.policy  # Polkit policy for the helper

How it is installed on Spaced Linux

• src/spaced-update.py -> /usr/lib/spaced-linux/spaced-update.py
• src/spaced-update-helper -> /usr/lib/spaced-linux/spaced-update-helper
• bin/spaced-update -> /usr/local/bin/spaced-update
• data/spaced-update.desktop -> /usr/share/applications/spaced-update.desktop
• data/com.spacedlinux.update.policy -> /usr/share/polkit-1/actions/com.spacedlinux.update.policy

Flatpak release

Spaced Update is also published as a Flatpak (org.spacedlinux.SpacedUpdate) as an alternate UI package for Spaced Linux systems. Inside the sandbox, APT, Flatpak, and the pkexec helper are reached through flatpak-spawn --host, so the interface behaves exactly like the system app; privileged work still runs through the host's Polkit policy. The host must therefore carry Spaced Linux's spaced-update-helper and Polkit action; the Flatpak is not a generic updater for unrelated distributions.

• Build: bash flatpak/build.sh — produces a static OSTree repository in flatpak-build/repo and an updateable release bundle (supported GNOME runtime plus bundled Spaced themes so the app matches the desktop on any host).
• Publish: bash flatpak/publish.sh — pushes the repository to the gh-pages branch for serving at https://crhy.github.io/spacedupdate/flatpak-repo.
• Install from the signed Spaced GitHub remote:

  flatpak --user remote-add --if-not-exists spaced-github \
      https://crhy.github.io/spacedbazaar/spaced-github.flatpakrepo
  flatpak --user install spaced-github org.spacedlinux.SpacedUpdate
  flatpak run org.spacedlinux.SpacedUpdate
  

  The central publication job verifies the GitHub release bundle and exports its AppStream metadata and icon into the GPG-signed repository.

On Spaced Linux, the native package remains the primary install; the Flatpak is the alternate application-delivery path.

Development checks

Run the deterministic source tests and syntax checks on a Spaced Linux host:

python3 -m unittest discover -s tests -v
python3 -m py_compile src/spaced-update.py tests/test_spaced_update.py
bash -n src/spaced-update-helper install.sh flatpak/build.sh flatpak/publish.sh

Roadmap

Planned features are tracked as GitHub issues. See the issue tracker and the current triage notes for:

• Full integration with Spaced Linux OS updates.
• Peer-to-peer updating and Flatpak distribution.
• Further refinements to the graphical install progress experience.
• Anonymity and privacy protection for shared data.
• Password-protected anonymous file sharing.
• A browsable, rating-driven theme browser.
• App suggestions, ratings, reviews, and metrics as a Bazaar alternative.

License

MIT — see LICENSE.