On Debian-based distros, when an app is available as a DEB or an AppImage (that doesn’t self-update), but no APT repository, PPA or Flatpak, the only option is to manually download each update, and usually manually check even whether there are updates.

But, what if those would be upgraded at the same time as everything else using the tools you’re familiar with ?

dynapt is a local web server that fetches those DEBs (and AppImages to be wrapped into DEBs) wherever those are, then serves these to APT like any package repository does.

I started building it a few months ago, and after using it to upgrade apps on my computers and servers for some time, I pre-released it for the first time last week.

The stable version will come with a CLI wizard to avoid this manual configuration.

Feedback is welcome :)

  • @[email protected]
    10•13 days ago

    If I’d decide to implement something like this, I’d consider two options: local repo with file:// scheme or custom apt-transport. HTTP server is needless here. (But I’ll never do this because I prefer to rebuild packages myself if there’s no repo for my distro.)

    • @[email protected]OPEnglish
      9•13 days ago

      local repo with file:// scheme

      With that, I couldn’t trigger a download when apt update is ran, I could only do a cron, i.e. a delay, that I do not want.

      custom apt-transport

      I thought about that, but found no documentation on how to do it. If you have any, I’m interested.

      Even just finding documentation on how to generate DEBs and APT repository metadata files was very hard.

        • @[email protected]OP
          5•13 days ago

          In an APT package OMG 😂

          I found an online version though, which I would never have found through my search engine (and on a site that doesn’t even support HTTPS) 😅

          Looks like difficult reading too 😭

          Thanks anyway.

        • @[email protected]OPEnglish
          4•13 days ago

          Yeah, I don’t have the skill for this. I’d be very happy if someone else would make this, but if not then I’m sticking to HTTP.

          • @keturnEnglish
            3•12 days ago

            I went way down the rabbit hole on this one and ended up with a proof of concept that’s probably close enough to be able to wire it up: https://gitlab.com/-/snippets/3745244

            I guess it didn’t end up too much code, but I’m not entirely sure it’s worth it.

            (it’s after 3 AM? oh no what have I done)

            • @[email protected]OP
              1•12 days ago

              Why the OOP structure and syntax ? Sorry but it makes it difficult to read for me even in my own language 😅

              • @keturn
                1•11 days ago

                uh, because TypeScript is an object-oriented language, as are the Deno APIs? I’m not sure I understand the question.

                • @[email protected]OP
                  1•11 days ago

                  It’s more functional than object-oriented and I read the former better than the latter. 😅

      • @keturnEnglish
        1•12 days ago

        differently hacky idea:

        since you do end up with all the packages in a repository on the filesystem, and you just want to have it do this just-in-time updating when the Packages file is accessed…

        what if you list it as a normal file apt source, but you make the Packages file a FIFO?

        it’s a cursed idea but I’m not sure it is any less cursed than the other options we’ve come up with.

        it may or may not help to have systemd.socket manage creating the FIFO and running the service.

        • @[email protected]OP
          1•12 days ago

          What’s a FIFO ?

          I’ve also looked into VFS but found nothing I’d have the skills to implement. 😅