Flock is a team communication utility for Home windows, Mac, Linux, and cell platforms. It’s very comparable to loads of different collaborative chat instruments on the market in the present day, akin to Slack, HipChat, Rocketchat, Mattermost, and others. It claims to be a less expensive different to Slack whereas providing up aggressive options.
Just lately, the Flock desktop utility has hit beta for Linux, by way of the Snap retailer. For those who’re a Linux fan and rely on Flock to talk along with your coworkers, right here’s how to get it working.
Snap package deal set up
For those who’re attempting to get Flock put in on Linux, the builders solely present a Snap package deal. The rationale for going with Snap, reasonably than coping with Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch Linux, OpenSUSE and the myriad of different Linux working methods is comprehensible. Nevertheless, it does restrict the viewers of Flock to solely Linux customers which have entry to the Snapd runtime.
Snapd is supported out of the field by Ubuntu Linux. Additionally, it’s doable to arrange the runtime on Arch Linux, Fedora, OpenSUSE, Gentoo Linux, Linux Mint, and lots of others. For extra data on how to allow the Snapd runtime service on your Linux PC, head over to our official information on the topic. It’s very in-depth and can stroll you thru how to install the obligatory packages, how to install packages from it and replace with it too.
When you’ve gotten the Snapd background service up and working on your Linux working system, set up of Flock can start by opening up a terminal window. With the terminal window open, run the snap install command to load the program up on your system.
sudo snap install flock-chat
One other manner to install the Flock chat utility by way of Snap is with the Snap retailer. To do that, guarantee the Ubuntu Snap App Retailer is put in on your Linux PC. Then, head over to the Flock page on Snapcraft, and click on the inexperienced “Install” button to reveal set up directions, and click on the “View in Desktop store” button.
After clicking the “View in Desktop store” button, the Snap App Retailer will launch. From there, click on the “Install” button, and enter your password to get Flock.
Alternative routes to use Flock on Linux
Although the Snap launch of the Flock team chat is the manner the builders plan to get Linux customers to use their utility, it isn’t the solely manner to use it. On this part of the information, we’ll go over a couple of unofficial methods to get Flock working on the Linux desktop.
Chrome app set up
The Flock chat app can come as a Google Chrome extension. This technique of set up is ideal for Linux customers unable to install Snap packages (due to lack of help, or dislike of Snaps).
Organising the Flock Chrome extension begins by putting in the Google Chrome internet browser. To do that, head over to Google.com/chrome, and obtain the set up package deal for Chrome (RPM or DEB).
As soon as the package deal file is finished downloading, double-click on the package deal file, and it’ll open in the package deal installer on your Linux PC. From there, undergo the course of of putting in Chrome. Or, if Chrome isn’t supported on your Linux OS, comply with our information to learn the way to arrange Chromium as an alternative, as it may additionally use the Flock extension.
With Chrome (or Chromium) put in on your Linux PC, launch it. Then, when it’s open and prepared to go, click on here to go to the Flock extension web page on the Chrome internet retailer, and click on the “Install” button.
After putting in the Flock extension to Chrome or Chromium, you’ll see a inexperienced chat icon. Click on it to load the Flock team chat in the browser immediately.
Net app set up
For those who don’t need to use the Chrome extension, however nonetheless desire a desktop utility for Flock like the Snap launch, an online app is the finest manner to go about it. To create a brand new internet app, begin by putting in the Nativefier utility by following this information right here.
After putting in Nativefier, obtain the Flock app brand utilizing wget.
wget -O icon.png
Transfer the file into the “/tmp” folder with the CD command.
cd /tmp
Create a brand new construct folder for the app utilizing mkdir.
mkdir -p flock-build
Transfer the icon file into the construct folder.
mv ~/icon.png /tmp/flock-build
Utilizing the Nativefier utility, run a construct of the Flock chat web page.
nativefier -p linux -a x64 -i /tmp/flock-build/icon.png --disable-context-menu --disable-dev-tools --single-instance
Rename the construct folder utilizing the mv command.
mv /tmp/flock-build/flock-linux-x64/ /tmp/flock-build/flock/
Make a brand new desktop icon for Flock utilizing contact and echo.
sudo -s contact /usr/share/purposes/flock.desktop
echo '[Desktop Entry] Remark[en_US]=Flock team collaboration app. Remark= Exec=/choose/flock/flock GenericName[en_US]=Flock team collaboration app. GenericName=Flock Icon=/choose/flock/sources/app/icon.png MimeType= Identify[en_US]=Flock Identify=Flock NoDisplay=false Path= Classes=Community StartupNotify=true Terminal=false TerminalOptions= Kind=Software' > /usr/share/purposes/flock.desktop
Place the internet app recordsdata in the “/opt” listing utilizing mv.
cd /tmp/flock-build/ mv flock /choose
Replace the permissions of each the shortcut file and the Flock folder in “/opt.”
chmod +x /usr/share/purposes/flock.desktop chmod 777 -R /choose/flock
With the permissions up to date, the new Flock internet app could be run by launching the shortcut in “Internet” in the app menu.
