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Flatpak fix: add browser detection and launch support#1587

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brianmcgillion merged 1 commit intotiiuae:mainfrom
jkuro-tii:flatpak_browser_fix
Dec 11, 2025
Merged

Flatpak fix: add browser detection and launch support#1587
brianmcgillion merged 1 commit intotiiuae:mainfrom
jkuro-tii:flatpak_browser_fix

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@jkuro-tii
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@jkuro-tii jkuro-tii commented Nov 25, 2025 •
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  • Implement browser detection (Flatpak + local)
  • Add clear error pop-up when no browser is installed
  • Support browser selection (Chrome, Chromium, etc.)
  • Fix unclear errors in Flatpak applications like Spotify when opening web pages

Applications now either successfully launch browsers or show helpful error messages instead of failing silently.

Description of Changes

Type of Change

  • New Feature
  • Bug Fix
  • Improvement / Refactor

Related Issues / Tickets

Checklist

  • Clear summary in PR description
  • Detailed and meaningful commit message(s)
  • Commits are logically organized and squashed if appropriate
  • Contribution guidelines followed
  • Ghaf documentation updated with the commit - https://tiiuae.github.io/ghaf/
  • Author has run make-checks and it passes
  • All automatic GitHub Action checks pass - see actions
  • Author has added reviewers and removed PR draft status

Testing Instructions

Applicable Targets

  • Orin AGX aarch64
  • Orin NX aarch64
  • Lenovo X1 x86_64
  • Dell Latitude x86_64
  • System 76 x86_64

Installation Method

  • Requires full re-installation
  • Can be updated with nixos-rebuild ... switch
  • Other:

Test Steps To Verify:

  1. Do a clean install.
  2. Install Spotify via Flatpak and try to log in.
    Expect “Browser error” window.
  3. Install Google Chrome.
  4. Start Spotify and try logging in.
    Chrome should open and login should work.
  5. Remove Chrome.
  6. Start Spotify again.
    “Browser error” should return.
  7. Install Chromium.
  8. Start Spotify and try logging in.
    Chromium should open and login should work.

enesoztrk
enesoztrk suggested changes Nov 25, 2025
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@vunnyso vunnyso requested a review from nesteroff November 25, 2025 11:49
@jkuro-tii jkuro-tii requested review from kajusnau and mbssrc November 26, 2025 11:04
kajusnau
kajusnau reviewed Nov 26, 2025
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Some readability/usability comments.
Looks good overall, hopefully testing confirms functionality. Nice work!

@brianmcgillion
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brianmcgillion commented Nov 26, 2025

Should we first try an xdg handler to untrusted browser VM. If that fails, then warn to install a flatpak browser?

@jkuro-tii
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jkuro-tii commented Nov 26, 2025

In the case of Spotify, we cannot use a browser from another VM, due to the way its login flow works:
the app opens the login page in a browser, starts a local TCP listener (e.g., port 4123), and waits for the callback.
After authentication, the browser redirects to http://localhost:4123/
to deliver encrypted login data, which makes onboarding a browser from chrome-vm infeasible.

An option is installing a local browser, which would be run in normal way, out of Flakpak environment.

nesteroff
nesteroff reviewed Nov 26, 2025
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nesteroff
nesteroff reviewed Nov 26, 2025
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enesoztrk
enesoztrk reviewed Nov 27, 2025
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@Bitumiju
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Bitumiju commented Dec 1, 2025

https://jira.tii.ae/browse/SSRCSP-7638

@jkuro-tii jkuro-tii force-pushed the flatpak_browser_fix branch from 5b19a4f to cce26b5 Compare December 8, 2025 10:54
@jkuro-tii
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jkuro-tii commented Dec 8, 2025

Summary of changes:

  • Flatpak browser is started locally if found - the admin-vm is not no longer involved
  • If the browser has not been found - a dialog window (yad) shows the options of exiting, or continuing with the default (chrome-vm) browser

kajusnau
kajusnau reviewed Dec 9, 2025
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@jkuro-tii jkuro-tii force-pushed the flatpak_browser_fix branch from cce26b5 to 77a808a Compare December 9, 2025 12:32
nesteroff
nesteroff reviewed Dec 9, 2025
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enesoztrk
enesoztrk reviewed Dec 10, 2025
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@jkuro-tii
fix(flatpak): Add browser detection and launch support
e550262 
- Implement browser detection (Flatpak + local)
- Add clear error pop-up when no browser is installed
- Support browser selection (Chrome, Chromium, etc.)
- Fix unclear errors in Flatpak applications like Spotify when opening web pages

Applications now either successfully launch browsers or show helpful error messages instead of failing silently.

Signed-off-by: jkuro-tii <jaroslaw.kurowski@tii.ae>
@enesoztrk enesoztrk added the Needs Testing CI Team to pre-verify label Dec 11, 2025
@milva-unikie
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milva-unikie commented Dec 11, 2025

Tested on Darter Pro (new installation)

Instructions said that a rebuild works, but also asked to do a clean installation. I installed a new image to be safe.

All good.

  • Tested Spotify login with Firefox, Chrome and Chromium, works with all
  • If no browser is installed to flatpak-vm
    • The user is asked to install a browser
    • The user can also select to use the chrome-vm browser

Notes

  • Slack login is not working. This can be fixed later, without this PR none of the logins work.

@milva-unikie milva-unikie added Tested on System76 and removed Needs Testing CI Team to pre-verify labels Dec 11, 2025
@brianmcgillion brianmcgillion merged commit eb17dbf into tiiuae:main Dec 11, 2025
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@brianmcgillion brianmcgillion brianmcgillion approved these changes

@kajusnau kajusnau kajusnau approved these changes

@vunnyso vunnyso Awaiting requested review from vunnyso

@vadika vadika Awaiting requested review from vadika

@mbssrc mbssrc Awaiting requested review from mbssrc

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@nesteroff nesteroff nesteroff approved these changes

@enesoztrk enesoztrk enesoztrk approved these changes

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@jkuro-tii @brianmcgillion @Bitumiju @milva-unikie @nesteroff @enesoztrk @kajusnau