9 Years After Starting, AppStream 1.0 Is Coming For Cross-Distribution Package Metadata

AppStream was started in 2011 as a means of drawing up cross-distribution (XML-based) standards for describing software components/packages metadata and for repositories to describe software collections. Now nearly a decade later, AppStream 1.0 should be coming in the next few months.

Debian developer Matthias Klumpp who has been extensively involved in AppStream and other Linux packaging/installation efforts over the years has provided an update on the AppStream efforts.

Among the AppStream additions in recent times has been a run-time component type added (such as for Flatpak bundles), end-of-life date support for software releases, an agreement section for metainfo files, support for videos in the software screenshots area, and various other additions.

Klumpp shared that the AppStream 1.0 release should be here soon and originally aimed to get it released in February. Releasing next month probably isn't likely but it should be coming soon. Left before the 1.0 milestone is removing the deprecated portions of the specification, dropping deprecated APIs from libappstream, and other items.

More details on the AppStream happenings as we roll into 2020 can be found via Klumpp's blog.