Bazaar App Visibility and Filtering#

Overview#

Bazaar's visible app catalog is controlled by two complementary YAML files shipped in projectbluefin/common under /etc/bazaar/:

These paths are declared in bazaar.yaml as yaml-blocklist-paths and curated-config-paths respectively.

Tier 1: blocklist.yaml#

blocklist.yaml enumerates app IDs that Bazaar will never show or allow to install. The current blocklist covers:

• Terminal-based editors: com.visualstudio.code-oss, com.vscodium.codium-insiders, io.neovim.nvim, org.vim.Vim, io.github.zyedidia.micro, com.helix_editor.Helix, org.gnu.emacs
• System tools already handled elsewhere: app.devsuite.Ptyxis, org.freedesktop.fwupd
• The Bazaar app itself: io.github.kolunmi.Bazaar

Note: The Flatpak versions of VS Code (com.visualstudio.code) and VSCodium (com.vscodium.codium) are not in the blocklist — they are handled by the hook system instead (see below).

Tier 2: curated.yaml#

curated.yaml defines the entire curated storefront — sectioned rows with custom CSS, banner images, and explicit appids lists. Sections currently include 1:

Each section specifies separate light-banner / dark-banner images and custom CSS class names for theming. To feature a new app, add its Flathub app ID to the appropriate section's appids list and verify it is not present in blocklist.yaml 2.

Before-Transaction Hooks#

Two before-transaction hooks are declared in bazaar.yaml and executed via hooks.py 3 at /run/host/etc/bazaar/hooks.py. These intercept install transactions before they complete, show a dialog, and either deny the Flatpak install or launch an alternative installer.

Hook: jetbrains-toolbox#

Triggers on: any com.jetbrains.* app ID, plus com.google.AndroidStudio 4

Dialog: "JetBrains IDEs are not supported in this format" — offers Cancel or Download JetBrains Toolbox 5

Outcome:

• If user clicks "Download JetBrains Toolbox" → runs ujust install-jetbrains-toolbox via flatpak-spawn --host 6
• Regardless of user choice, the Flatpak install is always denied (teardown returns deny) 7

Hook: code#

Triggers on: com.visualstudio.code and com.vscodium.codium 8

Dialog: "VS Code like IDEs are not supported in this format" — offers Cancel or Download from Homebrew 9

Outcome:

• If user clicks "Download from Homebrew":
  • com.vscodium.codium → installs ublue-os/tap/vscodium-linux via Homebrew 10
  • com.visualstudio.code → installs ublue-os/tap/visual-studio-code-linux via Homebrew 11
• Flatpak install is always denied 12

Hook Execution Flow#

User clicks Install in Bazaar
        │
        ▼
  before-transaction hook fires
        │
        ├─ setup: does this appid match? → pass (skip) or ok (proceed)
        ├─ setup-dialog: show warning dialog
        ├─ teardown-dialog: user chose action or cancel
        ├─ action: spawn alternative installer (detached)
        └─ teardown: return 'deny' → Flatpak install blocked

Both scripts share the same logic. /usr/libexec/bazaar-hook is the system-installed copy; hooks.py is the etc-side copy invoked by Bazaar as exec python3 /run/host/etc/bazaar/hooks.py 13. The alternative installer is spawned as a detached process via flatpak-spawn --host so it escapes the Flatpak sandbox 14.

Key Files#

This system was introduced in PR #254 ("Hooks for bazaar"), which added the before-transaction hook infrastructure and VS Code/JetBrains redirect logic.

Contributing#

To add an app to a curated section, follow the contributing guide 15: add the Flathub app ID to the desired section in curated.yaml and confirm it is absent from blocklist.yaml. Blocked apps should never be added to curated sections 2.

For upstream Bazaar hook documentation, see the Bazaar hooks overview.