Feature Idea: linux-app should use ~/.config for anything that needs write access

[GeopJr]

Summary

linux-app should use $XDG_CONFIG_HOME and $HOME/.config to save everything that requires write access.

How important this is to me and why

Importance: High

Use cases:

1. Distribute as a package
2. Per-user config and database

Additional context/similar features

I've spent some time working on packaging focalboard into the following formats: rpm, deb, flatpak
While everything is going as planned there's a major issue; apps don't have write access to their installed location by default (in focalboard's case, /opt/focalboard-app).

While there might be workarounds, the best practice would be to move anything that requires write access to .config (dbconfig & filespath (?)). Doing so will also allow each user to have their own .db as well as ease backups and restores.

From a look at the source, it seems that config.json is being ignored (for the app at least).

Here's some solutions I came up with:

• Use the values from the config.json in combination with the hardcoded ones.
• Use cli flags or env vars to override them
• Change the hardcoded value to use ~/.config

// linux/main.go
...
func runServer(port int) (*server.Server, error) {
	logger, _ := mlog.NewLogger()
+	configFolder := os.Getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME")
+	if len(configFolder) == 0 {
+		configFolder = os.Getenv("HOME") + "/.config"
+	}

+	configFolder = configFolder + "/focalboard-app"

+	if _, err := os.Stat(configFolder); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		_ = os.Mkdir(configFolder, 0755)
+	}

	config := &config.Configuration{
		ServerRoot:              fmt.Sprintf("http://localhost:%d", port),
		Port:                    port,
		DBType:                  "sqlite3",
+		DBConfigString:          configFolder + "/focalboard.db",
		UseSSL:                  false,
		SecureCookie:            true,
		WebPath:                 "./pack",
		FilesDriver:             "local",
+		FilesPath:               configFolder + "/focalboard_files",
		Telemetry:               true,
		WebhookUpdate:           []string{},
		SessionExpireTime:       259200000000,
		SessionRefreshTime:      18000,
		LocalOnly:               false,
		EnableLocalMode:         false,
		LocalModeSocketLocation: "",
		AuthMode:                "native",
	}
...

Some notes on them:

• The third one could be used with [GH-314] Persist user settings in native Linux app #1018 which would handle the creation of the config folder
• Feature Idea: Add --config flag and environment variable to set the config file #1256 (for linux-app) would also be useful for per-user configuration (plus wouldn't require root to edit it)
• The third solution would unfortunately break existing installations as the hardcoded path would change
• Both the first and second solutions are easy to use with the packages

After a solution to this is found, I'll be able to continue working on packaging focalboard in more formats (rpm, deb, flatpak, appimage, snap).

[CodeCubeNeo]

I strongly agree, any updates on this? My main point also being to distribute this app as a flatpak!

[skewballfox]

while I mostly agree, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME (i.e. ~/.config) is for configuration files whereas $XDG_DATA_HOME (i.e. ~/.local/share) is where applications store state.

Though there are applications that ignore this and use config home for both, (vscode and obsidian come to mind). I'd definitely appreciate following spec though.

here's the relevant spec if you want more info