Bug 500695

Summary:	Task Manager: Disambiguate same app installed from different sources
Product:	[Plasma] plasmashell	Reporter:	Fernando M. Muniz <fernandommuniz>
Component:	Task Manager and Icons-Only Task Manager widgets	Assignee:	Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs-null>
Status:	CONFIRMED ---
Severity:	wishlist	CC:	dajomu1, ilikefoss, kde, kdedev, nate, plasma-bugs-null, qydwhotmail
Priority:	NOR	Keywords:	usability
Version First Reported In:	6.3.1
Target Milestone:	1.0
Platform:	Arch Linux
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Bug Depends on:
Bug Blocks:	499065

Description Fernando M. Muniz 2025-02-24 21:22:50 UTC

1- Run:
sudo pacman -S firefox ; flatpak install flathub org.mozilla.firefox

2- Search for "Firefox" on the Application Menu's searchbar
3- Bookmark/pin/create a desktop shortcut of both Firefox(es).

Result:
There's no easy distinction between these two versions when looking at it from Application Menu, the panel, or Desktop.

Comment 1 John 2025-02-25 12:37:05 UTC

I can confirm it!
And I will add that it's the same for all programs.
As a Debian user that I prefer and install most of the programs from Debian's repository through Apt package manager, it happens from time to time that I need to install some package from Flathub's repository through flatpak package manager.
Sometimes even the same program that I have installed through Apt because the version in Debian's repository is too old for what I need or want.
Sometimes because there are problems.
I too wish that there was some visual distinction, at least.
A small emblem / icon in the corner of the icon of the programs would be nice!
Some text in the tooltip about which version is that that I hover would be nice too!
and I would want that for AppImage files too, if they are part of the start menu.

Comment 2 Nate Graham 2025-02-25 15:57:11 UTC

Let's use this bug report for the Task Manager widgets.

As long as both have the same AppStream ID, we can teach the widgets that they're the same app and disambiguate them somehow.

Comment 3 dajomu 2025-10-02 11:07:09 UTC

I read that it is up to the distribution what is contained in the desktop files. 

Suggestion; KDE developers could add a feature to display origin/source info in the launcher, even if the Name= is the same. For example:

Detect that one app came from /var/lib/flatpak and label it “Flatpak”.
/var/lib/snapd label with "Snap"
/usr/share/applications/ label with "Deb" or system

Allow users to enable a “show version/source” mode in Kickoff/KRunner or as a tooltip when hoover over with the mouse.