Proposal: Integrate WinBoat by default into Aurora for seamless Windows apps via Podman/KVM to bridge the "app availability gap" (Adobe/Autodesk)

Contributing
1

Hi everyone,

As an Aurora user, I highly value its proposition as a “cloud-native workstation” that prioritizes reliability and developer experience (DX), providing an immutable and stable KDE-based desktop that serves as a perfect entry point for those coming from Windows.

However, even within a development or engineering workflow, there is a recurring barrier: the need for professional software that lacks native Linux support and doesn’t perform optimally under Wine/Proton. For creative and engineering professionals, this is a critical hurdle, as they are often required to use specific software for work that simply won’t run via standard compatibility layers.

To strengthen Aurora’s vision as a complete, “batteries-included” workstation, I propose the official integration or support for WinBoat.

What is WinBoat and how does it fit into Aurora?

WinBoat is a modern orchestration tool that leverages Podman and KVM to deploy an optimized and isolated Windows instance. Its standout feature is the use of RemoteApp (FreeRDP 3): Windows applications run in the background but appear as individual, native windows on the Aurora desktop, integrating perfectly with the KDE Plasma window manager (KWin).

Alignment with Aurora’s Architecture:

  • Cloud-Native: WinBoat natively uses Podman to manage the Windows instance. This aligns perfectly with Aurora’s architecture, avoiding unnecessary RPM layering and keeping the base system clean and immutable.

  • Enhanced UX: Following the “it just works” philosophy, WinBoat automates official ISO downloads, silent installations, and network configuration. This complements the user-friendly approach Aurora inherits from Bluefin.

  • Isolation & Reliability: By running software within a container-managed VM, the host system’s integrity remains untouched—a core pillar of Aurora’s robustness.

Support for Complex Workflows:

For Aurora’s target audience (developers and power users), performance is key. WinBoat facilitates:

  • Seamless File System Integration: It automatically mounts the user’s $HOME, allowing Windows apps to work directly with local files in Aurora.

  • Acceleration Potential: Since it’s based on KVM/QEMU, it opens the door to GPU Passthrough configurations or optimized virtual drivers, which are vital for hardware-accelerated software.

Technical Implementation Proposal:

Since Aurora already features a robust ecosystem of just commands, I propose:

  1. A just recipe: Creating a command (e.g., just setup-winboat) to verify KVM compatibility, install FreeRDP 3 (available in Fedora repos), and fetch the WinBoat binary/AppImage.

  2. Dependency Configuration: Ensuring Aurora images include the necessary dependencies for RemoteApp to work out of the box.

  3. Visibility in the Welcome Menu: Adding WinBoat as a recommended option in the “Compatibility Tools” section for new users.

  4. Documentation: Including WinBoat in the “Windows Compatibility” section of the official docs as the recommended solution for professional, non-gaming applications.

Aurora has the potential to become the benchmark for professional work on Linux. Integrating WinBoat would close the gap for Windows professionals who want to migrate to an immutable system but rely on critical tools that do not yet have a native Linux version.

Resources:

I would love to hear the maintainers’ thoughts on how this tool might fit into the roadmap and whether adding this to the just command ecosystem is a viable path forward.

2

~Bruh

sincerly

ublue user

3

Propose it on the GitHub site

1 Like
4

Not going to happen.

They are working on a flatpak.

Also don’t use AI to create your post.

5 Likes