Community app update fails when only the manifest `title` changes (`id` unchanged)
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I think I've hit what looks like either an undocumented restriction or a bug in how community app updates are validated, so I'm looking for clarification.
Summary
For an already-installed community app, changing only the
titleinCloudronManifest.json(sameid, newversion, same everything else) causes the update in app UI updates to fail. The docs describetitleas display-only and describeidas the app's identity, so a title-only change should not break an update.Reproduction
- Community app installed on an instance from a
CloudronVersions.jsonURL. - In
CloudronManifest.json, bumpversionand change onlytitle(keepididentical). - Publish the new version to
CloudronVersions.json/ host it. - Attempt the update from the dashboard (or
cloudron update).
Expected: update succeeds; the app's displayed name reflects the new
titleActual: the update fails. Reverting
titleto its previous value and publishing again lets the update proceed. I removed and reinstalled the app afterwards, so I no longer have the original task/box log.What the docs say
The
titlefield is documented purely as:"The
titleis the primary app title displayed on the Cloudron App Store."Only
idis documented as identity:"The
idis a unique human friendly App Store id."https://docs.cloudron.io/packaging/manifest/
Questions
- Is
titleintended to be immutable/identity for an already-installed app, i.e. is the effective keyid + titlerather than justid? If so, the manifest docs should state that plainly — they currently presenttitleas display-only. - If it's not intended, is this a validation bug? The update appears to reject a manifest that differs only in a display field.
- Is there a supported way to rename an existing community app via the manifest? Using the dashboard app label is a workaround, not a fix — the manifest
titleis what new installs and the App Store use, so the installed app and the package listing then diverge.
Want to clarify before I attempt more renames via CloudronManifest.json
title.EDIT :
This is not about ca.cloudron.io which accepts the title change. It's about installed app dashboard, Updates / Check for updates / update. - Community app installed on an instance from a
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Thanks, @girish, that's good confirmation.
Will test more on another candidate, maybe I jumped to the wrong conclusion.
The app I was working on is now done and sorted for a fresh install. Which I did, uninstall, reinstall, all ok.
It waspodiiand now shows in ca.cloudron.io asSVIY Podii.
Not sure what the next rename will be. Will decide and test more systematically, and let you know. -
@girish : SOLVED !
I traced it to (1) the backup in cloudron update failing, triggering update to fail, which was totally caused by (2) my ultra-minimal minibase not having sqlite3 in it and I forgot to add it manually as the packager responsibility when going ultra-minimal.
Interestingly I did not discover this in testing, because I was always ticking 'skip backup'.
So your approach in the other discussion is proven out !
Ultra-minimal can work but it seems not wise, because darned packagers cannot be trusted
.A slightly fatter base is worth it to avoid such mistakes. You win !

Will fatten my minibase while waiting for yours.Sorry for taking up your time again.
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