Harness the Power of Snapd: A Quick Tutorial¶

Snapd

Are you ready to streamline your software management experience? Look no further than Snapd! 🚀

Snapd is a package management system for Linux that makes installing, updating, and managing software simple and reliable. This quick tutorial walks through the essentials so you can start using Snap packages on Ubuntu and other supported distributions.

Advantages of Snaps¶

Ease of Installation — install software with a single command, without dependency headaches.
Dependency Management — snaps bundle required libraries and assets so apps run consistently across distros.
Security — snaps run sandboxed, reducing the blast radius of vulnerabilities.
Automatic Updates — snapd checks for and applies updates in the background.
Rollback Capability — revert to previous versions if an update causes issues.
Cross-Distribution Support — snaps work on Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, and more.
Immutable Packages — package content is read-only after installation, protecting integrity.

Together, these features make snaps a secure, user-friendly, and portable choice for software distribution on Linux.

Quick Tutorial¶

1. Installation¶

On Ubuntu, snapd is usually preinstalled. On other distributions, install with your package manager. Example for Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install snapd

Verify the installation:

snap version

Example output you might see:

snap    2.61.2
snapd   2.61.2
series  16
ubuntu  22.04
kernel  6.5.0-26-generic

2. Finding Snap Packages¶

Browse the Snap Store at: https://snapcraft.io/store
Or search from the terminal:

snap find <keyword>

Example:

snap find vlc

This returns a short list with name, version, publisher, and summary.

3. Installing Packages¶

Install a snap:

sudo snap install <snap-name>

Example (VLC):

sudo snap install vlc

4. Updating Packages¶

Refresh a specific snap:

sudo snap refresh <snap-name>

Snapd also performs automatic background refreshes so snaps generally stay up to date without intervention.

5. Removing Packages¶

Remove a snap:

sudo snap remove <snap-name>

This uninstalls the application and frees associated disk space.

6. Managing Snap Services¶

Some snaps include background services. List them with:

snap services

Control services:

sudo snap start <snap-name>
sudo snap stop <snap-name>
sudo snap restart <snap-name>

7. Exploring Snapd Commands¶

For more options and help:

snap --help

Or read the manual:

man snap

Conclusion¶

You're now set to use Snapd to install, manage, and maintain applications across Linux distributions. Snaps simplify dependency management, improve security with confinement, and make distribution consistent across platforms. Start exploring the Snap Store and happy snapping! 🎉

Tags: #Snapd #Linux #Ubuntu #Canonical #Productivity