# Snap ([[Linux]]) ## Overview What is snap and snapcraft on linux, as bullet point list? > [!ai]+ AI > > - Snap is a software packaging and deployment system developed by Canonical for operating systems that use the Linux kernel. > - The packages, called snaps, and the tool for using them, snapd, work across a range of Linux distributions allowing distribution-agnostic upstream software deployment. > - Snap aims to offer greater security through isolation of applications, automatic updates and reversions in case of failure. > - It is designed to work securely within a sandboxed environment with all dependencies included, ensuring the application works exactly as intended regardless of the system configuration. > - Snapcraft is a tool used to create snaps. > - It simplifies the process of packaging software for distribution by automating parts of the process and providing clear guidelines on how packages should be structured. > - Using Snapcraft, developers can define their application in a single declarative configuration file and then build it with a single command across different environments. > - Both Snap and Snapcraft are part of Ubuntu's larger goal to make application installation easier on Linux systems. > - They allow developers to distribute their apps directly to users without having to go through traditional package management systems or app stores. > - Due to their design, snaps also allow for more frequent updates and better security management than traditional package formats. How does snapd by canonical work? > [!ai]+ AI > > Snapd is a software package developed by Canonical that allows users to install and manage Snap applications on Linux operating systems. It functions as a background system service, acting as the engine that facilitates the functionality of Snaps. > Snapd is responsible for the following key tasks: > 1. Installing, updating, and removing Snap packages: Snapd allows users to install any available application packaged as a Snap from the Snap Store. It also regularly checks for updates and automatically upgrades installed Snaps to their latest versions. > 2. Managing Sandboxing: Each Snap runs in its own sandboxed environment, isolated from other software installed on the system. This isolation prevents potential interference among applications and enhances system security by limiting each application's access to only necessary files and resources. > 3. Handling Dependencies: Unlike traditional package management systems in Linux which require manual handling of dependencies, Snapd bundles all the libraries and dependencies required by an application into one package. This ensures that the application will run consistently across different systems. > 4. Security: With strict confinement, Snaps have limited access to system resources which protects against malicious activities. > 5. Compatibility: Despite being developed by Canonical (the company behind Ubuntu), snapd is available for most major Linux distributions including Debian, Fedora, Arch Linux etc., enabling cross-distribution compatibility of applications. > 6. Facilitating communication between snaps: Some snaps may need to interact with other snaps to function properly; snapd manages these interactions safely and securely. > In summary, snapd simplifies software management in Linux by enabling easy installation of applications along with their dependencies while also ensuring isolation between different applications for increased security. How does snapcraft by canonical work? > [!ai]+ AI > > Snapcraft by Canonical is a universal package management system that allows developers to distribute their applications in a way that is independent of the operating system and its version. It works by creating a software package with all its dependencies bundled together, which will run in isolation from the rest of the system. > Here's how it works: > 1. The application and all its required dependencies are bundled into one snap package. > 2. Snap packages are compressed filesystem images which include metadata that allows them to be automatically updated, rollbacked, or removed. > 3. Snapcraft provides an abstraction over the underlying system, allowing the packaged app to work across different Linux distributions. > 4. Snap packages are confined from the OS and other apps through security mechanisms, but can exchange content and functions with other snaps according to fine-grained controls. > 5. Snapcraft integrates well with popular CI/CD systems, enabling developers to automate building and publishing of snaps. > 6. Users install snaps from the Snap Store (either via command-line or GUI), where developers can publish their apps directly to users under their own terms. > 7. Snaps update automatically, and transactionally (i.e., atomically), ensuring that applications never end up in a partially updated state despite any interruption during updates. > By using snaps, developers can ensure that their applications will work exactly as intended on any Linux distribution that supports snap packages, without worrying about differing versions of shared libraries or package managers on different systems. ## Links - [Fetching Title#p3w8](https://snapcraft.io/docs)