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Snap Package Manager Guide

The purpose of this guide is to explain how to use Snap, a package manager for installing, updating, and managing software packages in a secure and sandboxed environment on Linux distributions.

1. Install Snap (if not already installed)​

If Snap is not already installed on your system, use the following command based on your Linux distribution.

For Debian/Ubuntu-based distributions:​

sudo apt update
sudo apt install snapd

For Fedora distributions:​

sudo dnf install snapd

For Arch-based distributions:​

sudo pacman -S snapd

Once installed, the systemd unit that manages the main snap communication socket needs to be enabled:

sudo systemctl enable --now snapd.socket

2. Test the Snap installation​

To verify that Snap is installed correctly, run the following command:

snap version

The output should display the Snap version information.


3. Install software packages​

To install a software package using Snap, use the snap install command followed by the package name.

sudo snap install <package-name>

For example, to install the htop package:

sudo snap install htop

4. Remove software packages​

To remove a software package installed via Snap, use the snap remove command followed by the package name.

sudo snap remove <package-name>

For example, to remove the htop package:

sudo snap remove htop

5. Update installed packages​

To update all installed Snap packages to their latest versions, use the snap refresh command:

sudo snap refresh

6. Search for software packages​

You can search for software packages available on the Snap Store using the following command:

snap find <package-name>

For example, to search for the VLC media player, run:

snap find VLC

7. Run applications​

Using the GUI:​

You can run applications using the GUI. After installing a Snap package, it should appear in app drawer. You can access the app drawer by sliding up on the homescreen.

Using the Command:​

To run an application installed via Snap, use the following command:

snap run <application-name>

For example, to run the VLC media player, run:

snap run VLC

8. Update applications​

To update an application installed via Snap, use the following command:

sudo snap refresh <application-name>

For example, to update the VLC media player, run:


sudo snap refresh VLC

9. List installed Snap packages​

To list all installed Snap packages, use the following command:

snap list

10. Troubleshooting​

If you encounter any issues while using Snap, refer to the Snap documentation for troubleshooting tips and solutions.