Ask HN: Do you still prefer apt packages over Snaps?

6 points·bithavoc··4 comments

I'm close to launch a new app and was wondering if snap distribution through Snapcraft.io is preferable over apt. I see how Spotify provides both, but I'm not sure if it's for legacy purposes.

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Snaps have only just recently started to "work" out of the box without requiring strange configs or failing to provide a good experience - like not showing up in menus. The last several I've installed were about 75% good. I think we're a bit away from snaps becoming the default, so I'd support apt for quite a while longer in your shoes.

I've been running Debian for a long long time, by default I would always prefer installing software from their repositories. If that isn't possible, and a project releases/maintaines their own Debian binary packages I'll try those.

Outside Debian packages I sometimes use docker, and sometimes look at binary installs beneath /opt. (For example I install the latest firefox, arduino studio, and similar "fast moving" things as binary installs.)

I've not yet come aross a project which is distributed exclusively through "snaps". if I did I might try it, but I suspect I'd look at installation from source/binaries benath /opt/blah instead.

Recently tried installing a snap package on ubuntu for the first time. Because of the sandbox environment in snap packages I had some trouble giving it access to mounted NAS drive. Ended up just going with the apt version of the same program

I prefer apt if apt is available, if only because it's more well-known and saves a bit of space.

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