It's a package format that bundles all required libraries, that way you don't run into the issue with program A requiring library version <1.1 and program B requiring library >1.3.

It leads to larger binaries because these dependencies are bundled, but it solves the issue with old/minimally maintained software not working on new OS versions because they depend on an ancient version of libssl or something.

[–] RmDebArc_5@lemmy.ml 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Snaps is Ubuntu/Canonicals proprietary package format which is mostly considered a worse alternative to flatpak (another package format) with no real advantages on desktops that Canonical is trying to force on users

[–] bjorney@lemmy.ca 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Snaps are not a proprietary package format.

[–] RmDebArc_5@lemmy.ml 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The backend is proprietary

[–] bjorney@lemmy.ca 6 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

The webserver that canonical uses to distribute other people's snaps is, and that's it. APKs aren't proprietary just because Google runs the Play store.

If you don't want to interact with canonical's servers you can download the snap files from literally anywhere else and install them manually so you don't have to touch a single line of non open source code.

[–] GamesRevolution@programming.dev 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Even if you do download the snaps from elsewhere you are still locked in with the Canonical repository for updates, with it being basically hard coded and with no alternatives. Even more, snaps are straight up a worst experience then flatpak with all their quirks like the loopback devices and the automatic updates.

[–] bjorney@lemmy.ca -1 points 10 months ago

Disable automatic updates then. snap --help

IMO snaps were prematurely pushed but that's about it - they were a worse experience like two years ago when canonical started pushing them and almost every app had some quirk due to the sandboxing, but they have improved to the point that I literally can't remember the last time I encountered an issue with the snap version of a program (granted I only really use snaps when something isn't available as a .deb or there is a conflict)