snap

The top-level snap key contains set of options instructing electron-builder on how it should build Snap packages for Linux.

What is Snap?

Snap is a universal Linux packaging format developed by Canonical (Ubuntu). Snap packages are self-contained, install on most Linux distributions, and are distributed through the Snap Store. Key characteristics:

Sandboxed by default — confined to declared interfaces
Automatic updates — the Snap daemon (snapd) handles updates silently
Cross-distro — works on Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, Arch, and more (with snapd installed)
Ubuntu-primary — snapd ships by default on Ubuntu; other distros require manual install

Snap vs. AppImage vs. Flatpak

Aspect	Snap	AppImage	Flatpak
Sandboxed	Yes (default)	No	Yes
Auto-update	Via Snap Store	Via AppImageUpdate	Via Flathub
Offline install	Yes (`--dangerous`)	Yes	Yes
Distro support	Ubuntu-native, others need snapd	Universal	Universal
Store	Snap Store	N/A	Flathub
electron-updater	Not needed (use Snap Store)	Needed	Not needed (Flathub)
electron-builder support	Full	Full	Full

Build Requirements

Building Snap packages requires a Linux environment (or Docker).

Confinement

The confinement option controls how strictly the snap is sandboxed:

Confinement	Description	Use Case
`strict`	Full sandbox, access via declared interfaces only	Production apps (required for Snap Store)
`devmode`	No sandbox, all access allowed	Development and debugging only
`classic`	Unrestricted access (like a regular binary)	CLI tools that need full system access

snap:
  confinement: strict   # required for Snap Store submission

Classic Confinement

Snap Store requires manual review and approval for classic confinement. Electron apps typically use strict with appropriate interface plugs.

Base

The base option selects the Ubuntu runtime your snap is built against. This determines which Ubuntu packages are available and the minimum snapd version required:

Base	Ubuntu Version	snapd Requirement	Status
`core`	Ubuntu 16.04	Any	Legacy
`core20`	Ubuntu 20.04 LTS	snapd 2.44+	Stable
`core22`	Ubuntu 22.04 LTS	snapd 2.58+	Recommended
`core24`	Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	snapd 2.63+	Stable

snap:
  base: core22   # recommended as of 2024

Interface Plugs

Electron apps require several interface plugs to function properly in strict confinement:

snap:
  plugs:
    - browser-support          # required for Chromium/Electron rendering
    - network                  # network access
    - network-bind             # listen on ports
    - home                     # read/write home directory
    - removable-media          # USB drives, external storage
    - audio-playback           # sound output
    - audio-record             # microphone
    - opengl                   # GPU acceleration
    - desktop                  # X11/Wayland display
    - desktop-legacy           # GTK legacy theming
    - unity7                   # Unity/X11 appindicator
    - x11                      # X11 display
    - wayland                  # Wayland display
    - gsettings                # GNOME settings (theming, fonts)
    - password-manager-service # system keychain access

Minimal Plugs

Start with only the plugs you actually need. Unnecessary plugs may slow Snap Store review. At minimum, browser-support, network, desktop, and desktop-legacy are needed for most Electron apps.

Custom plug configuration:

snap:
  plugs:
    - name: browser-support
      allow-sandbox: true
    - network
    - home

Stage Packages

Include Ubuntu system packages in your snap if your app depends on libraries not available in the base:

snap:
  stagePackages:
    - libusb-1.0-0           # USB device access
    - libsecret-1-0          # Secret Service (keychain)
    - libappindicator3-1     # System tray (deprecated but widely needed)

Grade

snap:
  grade: stable    # or "devel"

The stable grade is required for release to the stable and candidate channels in the Snap Store. Use devel during development.

Environment Variables

Pass environment variables into the snap runtime:

snap:
  environment:
    TMPDIR: $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR
    NODE_ENV: production

Wayland Support

Enable native Wayland rendering (instead of XWayland compatibility):

snap:
  allowNativeWayland: true

This requires the wayland plug.

snap:
  autoStart: true   # Default: false

Adds a systemd user service that starts the app after the user logs in.

Snap Layouts

Use layouts to give the snap access to restricted paths:

snap:
  layout:
    /usr/share/alsa:
      bind: $SNAP/usr/share/alsa
    /etc/asound.conf:
      bind-file: $SNAP/etc/asound.conf

Parts

The appPartStage option controls which files are included from the main app part:

snap:
  appPartStage:
    - -usr/share/doc
    - -usr/share/man

Publishing to the Snap Store

Create an account at snapcraft.io, register your snap name, and install the snapcraft CLI — see Publishing to the Snap Store
Configure publishing in your electron-builder config:

publish:
  provider: snapStore
  repo: myapp       # your registered snap name
  channels:
    - stable

Build and publish: electron-builder --linux snap --publish always

Channel Strategy

Channel	Purpose
`edge`	Latest development builds (auto-published from CI)
`beta`	Beta testing builds
`candidate`	Release candidates
`stable`	Production releases

Local Testing

Install a locally built snap without the Snap Store:

sudo snap install --dangerous dist/myapp_1.0.0_amd64.snap

Run and check logs:

myapp
journalctl --user -xe | grep myapp

To uninstall: sudo snap remove myapp

Debugging

Enable verbose electron-builder output:

DEBUG=electron-builder electron-builder --linux snap

For snap runtime issues, check confinement denials:

snap run --shell myapp
# Inside the snap shell, test what's accessible

Configuration

Interface: SnapOptions

Extends

CommonLinuxOptions.TargetSpecificOptions

Properties

after?

readonly optional after?: string[] | null

Specifies any parts that should be built before this part. Defaults to ["desktop-gtk2""].

If list contains default, it will be replaced to default list, so, ["default", "foo"] can be used to add custom parts foo in addition to defaults.

allowNativeWayland?

readonly optional allowNativeWayland?: boolean | null

Allow running the program with native wayland support with --ozone-platform=wayland. Disabled by default because of this issue in older Electron/Snap versions: https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/issues/4007

appPartStage?

readonly optional appPartStage?: string[] | null

Specifies which files from the app part to stage and which to exclude. Individual files, directories, wildcards, globstars, and exclusions are accepted. See Snapcraft filesets to learn more about the format.

The defaults can be found in snap.ts.

artifactName?

readonly optional artifactName?: string | null

The artifact file name template.

Inherited from

TargetSpecificOptions.artifactName

assumes?

readonly optional assumes?: string | string[] | null

The list of features that must be supported by the core in order for this snap to install.

autoStart?

readonly optional autoStart?: boolean

Whether or not the snap should automatically start on login.

Default

false

base?

readonly optional base?: string | null

A snap of type base to be used as the execution environment for this snap. Examples: core, core18, core20, core22. Defaults to core20

buildPackages?

readonly optional buildPackages?: string[] | null

The list of debian packages needs to be installed for building this snap.

category?

readonly optional category?: string | null

The application category.

Inherited from

CommonLinuxOptions.category

compression?

readonly optional compression?: "xz" | "lzo" | null

Sets the compression type for the snap. Can be xz, lzo, or null.

confinement?

readonly optional confinement?: "devmode" | "strict" | "classic" | null

The type of confinement supported by the snap.

Default

strict

description?

readonly optional description?: string | null

As description from application package.json, but allows you to specify different for Linux.

Inherited from

CommonLinuxOptions.description

desktop?

readonly optional desktop?: LinuxDesktopFile | null

The Desktop file

Inherited from

CommonLinuxOptions.desktop

environment?

readonly optional environment?: {[key: string]: string; } | null

The custom environment. Defaults to {"TMPDIR: "$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR"}. If you set custom, it will be merged with default.

executableArgs?

readonly optional executableArgs?: string[] | null

The executable parameters. Pass to executableName

Inherited from

CommonLinuxOptions.executableArgs

grade?

readonly optional grade?: "devel" | "stable" | null

The quality grade of the snap. It can be either devel (i.e. a development version of the snap, so not to be published to the “stable” or “candidate” channels) or “stable” (i.e. a stable release or release candidate, which can be released to all channels).

Default

stable

hooks?

readonly optional hooks?: string | null

The hooks directory, relative to build (build resources directory).

Default

build/snap-hooks

layout?

readonly optional layout?: {[key: string]: object; } | null

Specifies any files to make accessible from locations such as /usr, /var, and /etc. See snap layouts to learn more.

mimeTypes?

readonly optional mimeTypes?: string[] | null

The mime types in addition to specified in the file associations. Use it if you don't want to register a new mime type, but reuse existing.

Inherited from

CommonLinuxOptions.mimeTypes

plugs?

readonly optional plugs?: PlugDescriptor | (string | PlugDescriptor)[] | null

The list of plugs. Defaults to ["desktop", "desktop-legacy", "home", "x11", "wayland", "unity7", "browser-support", "network", "gsettings", "audio-playback", "pulseaudio", "opengl"].

If list contains default, it will be replaced to default list, so, ["default", "foo"] can be used to add custom plug foo in addition to defaults.

Additional attributes can be specified using object instead of just name of plug:

[
 {
   "browser-sandbox": {
     "interface": "browser-support",
     "allow-sandbox": true
   },
 },
 "another-simple-plug-name"
]

publish?

optional publish?: Publish

Inherited from

TargetSpecificOptions.publish

slots?

readonly optional slots?: PlugDescriptor | (string | SlotDescriptor)[] | null

The list of slots.

Additional attributes can be specified using object instead of just name of slot:

[
 {
   "mpris": {
     "name": "chromium"
   },
 }
]

In case you want your application to be a compliant MPris player, you will need to definie
The mpris slot with "chromium" name.
This electron has it [hardcoded](https://source.chromium.org/chromium/chromium/src/+/master:components/system_media_controls/linux/system_media_controls_linux.cc;l=51;bpv=0;bpt=1),
and we need to pass this name so snap [will allow it](https://forum.snapcraft.io/t/unable-to-use-mpris-interface/15360/7) in strict confinement.

***

### stagePackages?

> `readonly` `optional` **stagePackages?**: `string`[] \| `null`

The list of Ubuntu packages to use that are needed to support the `app` part creation. Like `depends` for `deb`.
Defaults to `["libnspr4", "libnss3", "libxss1", "libappindicator3-1", "libsecret-1-0"]`.

If list contains `default`, it will be replaced to default list, so, `["default", "foo"]` can be used to add custom package `foo` in addition to defaults.

***

### summary?

> `readonly` `optional` **summary?**: `string` \| `null`

The 78 character long summary. Defaults to [productName](https://www.electron.build/configuration#productname).

***

### synopsis?

> `readonly` `optional` **synopsis?**: `string` \| `null`

The [short description](https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-controlfields.html#s-f-Description).

#### Inherited from

[`CommonLinuxOptions`](/docs/api/app-builder-lib.Interface.CommonLinuxOptions).[`synopsis`](/docs/api/app-builder-lib.Interface.CommonLinuxOptions#synopsis)

***

### title?

> `readonly` `optional` **title?**: `string` \| `null`

An optional title for the snap, may contain uppercase letters and spaces. Defaults to `productName`. See [snap format documentation](https://snapcraft.io/docs/snap-format).

***

### useTemplateApp?

> `readonly` `optional` **useTemplateApp?**: `boolean`

Whether to use template snap. Defaults to `true` if `stagePackages` not specified.

What is Snap?​

Snap vs. AppImage vs. Flatpak​

Build Requirements​

Confinement​

Base​

Interface Plugs​

Stage Packages​

Grade​

Environment Variables​

Wayland Support​

Auto-Start on Login​

Snap Layouts​

Parts​

Publishing to the Snap Store​

Channel Strategy​

Local Testing​

Debugging​

Configuration​

Interface: SnapOptions

Extends​

Properties​

after?​

allowNativeWayland?​

appPartStage?​

artifactName?​

Inherited from​

assumes?​

autoStart?​

Default​

base?​

buildPackages?​

category?​

Inherited from​

compression?​

confinement?​

Default​

description?​

Inherited from​

desktop?​

Inherited from​

environment?​

executableArgs?​

Inherited from​

grade?​

Default​

hooks?​

Default​

layout?​

mimeTypes?​

Inherited from​

plugs?​

publish?​

Inherited from​

slots?​

What is Snap?

Snap vs. AppImage vs. Flatpak

Build Requirements

Confinement

Base

Interface Plugs

Stage Packages

Grade

Environment Variables

Wayland Support

Auto-Start on Login

Snap Layouts

Parts

Publishing to the Snap Store

Channel Strategy

Local Testing

Debugging

Configuration

Extends

Properties

after?

allowNativeWayland?

appPartStage?

artifactName?

Inherited from

assumes?

autoStart?

Default

base?

buildPackages?

category?

Inherited from

compression?

confinement?

Default

description?

Inherited from

desktop?

Inherited from

environment?

executableArgs?

Inherited from

grade?

Default

hooks?

Default

layout?

mimeTypes?

Inherited from

plugs?

publish?

Inherited from

slots?