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I try to understand when an app comes from the 'main', fully backed repositories, when otherwise. Software Center shows this ('main', 'universe' etc.) for normal .deb packages, but just 'snapcraft.io' for Snaps. I understand this are 'main' repositories but I'll thank some confirmation. Best regards.

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    "I understand this are 'main' repositories" ... how did you come by that understanding?
    – muru
    Feb 1, 2021 at 2:05
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    help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu Snaps however come from a completely different source, the Snap store which is curated by Canonical, and unrelated to the standard repositories (which consist of deb packages). Snaps are a very different thing to the repositories used by deb packages in Ubuntu, the link is only that they both contain software you can run.
    – guiverc
    Feb 1, 2021 at 2:09
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    Does this answer your question? How do I install applications in Ubuntu? To know all the Zoo. There are different things like debs, Snaps, FlatPaks and AppImages.
    – N0rbert
    Feb 1, 2021 at 8:28

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apt uses repositories (apt is used by many debian based unix flavors like ubuntu) - they install packages sometimes called debs (deb from debian)

ubuntu repositories have several types of repositories

  • Main - Canonical-supported free and open-source software.
  • Universe - Community-maintained free and open-source software.
  • Restricted - Proprietary drivers for devices.
  • Multiverse - Software restricted by copyright or legal issues.

snaps are another way than apt to install software for ubuntu

they don't use apt repositories

snaps are managed by snapcraft.io and the store can be found here : https://snapcraft.io/store

Canonical, the company that publishes ubuntu also manages the snapcraft.io store

but snaps can be installed on other unix flavors than ubuntu too


this answer explains why snaps were "invented" by canonical/ubuntu

Why is Ubuntu moving to Snap packages?

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  • Thank you all. Then the question is what kind of support is expected for Snaps related to .deb repositories, as they now replace large amounts of packages through Ubuntu Software Center itself. Ubuntu defines support terms clearly for 'main', 'universe', 'restricted' and 'multiverse' repos. But what about Snaps? Where do they fit in support terms? Thank you very much.
    – dm29
    Feb 1, 2021 at 15:58
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    A bit late to answer but - snaps allow you to choose the version of the app you want to install you can even install 2 versions of the same snap on the same machine or just regularly update all snaps to the latest available version - up to you to decide. The support of the app would need to come from the publisher of the snap app
    – Koen
    Jan 5, 2022 at 21:49

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