There are several distribution packages available for users to install applications on their Linux system. Some of those aforementioned packages include installers for applications like AppImage and Snap. And in this article we will teach you the necessary procedures to install Snapd on Kali Linux as it is not available by default in Kali.
Kali, a Debian-based distribution, does not have Snap (or Snappy) installed by default. Hence, Kali users have to install it separately for their Linux distro. Although traditional packages exist for specific systems, distribution independent packages like Snap are bundled with the required dependencies to install applications within a single package.
To elaborate further, the Snap package is capable of hosting distribution-independent packages. This helps in running any package on any Linux distribution or a variety of devices. SnapCraft, an online snap app store, can also be accessed with the help of Snap packages.
In this article, we will cover how to install and use Snapd packages on Kali Linux. We will also cover how to use Snapd packages.
Install Snapd on Kali Linux
1. Update Kali Machine
Before starting with the installation process, it is important to update your machine. To update Kali Linux using the apt update command.
sudo apt updateYou will get a similar output:
Wait for the updates to complete before moving forward to the next step. You can also learn how to update your Kali machine by reading further into this article.
2. Install Snap on Kali Linux
Secondly, install Snap using the apt install command.
sudo apt install snapYou will get an output similar to this:
The successful installation would look something like this:
In case you get an error during the installation, fix the error using the apt command followed by –fix-broken flag. For example:
sudo apt --fix-broken installAfter that, try installing it again.
If this command does not work and it is still giving an error, you will have to edit the .bashrc file first. To open this file, use nano, vim, or gedit commands. For example:
gedit ~/.bashrcNext, add the installation path of Snap at the top of the file as shown below:
export PATH=$PATH:/snap/binSave the bash file and exit the editor. Lastly, execute the bash file using the source command. For example:
source ~/.bashrcFollowing all that should fix the errors. Now you can continue your installation from Step 2.
3. Install Snapd on Kali Linux
Now, you will install Snapd. Snapd, a REST API daemon, is a background service that manages and maintains Snap package format. To install Snapd, use the following command:
sudo apt install snapd
Next, add the service to autoload using the systemctl command. This will automatically start the service when your machine starts. For example:
sudo systemctl enable snapdYou will get a similar output:
Lastly, start the service using the systemctl start command. For example:
sudo systemctl start snapd4. Enable the Service
Before we finish off with the installation, we will enable and start the Systemd unit as shown below:
sudo systemctl enable apparmor
To start the service, type:
sudo systemctl start apparmor You can also enable the snapd.socket service using the systemctl command. For example:
sudo systemctl enable snapd.socket snapd apparmor
sudo systemctl start snapd.socket snapd apparmorAnd check the status of snapd.socket service using the status command:
sudo systemctl status snapd
sudo systemctl status snapd.socket
5. Check Snap Version
Next, check the version of Snap using the version command. For example:
snap --versionYour output will look something like this:
6. Test Snap Package
Check if Snap is working or not by using the sample “hello-world” package. For example:
snap install hello-worldThis command will start downloading the snap “core” from “stable” channel as shown in the output below:
7. Reboot the System
Lastly, restart your system to implement the installed changes. For this step, use the systemctl command. For example:
sudo systemctl rebootAlternatively, you can also use this command:
sudo reboot kali8. Install Snap Store on Kali Linux
You can also use Snap store to view the packages supported by Snap. to install Snap store, use the install command. For example:
sudo snap install snap-storeYou will get an output similar to this:
After the installation has been completed, view the Snap store as shown below:
snap-store9. View Snap Commands
There exists a list of Snap commands which you can view first before using. To view the list, execute the command given below:
snap help refreshThis will give you a detailed output of the commands you can use with Snap.
Finally, you have successfully installed Snap and Snap of Kali Linux. Now, we will look at how to use Snapd on Kali Linux.
Use Snapd on Kali Linux
1. Install a Snapd Package
To use Snap on Kali Linux machines, we will install a test Telegram package. Before that, let’s look at the existing snapd packages via the list command. For example:
snap list This command displays the packages that are installed on the system. If you do not have any installed package, you will get a similar output:
Next, we will search for our required package using the find command. For example:
snap find telegram-desktopYour output will look something like this:
Now that we already have the package, we can start installing it. To install using snapd, type the following command:
sudo snap install telegram-desktopYou will get a similar output:
2. Run a Snapd Package
Next, run the installed package using the run command. For example:
snap run telegram-desktop3. Uninstall a Snapd Package
You can also remove the installed Snap packages if you no longer need them. To uninstall a package, execute the following command:
sudo snap remove telegram-desktop4. Update a Snapd Package
Existing Snap packages can also be updated using the update command. For instance, if you want to update the Telegram package, execute the following command:
sudo snap refresh telegram-desktopUpdate Snap on Kali Linux
Since there are still live updates available for Snap as of today, you should keep your eye out for new releases to keep your package manager updated. Snap packages check for updates four times a day to track new versions of the installed packages. Use the refresh command to update the installed Snap on the Kali Linux machine. For example:
sudo snap refresh --listAlternatively, you can also use this command to view the fresh updates:
sudo snap refresh gtk-common-themesSo that’s it. We hope you’ve picked up a lot on installing and using Snap on Kali Linux. We also covered how to use Snapd and Snap store on your Kali machines, so we hope that helped you too. For more details about Snap packages, you can check out their official documentation…
If this guide helped you, please share it.
