A More Stable Future for Ubuntu

James Darvell — Fri, 08 May 2015 14:26:12 +0000

Canonical has announced plans to switch all versions of Ubuntu to its new Snappy package manager. The new tool offers the promise of greater stability and security for the system and applications.

Snappy already is used in Ubuntu core, a minimal version of Ubuntu intended for use in the cloud, on mobile devices and in embedded systems.

The next step is rolling Snappy into "Ubuntu Desktop Next". Next is a special version of Ubuntu that acts as a test bed for new technology before it is included in the desktop version. Testers use Next to try out new features, such as Mir and Unity 8.

Currently, Ubuntu uses the Advanced Packaging Tool (apt) and the lower-level dpkg tool to manage packages. They are inherited from Debian and are used on a wide range of distros.

Snappy takes a radically different approach to package management. This means developers will need to replace all the existing Debian packages with Snappy packages. Of course, this will be a major undertaking. There are thousands of packages to switch, so we can expect a lengthy wait before Snappy makes it into the mainline version.

In light of the change, some people are concerned that Ubuntu will sever ties with Debian. The Next team leader has clarified that Canonical intends to maintain Ubuntu's relationship with Debian. The plan is to create Snappy packages based on the Debian equivalents.

Snappy is a new breed of package manager with a different approach to security, package contents and updating. It originally was designed for better performance on mobile devices, but it has a range of benefits for all users. Here are some of the features that make Snappy different:

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