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feat(snap): add snap install method to install.sh when snap is available #1697

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0cff079
feat(install): add snap install support with automatic Docker snap pr…
zyga Jun 9, 2026
c056304
docs(installation): document snap install path
zyga Jun 5, 2026
813d70a
feat(spread): add install.sh integration test suite with image-garden…
zyga Jun 9, 2026
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141 changes: 141 additions & 0 deletions .image-garden.mk
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# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2025-2026 NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES. All rights reserved.
# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0

# Ubuntu 24.04 instances

# snapd-no-docker: snapd only, no docker.
# install.sh chooses the "snap" install path.
$(eval $(call define-instance,ubuntu-cloud-24.04,snapd-no-docker))
define UBUNTU_24.04@snapd-no-docker_CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE
$(CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE)
- snap wait system seed.loaded
- snap install snapd
packages:
- snapd
endef

# snapd-classic-docker: snapd + native docker (docker.io deb package).
# install.sh chooses the "classic" install path because native docker is detected.
$(eval $(call define-instance,ubuntu-cloud-24.04,snapd-classic-docker))
define UBUNTU_24.04@snapd-classic-docker_CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE
$(CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE)
- snap wait system seed.loaded
- snap install snapd
packages:
- snapd
- docker.io
endef

# no-snapd: snapd removed, docker.io installed.
# install.sh chooses the "classic" install path because snapd is absent.
$(eval $(call define-instance,ubuntu-cloud-24.04,no-snapd))
define UBUNTU_24.04@no-snapd_CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE
$(CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE)
- apt-get purge -y snapd
packages:
- docker.io
endef

# Ubuntu 26.04 instances

# snapd-no-docker: snapd only, no docker.
# install.sh chooses the "snap" install path.
$(eval $(call define-instance,ubuntu-cloud-26.04,snapd-no-docker))
define UBUNTU_26.04@snapd-no-docker_CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE
$(CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE)
- snap wait system seed.loaded
- snap install snapd
packages:
- snapd
endef

# snapd-classic-docker: snapd + native docker (docker.io deb package).
# install.sh chooses the "classic" install path because native docker is detected.
$(eval $(call define-instance,ubuntu-cloud-26.04,snapd-classic-docker))
define UBUNTU_26.04@snapd-classic-docker_CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE
$(CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE)
- snap wait system seed.loaded
- snap install snapd
packages:
- snapd
- docker.io
endef

# no-snapd: snapd removed, docker.io installed.
# install.sh chooses the "classic" install path because snapd is absent.
$(eval $(call define-instance,ubuntu-cloud-26.04,no-snapd))
define UBUNTU_26.04@no-snapd_CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE
$(CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE)
- apt-get purge -y snapd
packages:
- docker.io
endef

# Debian 13 instances

# snapd-no-docker: snapd only, no docker.
# install.sh chooses the "snap" install path.
$(eval $(call define-instance,debian-cloud-13,snapd-no-docker))
define DEBIAN_13@snapd-no-docker_CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE
$(CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE)
- snap wait system seed.loaded
- snap install snapd
packages:
- snapd
endef

# snapd-classic-docker: snapd + native docker (docker.io deb package).
# install.sh chooses the "classic" install path because native docker is detected.
$(eval $(call define-instance,debian-cloud-13,snapd-classic-docker))
define DEBIAN_13@snapd-classic-docker_CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE
$(CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE)
- snap wait system seed.loaded
- snap install snapd
packages:
- snapd
- docker.io
endef

# no-snapd: snapd removed, docker.io installed.
# install.sh chooses the "classic" install path because snapd is absent.
$(eval $(call define-instance,debian-cloud-13,no-snapd))
define DEBIAN_13@no-snapd_CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE
$(CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE)
- apt-get purge -y snapd
packages:
- docker.io
endef

# Fedora 44 instances

# snapd-no-docker: snapd only, no docker.
# install.sh chooses the "snap" install path.
$(eval $(call define-instance,fedora-cloud-44,snapd-no-docker))
define FEDORA_44@snapd-no-docker_CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE
$(CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE)
- systemctl enable --now snapd.socket
- snap wait system seed.loaded
packages:
- snapd
endef

# snapd-docker: snapd + native docker (docker rpm package).
# install.sh chooses the "classic" install path because native docker is detected.
$(eval $(call define-instance,fedora-cloud-44,snapd-docker))
define FEDORA_44@snapd-docker_CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE
$(CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE)
- systemctl enable --now snapd.socket
- snap wait system seed.loaded
packages:
- snapd
- docker
endef

# no-snapd: just docker, no snapd.
# install.sh chooses the "classic" install path because snapd is absent.
$(eval $(call define-instance,fedora-cloud-44,no-snapd))
define FEDORA_44@no-snapd_CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE
$(CLOUD_INIT_USER_DATA_TEMPLATE)
packages:
- docker
endef
11 changes: 11 additions & 0 deletions .image-garden/.gitignore
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# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2026 NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES. All rights reserved.
# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0

*.img
*.iso
*.lock
*.log
*.meta-data
*.qcow2
*.run
*.user-data
83 changes: 74 additions & 9 deletions docs/about/installation.mdx
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Expand Up @@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ Install OpenShell with a single command:
curl -LsSf https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NVIDIA/OpenShell/main/install.sh | sh
```

The script detects your operating system and installs the OpenShell CLI and gateway with your native package manager. It then starts the local gateway server so you can begin creating sandboxes.
The script detects your operating system and installs the OpenShell CLI and
gateway. On Linux, the Snap path is preferred when `snapd` is available;
otherwise the script uses the native DEB or RPM package. The gateway then
starts automatically so you can begin creating sandboxes.

You can also download release artifacts directly from the [OpenShell GitHub Releases](https://github.com/NVIDIA/OpenShell/releases) page.

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -51,6 +54,13 @@ brew services restart openshell

## Linux

On distributions that ship with `snapd`, the install script uses the Snap path
described below, provided no non-snap Docker is detected. If a native Docker
package is present, the installer silently falls back to DEB or RPM. On hosts
without `snapd` (or with
`OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD=classic` set), the script falls back to the classic
package manager.

On Fedora and RHEL, the install script uses RPM packages. The RPM installs the `openshell` CLI, the `openshell-gateway` daemon, and a systemd user service.

On Debian and Ubuntu, the install script uses a Debian package. The Debian package installs the `openshell` CLI, the `openshell-gateway` daemon, VM sandbox support, and a systemd user service.
Expand All @@ -77,10 +87,15 @@ sudo loginctl enable-linger $USER

## Snap

Install the OpenShell snap from the Snap Store:
On Linux distributions that ship with `snapd`, the install script installs
OpenShell from the Snap Store. The OpenShell snap bundles the CLI, the terminal
UI, and a managed gateway daemon. snapd handles upgrades and rollback; the
gateway runs as a system service inside the snap.

You can also install the snap directly:

```shell
sudo snap install openshell --classic
sudo snap install openshell
```

The snap defines two apps: the `openshell` CLI and the `openshell.gateway`
Expand All @@ -89,19 +104,35 @@ stores its database at `$SNAP_COMMON/gateway.db` (typically
`/var/snap/openshell/common/gateway.db`). Create `$SNAP_COMMON/gateway.toml`
when you need to override gateway settings.

The snap requires the Docker snap. `default-provider: docker` on the OpenShell
snap installs the Docker snap automatically on first use, but you can install
it up front with:

```shell
sudo snap install docker
```

### Snap store installs

When installing from the Snap Store, snapd automatically connects the `home`,
`network`, `network-bind`, and `ssh-keys` plugs. The `docker` plug still
requires manual connection:
When installing from the Snap Store, snapd automatically connects the `home`
and `network` plugs. The remaining plugs — `network-bind`, `ssh-keys`,
`log-observe`, `system-observe`, and `docker` — still require manual connection:

```shell
sudo snap connect openshell:docker docker:docker-daemon
sudo snap connect openshell:log-observe
sudo snap connect openshell:ssh-keys
sudo snap connect openshell:system-observe
```

The snap declares `default-provider: docker` on the Docker plug so snapd will
offer to install the Docker snap, but the connection itself must be made
manually.
The Docker slot is the Docker snap's `docker-daemon` slot; OpenShell does not
work with a host-installed Docker Engine. The snap declares `default-provider:
docker` on the Docker plug so snapd will offer to install the Docker snap, but
the connection itself must be made manually. The installer runs these
connections for you on Snap installs; run them by hand if you install the snap
manually. The installer is best-effort: if a connect fails (for example because
the Docker snap is not yet running), the snap still installs and the installer
prints a warning.

### Locally built snap packages

Expand All @@ -123,6 +154,26 @@ to read logs and inspect system processes. The `docker` plug requires the
`docker:docker-daemon` slot from the Docker snap and does not work with
system-installed Docker.

### Verify the gateway

The snap-managed gateway service is `openshell.gateway`. Inspect it with:

```shell
snap services openshell
snap logs -n 100 openshell.gateway
```

Register the gateway with the CLI:

```shell
openshell gateway add http://127.0.0.1:17670 --local --name openshell
openshell status
```

The gateway listens on `http://127.0.0.1:17670` and stores its state under
`/var/snap/openshell/common/`. Override gateway settings by creating
`/var/snap/openshell/common/gateway.toml`.

### Gateway service

The gateway runs as a snap daemon with `refresh-mode: endure`, meaning snapd
Expand All @@ -134,6 +185,20 @@ a snap refresh when you need the updated binary:
sudo systemctl restart snap.openshell.gateway
```

### When to choose Snap

Use Snap when `snapd` is available and no native Docker Engine is installed,
and you want atomic upgrades and rollback, a single self-contained install that
bundles the Docker provider, or a desktop launcher that surfaces the OpenShell
terminal UI in the application menu.

Use DEB or RPM when `snapd` is unavailable or when you already run Docker Engine
from a non-snap source. The installer falls back to DEB or RPM on hosts with
native Docker.

Set `OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD=classic` to force the classic package on hosts
that also have `snapd` available.

## Kubernetes

Kubernetes deployments use the OpenShell Helm chart. For step-by-step installation, refer to [Kubernetes Setup](/kubernetes/setup). For chart values and packaging details, refer to the [Helm chart README](https://github.com/NVIDIA/OpenShell/blob/main/deploy/helm/openshell/README.md).
Expand Down
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