Snap packages bundle applications and their dependencies for Linux. Removing a snap uninstalls the named package; --purge skips creation of its automatic removal snapshot.
The package removal only targets the named snap. Base snaps, content snaps, and other application snaps remain installed when another package still depends on them or when they were installed separately.
Saved snapshots are separate from installed packages. Removing a package, with or without --purge, leaves earlier snapshots in place; deleting saved snapshots requires separate management through snap data snapshots.
Steps to remove a snap package:
- Check the package before removing it.
$ snap list hello-world Name Version Rev Tracking Publisher Notes hello-world 6.4 29 latest/stable canonical** -
For another installed snap, replace hello-world with its name throughout.
- Remove the package.
Removal deletes the snap's installed revisions and snap-managed user, system, and configuration data. snapd normally saves a snapshot first and keeps it for 31 days by default, but automatic snapshots can be disabled and are disabled by default on Ubuntu Core.
Removing a snap that provides services stops them and can interrupt connected clients.
$ sudo snap remove hello-world hello-world removed (snap data snapshot saved)
To skip the automatic snapshot, run this command instead. No new recovery snapshot is created, so back up any data needed later before removal.
$ sudo snap remove hello-world --purge hello-world removed
- Check the saved snapshots after removal.
$ snap saved Set Snap Age Version Rev Size Notes 1 hello-world 2.75s 6.4 29 193B auto
The auto note identifies an automatic snapshot. With --purge, no new snapshot is created, but earlier sets can still appear here.
- Confirm that the package is no longer installed.
$ snap list hello-world error: no matching snaps installed