The Snap package gives you access to the latest version

Aug 17, 2017 20:14 GMT  ·  By

Canonical's Olivier Tilloy has put out a call for testing for what it would appear to be the very first Chromium Snap package for Ubuntu Linux and other Snappy-enabled distros.

Snap is a universal binary format created by Canonical to allow for easy distribution of third-party, proprietary apps across all supported Ubuntu releases, as well as other GNU/Linux distributions. It also enables users to have the latest version of an app installed on their computers.

The first version of the Chromium Snap allows users to easily install the open-source Chromium web browser. The package is now available for installation from the Snappy Store and users have access to both the stable and beta channels, which include Chromium 60 and Chromium 61 Beta, respectively.

Here's how to install the Chromium Snap on your Linux PC

If you're running a Snappy-enabled Ubuntu release, or a GNU/Linux distro that allows you to install Snap packages, it's easy to install the Chromium Snap. All you have to do is open a terminal emulator and run one of the following commands, for stable or beta versions.

snap install --candidate chromium
snap install --beta chromium
Canonical says that the Snap version of the Chromium web browser can co-exist with the package installed from operating system's repositories. However, on Ubuntu, if you want to use only the Chromium Snap, you can remove the official Ubuntu package by running the following commands in the Terminal app. sudo apt remove chromium-browser
sudo apt autoremove
If you have the time, Canonical would want as many of you to install the Chromium Snap and report any issues they might encounter. Details on how to report a bug for this specific Snap package can be found in Olivier Tilloy's announcement, where you can also join the conversation about the development of the Chromium Snap.