[NETBEANS-341] Provide Snap Packages for NetBeans

• Type: Wish
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 9.0
• Fix Version/s: 10.0
• Component/s: platform - Launchers&CLI
• Labels: CI build
• Assignee: Laszlo Kishalmi
• Reporter: Laszlo Kishalmi
• Created: 27/Jan/18 19:35
• Updated: 03/Nov/19 20:07
• Resolved: 31/Dec/18 06:41

Description

The aim of this wish is to make NetBeans IDE available using Snap packaging system making it available on almost all Linux distributions.

While the invention of Snap package management is a bit controversial among Linux users, it is definitely gaining momentum as some major brands started to deliver their products as Snap packages. Like Spotify and IntelliJ as well.

Snap store can provide different distribution channels for different state of the products, like alpha, beta and stable (additional channels can be requested as well). Snapcraft.io service provides an automatic build and release functionality for free. Also the snap client can update the installed software daily. Having this functionality can enable some users to live on the edge if they want.

I've started some experiments which can help make it happen.

1. This snap code needs to be integrated into the main NetBeans repository.
   Check tle linked PR#404
2. Snapcraft.io could be bind into github to enable automatic build.
   As far as I see now we shall request a permission to build a the package with classic confinement (no-security restrictions)

My experimental package is available and can be tested with:

wget https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/lkishalmi-us-west-2-public/snaps/netbeans_9.0-beta-rc2_amd64.snap
snap install netbeans_9.0-beta-rc2_amd64.snap --dangerous --classic

If we could make this happen NetBeans install on Linux could be as simple as:

snap install netbeans --classic

 

Issue Links

• links to: GitHub Pull Request #404
• links to: Snapcraft Forum discussion