The guide explains how to set up snapd and the Snap Store on AlmaLinux 9, noting that the distro’s default repositories omit snapd so you need to enable AppStream-Extras (formerly PowerTools) before installation. After enabling the repo you install snapd with dnf, start and enable its socket, and create a symlink for classic confinement so that snaps can find /snap. Once those steps are complete, you simply run `sudo snap install snap-store` to get the graphical client, or use command line tools like `snap find`. The article also warns about potential disruptions from kernel module updates and offers a quick restart trick for snapd if it stops working.

Install Snap and Snap‑Store on AlmaLinux 9

If you’re running AlmaLinux 9 and want the snap ecosystem (Snap Store, snaps, everything), this is how to get it up and running without a headache.

Why the default repo won’t cut it

AlmaLinux ships with a minimal set of packages. Snapd isn’t part of the base install, so you’ll hit “No such package” straight away if you try dnf install snapd right out of the box. The upstream Fedora project keeps snapd in its own repository, and AlmaLinux has to pull that in manually.

Step 1: Enable the AppStream‑Extras repo

sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled PowerTools

Why this matters: AlmaLinux 9 splits development tools into AppStream‑Extras (formerly PowerTools). Snapd lives there. Without enabling it, you’ll get “Package snapd not available” even if the rest of your system is up‑to‑date.

Step 2: Install snapd

sudo dnf install -y snapd

After the download finishes, you’ll see a message about enabling the socket. Snapd uses a systemd unit to start on demand, so it’s not running until you actually launch a snap.

Step 3: Start and enable the snapd‑socket

sudo systemctl enable --now snapd.socket

Enabling the socket ensures that every time you run snap, the service starts automatically. If you forget this step, your first snap command will complain that the daemon isn’t running.

Step 4: Create a symlink for classic confinement

sudo ln -s /var/lib/snapd/snap /snap

Classic snaps expect to find /snap. AlmaLinux doesn’t create this link by default, so without it, you’ll see errors like “classic snap not found” when installing certain applications.

Step 5: Install the Snap Store

sudo snap install snap-store

That’s all. The Snap Store app will appear in your menu and let you browse and install snaps graphically. If you prefer command‑line, just snap find and then sudo snap install <package>.

Real‑world tweak: A broken driver update can break snapd

I’ve seen this happen after a bad kernel module update on AlmaLinux 8: the system would boot fine, but trying to run any snap failed with “snapd is not running.” The fix was simply sudo systemctl restart snapd.socket. It’s worth keeping that command handy because snapd is often a silent casualty of upstream changes.

Wrap‑up

That’s it. Snap and the Snap Store are now available on your AlmaLinux 9 machine, ready to pull in everything from VS Code to GIMP with a single command. Happy hacking!