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HACKING.md does not explain how to run snapcraft from a source tree

View original Launchpad issue

Metadata

Project
snapcraft (launchpad)
Number
#1848038
Type
issue
State
open
Author
~racb
Labels
Created
Updated
Closed

Current evaluation

Request for HACKING.md to document running snapcraft from a source tree so code changes take effect. ~7 years old, 0 comments, no labels; the root HACKING.md no longer exists - docs were restructured into docs/contribute/.

Suggested action: close stale

Reason: The issue is 2513 days old with zero comments, no labels, and no maintainer interaction, and it is no longer applicable: the current repo layout has no HACKING.md at the root (docs now live under docs/contribute/ and docs/how-to/), and the related Launchpad bug #1741091 about the same file confirms the docs were restructured. The original problem (missing source-tree run instructions in root HACKING.md) no longer exists in that form.

Impact: 15 Quick Win: 11.25 Staleness: 95 Complexity: 25 Confidence: 70 Support Request: 30

Issue body

To hack on snapcraft, the first thing I want to do is reproduce the problem I'm trying to fix while running snapcraft straight from the source tree. Expected: after following HACKING.md, I can modify any part of snapcraft's source in my checked out VCS tree, immediately run snapcraft, and see the code changes in effect. Actual: HACKING.md does not appear to explain how to do this. If I run snapcraft, it seems to run out of the virtualenv set up by tools/environment-setup.sh (hacked to work around bug 1847774). Changes I make to the source tree do not seem to have any effect. I tried running: PYTHONPATH=$VCS_CHECKOUT python3 -m snapcraft.cli ... This appears to work superficially, but various changes I make to the source tree seem to not have effect, so I think it's incomplete.

Evaluation history

Date Model Scores Action Summary
qwen/qwen3.8-27b
Impact: 15
Quick Win: 11.25
Staleness: 95
Complexity: 25
Confidence: 70
Support Request: 30
close stale Request for HACKING.md to document running snapcraft from a source tree so code changes take effect. ~7 years old, 0 comments, no labels; the root HACKING.md no longer exists - docs were restructured into docs/contribute/.
qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b
Staleness: 95
Complexity: 10
Confidence: 85
Support Request: 10
close stale Unlabelled documentation request to explain running snapcraft from source. No maintainer response or comments, inactive for over 6 years.
qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b
Staleness: 98
Complexity: 15
Confidence: 85
Support Request: 65
close stale Documentation gap: HACKING.md lacks instructions for running snapcraft directly from a source tree for development. Unlabeled, no maintainer response, inactive for over 6 years.
qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6
Staleness: 95
Complexity: 10
Confidence: 85
Support Request: 5
needs triage Documentation gap: HACKING.md lacks instructions for running snapcraft directly from a source tree for local development. Untriaged, no maintainer response.
qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6
Staleness: 95
Complexity: 10
Confidence: 85
Support Request: 60
close stale Documentation gap: HACKING.md lacks instructions for running snapcraft directly from a source tree for development. Untriaged, no maintainer response, inactive for over six years.

Update history

No update history recorded yet.

Related work

  • Related To: snapcraft (launchpad)#1741091 (confidence 70%)

    Same-era bug about the same root HACKING.md install guide; its summary confirms HACKING.md no longer exists at the repo root after the docs restructure into docs/contribute/.

Related issues

Issue Project State Summary Similarity
#1741091 Installing snapcraft (and its dependencies) snapcraft (launchpad) open Reports a missing 'cd snapcraft' step in the HACKING.md install guide. Open 8+ years with zero comments, no labels, and no maintainer interaction; the referenced HACKING.md no longer exists at the repo root (docs restructured into docs/contribute/).
80%
#1336 HACKING: make running from virtualenv more obvious snapcraft merged Merged documentation update to HACKING.md clarifying Snapcraft virtualenv support and promoting relevant instructions. Approved by two reviewers, the change resolves prior setup confusion by modifying one file.
70%