snapcraft recommends bad naming standards
Metadata
Current evaluation
Proposed rewrite of the `snapcraft register` name-claim prompt, which wrongly says snaps can be renamed and steers users toward $username- name suffixes, contradicting the docs. Still present verbatim at HEAD.
Suggested action: needs triage
Reason: Verified the message is unfixed at HEAD: `_MESSAGE_REGISTER_CONFIRM` in snapcraft/commands/names.py:45-57 still contains 'If needed, we will rename snaps...' and the "'$username-thunderbird'" example, and git history shows only mechanical refactors plus 39f7a1f43 (docs link) since the report — no wording commit. The reporter supplied concrete replacement copy, and tests/unit/commands/test_names.py:83,156 assert the exact string so a swap is turnkey, hence low complexity and high actionability. However the issue carries no labels, no assignee, and its only comment is from the author herself, so it has never been assessed by a maintainer; snapcraft may not be able to unilaterally change store-policy language, and the same $username- guidance is duplicated in `_MESSAGE_REGISTER_PRIVATE` (line 43), which the issue does not mention.
Evaluated by: mr-cal-bot
Impact:
33
Quick Win:
23
Complexity:
12
Confidence:
85
Actionability:
80
Issue body
When you register a name, snapcraft currently shows this message:
```
We always want to ensure that users get the software they expect
for a particular name.
If needed, we will rename snaps to ensure that a particular name
reflects the software most widely expected by our community.
For example, most people would expect ‘thunderbird’ to be published by
Mozilla. They would also expect to be able to get other snaps of
Thunderbird as 'thunderbird-$username'.
Would you say that MOST users will expect 'ikbestani' to come from
you, and be the software you intend to publish there?
```
This is the source: https://github.com/snapcore/snapcraft/blob/131c99fd9da6272e138479798af643a079dfc3f9/snapcraft/cli/store.py#L48
This message has a couple of issues:
* It implies third parties cannot publish snaps and guides users towards using their username as a suffix.
* It talks about "renaming snaps" even though that is not possible.
As a result, many people initially add their username as a suffix to the snap they are creating. Even though that is discouraged by many snapcraft developers, many snaps in the snap store are managed by third parties, and the docs discourage suffixes: https://snapcraft.io/docs/registering-your-app-name.
Evaluation history
| Date | Model | Scores | Action | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| stealth/space-bunny-alpha |
Impact:
33
Quick Win:
23
Complexity:
12
Confidence:
85
Actionability:
80
|
needs triage | Proposed rewrite of the `snapcraft register` name-claim prompt, which wrongly says snaps can be renamed and steers users toward $username- name suffixes, contradicting the docs. Still present verbatim at HEAD. | |
| stealth/space-bunny-alpha |
Impact:
32
Quick Win:
21
Complexity:
15
Confidence:
80
Actionability:
78
|
needs triage | Requests rewording of the `snapcraft register` confirmation prompt (snapcraft/commands/names.py _MESSAGE_REGISTER_CONFIRM), which wrongly implies snaps get renamed and that third parties must suffix names with their username | |
| qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b |
Impact:
30
Quick Win:
19
Complexity:
20
Confidence:
75
Actionability:
80
|
needs triage | The snap name registration confirmation message incorrectly implies snaps can be renamed and discourages third-party publishing by suggesting username suffixes, contradicting official docs. | |
| qwen/qwen3.8-27b |
Impact:
20
Quick Win:
17
Staleness:
90
Complexity:
15
Confidence:
70
Support Request:
10
|
close stale | Reports that the snapcraft register CLI prompt implied third parties couldn't publish snaps and suggested username suffixes, contradicting store naming docs. No maintainer response; the referenced register command/prompt no longer exists in current snapcraft. | |
| qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b |
Staleness:
95
Complexity:
10
Confidence:
85
Support Request:
0
|
close stale | Reports a misleading CLI prompt during snap name registration that suggests username suffixes and mentions impossible snap renaming. Open for over six years with no maintainer response or activity. | |
| qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b |
Staleness:
98
Complexity:
10
Confidence:
90
Support Request:
0
|
close stale | Report that snapcraft's name registration message misleadingly discourages third-party publishing and suggests username suffixes, while incorrectly stating snaps can be renamed. Unassessed and inactive for over six years. | |
| qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6 |
Staleness:
95
Complexity:
10
Confidence:
85
Support Request:
5
|
close stale | Reports snapcraft's name registration prompt encourages poor naming conventions and mentions impossible snap renaming. Unlabeled, no comments, inactive for over 5 years. |
Update history
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| created |
Related issues
| Issue | Project | State | Summary | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1723726 “snapcraft register” message is mysterious and inaccurate | snapcraft (launchpad) | open | Wants the 'snapcraft register' confirmation prompt rewritten: undefined 'we'/'our community', false claim that snaps get renamed, hedged wording, and a prompt users can't truthfully answer. Text still unchanged in snapcraft/commands/names.py | |
| #1723720 “snapcraft register” with invalid characters still blathers on about name ownership | snapcraft (launchpad) | open | `snapcraft register` shows the name-ownership blather and prompt before the store rejects invalid names. Still present at HEAD: names.py validates nothing client-side. Untriaged, only one self-comment from reporter. | |
| #1664530 snapcraft and the store disagree on what to call developer namespaces | snapcraft (launchpad) | closed | Naming mismatch between snapcraft's username prompt and the store's "developer namespace" field. Closed by mr-cal (2026-08-25) noting Snapcraft no longer knows or lets users set developer namespaces; 2FA part split to software-center-agent#1665411. |