snapcraft "list-*" subcommands are inconsistent
Metadata
Current evaluation
Deprecated redundant list-* commands via #5341 and #5524, then removed them in commit 3623601d7 for Snapcraft 9/core26, resolving the inconsistency.
Resolution: closed superseded
Reason: The maintainer directed the work to follow-up #5428. PRs #5341 and #5524 added deprecation warnings, and commit 3623601d7 removed the redundant commands in Snapcraft 9/core26.
Evaluated by: mr-cal-bot
No scores available.
Issue body
### Bug Description
snapcraft has a number of subcommands that come in pairs, of the form:
$ snapcraft fubar
$ snapcraft list-fubar
which *mostly* are consistent, but not totally. The variations I see are:
- plugins
- extensions
- tracks
- revisions
- keys
- validation-sets [sort of]
For the first four, if you run "snapcraft help list-fubar", the output, toward the end, refers the reader to the shorter form, but if you ask for help for the short form, you do *not* get referred to the longer form (a bit weird).
Next, it *seems* that the commands "list-keys" and "keys" are equivalent, but the "help" output for the two are entirely different; examine the output of each of:
$ snapcraft help list-keys
$ snapcraft help keys
to appreciate the strangeness.
Finally, for consistency, if there is a "list-validation-sets" subcommand, then there should be a "validation-sets" subcommand.
I can't think of a general rule for consistency for the above, but there should definitely be some consistency.
### To Reproduce
Run the various "help" subcommands.
### Environment
Ubuntu 22.04 amd64.
### snapcraft.yaml
```shell
None.
```
### Relevant log output
```shell
None.
```
### Additional context
_No response_
Evaluation history
| Date | Model | Scores | Action | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| stealth/space-bunny-alpha | — | closed superseded | Deprecated redundant list-* commands via #5341 and #5524, then removed them in commit 3623601d7 for Snapcraft 9/core26, resolving the inconsistency. | |
| stealth/space-bunny-alpha | — | closed superseded | Superseded by command deprecation: PR #5828 (d2dbfb2f8) renamed the commands, and commit 3623601d7 removed deprecated aliases in Snapcraft 9. | |
| stealth/space-bunny-alpha | — | closed resolved | Standardized on non-list command names, deprecated legacy aliases, then removed them in commit 3623601d7 for Snapcraft 9/core26. | |
| stealth/space-bunny-alpha | — | closed resolved | Extra list-* commands were deprecated in #5341/#5524, renamed in #5828, then removed by commit 3623601d7 for Snapcraft 9/core26. | |
| stealth/space-bunny-alpha | — | closed resolved | Extra `list-*` commands were deprecated in #5341 and #5524, then removed by commit 3623601d7 for Snapcraft 9/core26. | |
| qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b | — | — | The inconsistent list-* subcommands and help text will be deprecated rather than fixed. This enhancement is closed and superseded by the planned deprecation tracked in issue #5428. | |
| qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b | — | — | Closed and superseded. A maintainer confirmed the inconsistent list subcommands will be deprecated in a separate tracking issue, abandoning the request for consistency in favor of removal. | |
| qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b | — | — | Superseded by a deprecation plan. Maintainers confirmed the inconsistent list-* subcommands will be deprecated in issue #5428, resolving the inconsistency by removing the redundant commands rather than standardizing them. | |
| qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6 | — | — | Closed as superseded. Maintainers noted the inconsistent list-* subcommands will be deprecated entirely in issue #5428, rendering the consistency fix unnecessary. |
Update history
No update history recorded yet.
Related work
-
Superseded By:
canonical/snapcraft#5428
(confidence 99%)
Maintainer explicitly identified this issue as the follow-up for deprecating the extra commands.
-
Likely Fixed By:
canonical/snapcraft#5341
(confidence 95%)
Added deprecation handling for redundant CLI commands.
-
Likely Fixed By:
canonical/snapcraft#5524
(confidence 95%)
Added further deprecation handling for the remaining redundant commands.
Related issues
| Issue | Project | State | Summary | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #5828 feat: rename `list-` commands | snapcraft | merged | Merged in canonical/snapcraft#5828 (d2dbfb2f8): list-X commands became X, with old names retained as hidden deprecated aliases; it closed #5711. | |
| #5711 Reverse deprecation warnings for `list-` commands | snapcraft | closed | Closed unimplemented after an automated SNAPCRAFT-1210 sync notice; related #5428 later tracked removal of deprecated commands in commit 3623601d7. |