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docs: document the `build-aux` directory

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Metadata

Project
snapcraft
Number
#5282
Type
issue
State
closed
Author
mr-cal
Labels
Status: Triaged Type: Documentation
Created
Updated
Closed

Current evaluation

Documentation added: docs/explanation/snapcraft-yaml.rst now lists <project>/build-aux/snap/snapcraft.yaml as a valid project file location. Resolved by merged PR #5466 (commit 2670e8278); maintainer closed the issue citing it.

Resolution: closed resolved

Reason: PR #5466 ("docs: migrate 'snapcraft.yaml'") was merged into main as commit 2670e8278, adding build-aux to the list of supported snapcraft.yaml locations in docs/explanation/snapcraft-yaml.rst. Maintainer mr-cal closed the issue with "Documented in #5466" on 2025-05-02.

Evaluated by: mr-cal-bot

No scores available.

Issue body

### What needs to get done Add documentation about the `build-aux` directory. It belongs with documentation that describes where a `snapcraft.yaml` can be located. ### Why it needs to get done The use and purpose of `build-aux` isn't documented. The [`build-aux` directory](https://github.com/canonical/snapcraft/blob/02433aa1bcef717b79c0b9a2d163472fe2abe2d7/snapcraft/application.py#L166) is an alternative location to place the `snap` directory for a project. This is used by snapd because it has a conflicting [top-level snap](https://github.com/canonical/snapd/tree/master/snap) directory.

Evaluation history

Date Model Scores Action Summary
stealth/space-bunny-alpha — closed resolved Documentation added: docs/explanation/snapcraft-yaml.rst now lists <project>/build-aux/snap/snapcraft.yaml as a valid project file location. Resolved by merged PR #5466 (commit 2670e8278); maintainer closed the issue citing it.
stealth/space-bunny-alpha — closed resolved Documented build-aux in the snapcraft.yaml project-file reference via merged PR #5466 (commit 2670e8278).
stealth/space-bunny-alpha — closed resolved Documented build-aux as an alternative project-file location in merged PR #5466, commit 2670e8278.
qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b — — Documentation for the build-aux directory was added via pull request #5466, resolving the request to explain its purpose as an alternative snap directory location.
qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b — — Documentation for the build-aux directory was added to clarify its purpose as an alternative snap directory location. The request was resolved and merged in pull request #5466.
qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6 — — Documentation for the build-aux directory was added in pull request #5466, resolving the request to explain its purpose as an alternative snap directory location. The issue is now closed.

Update history

No update history recorded yet.

Related work

  • Likely Fixed By: snapcraft#5466 (confidence 95%)

    Merged docs PR that rewrote snapcraft.yaml docs into the Read the Docs explanation page including the build-aux/snap location.

  • Related To: snapcraft#2496 (confidence 45%)

    Commit 4c92c1b89 'many: support the use of build-aux/snap' introduced the feature being documented.

Related issues

Issue Project State Summary Similarity
#274 fix: add build-aux location for snapcraft project fetch-service merged Merged in PR #274 via commit 01a15fb, adding build-aux/snap/snapcraft.yaml as a recognized Snapcraft project path; included in 0.4.1 to address the OSV issue.
79%
#2496 many: support the use of build-aux/snap snapcraft merged Merged PR snapcore/snapcraft#2496 (commit 4c92c1b89) by maintainer sergiusens, adding support for build-aux/snap as an alternative location for snapcraft.yaml and Snapcraft assets, following GNOME conventions (LP: #1805219).
75%