Support a `-f|--file` or `-C|--directory` flag

Metadata

Project: snapcraft
Number: #5684
Type: issue
State: open
Author: dilyn-corner
Labels: Type: Enhancement
Created: 2025-08-07 08:15 PM UTC
Updated: 2025-08-12 01:39 PM UTC
Closed: —

Current evaluation

Feature request to add a -f/--file or -C/--directory flag to snapcraft lifecycle subcommands so users can specify an alternate snapcraft.yaml or project directory, enabling monorepo/variant builds. Maintainers discussed it in Aug 2025, noting snapcraft pack dir/ currently packs a directory (unhelpful) and that removing that behavior is a candidate for Snapcraft 9.

Suggested action: keep open

Reason: Maintainers actively engaged in Aug 2025: @mr-cal flagged it as a candidate for Snapcraft 9 and noted @sergiusens suggested removing the confusing `snapcraft pack dir/` behavior, with a plan to notify goreleaser. The feature is not implemented (no --file/--directory flag in the codebase), and it's a well-scoped enhancement with clear rationale for monorepo support.

Impact: 55 Quick Win: 16.5 Staleness: 35 Complexity: 70 Confidence: 75 Support Request: 10

Issue body

### What needs to get done Add a flag to the `snapcraft <pull|build|stage|prime|pack>` subcommands which enables a user to specify the precise `snapcraft.yaml` file to use for a build or the directory in which one could be found. ### Why it needs to get done This does two things: 1) Aligns snapcraft with many other build system tools, such as `make`, `cmake`, or `meson` 2) enable a single source-tree to potentially provide multiple variant builds of that source as slightly different snaps, without requiring entirely different snap packaging trees. The second point is especially useful in the context of a monolithic snap project repository such as [this](https://github.com/canonical/iot-field-kernel-snap), and in fact would be exceptionally useful for things like building Canonical kernel snaps (which already have a predilection for using things like a `debian.<flavour>` directory for these kinds of things). In short, it makes things like derivative kernels (or derivative "snaps", if there is such a concept) far easier to maintain and build.

Evaluation history

Date	Model	Scores	Action	Summary
2026-09-01 02:36 AM UTC	qwen/qwen3.8-27b	Impact: 55 Quick Win: 16.5 Staleness: 35 Complexity: 70 Confidence: 75 Support Request: 10	keep open	Feature request to add a -f/--file or -C/--directory flag to snapcraft lifecycle subcommands so users can specify an alternate snapcraft.yaml or project directory, enabling monorepo/variant builds. Maintainers discussed it in Aug 2025, noting snapcraft pack dir/ currently packs a directory (unhelpful) and that removing that behavior is a candidate for Snapcraft 9.
2026-07-22 12:14 PM UTC	qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b	Staleness: 60 Complexity: 40 Confidence: 75 Support Request: 10	keep open	Enhancement to add -f/-C flags for specifying snapcraft.yaml or build directory. Maintainer acknowledged as a Snapcraft 9 candidate, but remains unassigned and inactive for over a year.
2026-07-08 01:11 PM UTC	qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6	Staleness: 45 Complexity: 35 Confidence: 85 Support Request: 10	keep open	Enhancement request to add -f/--file or -C/--directory flags to snapcraft subcommands for mono-repo and variant builds. Maintainers acknowledge the need and suggest it for Snapcraft 9.
2026-06-16 07:37 PM UTC	qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6	Staleness: 68 Complexity: 20 Confidence: 85 Support Request: 0	keep open	Proposes -f or -C flags for snapcraft commands to specify build configs or directories, enabling mono-repo support. Currently under discussion as a Snapcraft 9 candidate, with recent comments debating existing directory handling behavior.

Update history

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