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Resolving the Issue with Hugo hugo new site in Snap Environment

When using Hugo to build static websites, I encountered an issue: while trying to create a new site using the Snap-installed version of Hugo with the command hugo new site, the files were not created in the current directory as expected. Instead, they were placed in /var/lib/snapd/void.

After investigation, I found that this was caused by Snap's sandboxing mechanism, which interferes with Hugo's ability to correctly access the local directory. Here is a detailed analysis of the issue and how to resolve it.

The Problem​

Running the following command in a target directory (e.g., /www/wwwroot/prefure-nav):

hugo new site .

The command outputs a success message, but upon inspection, the target directory contains no files. Instead, all project files are created in /var/lib/snapd/void.

Analysis of the Cause​

This happens because the Snap-installed version of Hugo operates in a sandboxed environment, which restricts access to certain parts of the file system.

Specific Causes:​

  1. Snap's Sandboxing Mechanism: Snap's sandboxing isolates applications from the system. If the target directory is outside the paths accessible to Snap, Hugo redirects file operations to /var/lib/snapd/void, a virtual path used by Snap.

  2. Unconnected home Interface: Even for directories within the user's home folder, Hugo cannot access them unless the home interface is explicitly connected.

  3. Non-Home Directories: If the target directory (e.g., /www/wwwroot/) lies outside Snap's default accessible paths, Snap maps the writes to /var/lib/snapd/void.

Solutions​

Method 1: Connect Snap's home Interface​

Snap restricts access to the home directory by default. You can grant Hugo permission to access your home directory with the following command:

sudo snap connect hugo:home

This allows Hugo to access your home directory and its subdirectories. If your target path is within the home directory (e.g., ~/my-hugo-site), this should resolve the issue.

Method 2: Install Hugo in --classic Mode​

Snap provides a classic confinement option that removes the sandboxing restrictions and grants the application full access to the file system.

Uninstall the current Hugo:​

sudo snap remove hugo

Install Hugo in classic mode:​

sudo snap install hugo --classic

This version of Hugo will not be restricted by Snap's sandbox, allowing it to operate normally in any directory.

Method 3: Install Hugo from the Official Binary​

If you prefer not to use Snap, you can install Hugo using its official binary release:

Download Hugo Binary​

Visit Hugo Releases and download the appropriate version for your system architecture. For example:

wget https://github.com/gohugoio/hugo/releases/download/vX.X.X/hugo_extended_X.X.X_Linux-64bit.tar.gz

Extract and Install​

tar -xvzf hugo_extended_X.X.X_Linux-64bit.tar.gz
sudo mv hugo /usr/local/bin/

Verify Installation​

hugo version

Method 4: Explicitly Specify the Target Path​

If you must use a non-home directory (e.g., /www/wwwroot/), explicitly specify the full path:

hugo new site /www/wwwroot/prefure-nav

This avoids Snap's path mapping issues, but ensure the directory has the correct write permissions.

Conclusion​

The Snap-installed version of Hugo can encounter path limitations due to Snap's sandboxing. To resolve this, you can:

  1. Use sudo snap connect hugo:home to grant access to the home directory.
  2. Reinstall Hugo in classic mode: sudo snap install hugo --classic.
  3. Use Hugo's official binary release to bypass Snap entirely.
  4. Explicitly specify the full target path and ensure proper permissions.

In my case, I chose to uninstall Snapd and install Hugo by binary file, which resolved the path mapping issue and allowed me to create projects normally.