@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@
 #
 # Install OpenShell from a GitHub release.
 #
-# Linux installs either the Debian or RPM packages from the selected release.
-# Apple Silicon macOS installs the generated Homebrew formula, so Homebrew owns
-# the binary layout and launchd service lifecycle.
+# Linux prefers the Snap path when snapd is available. Otherwise Linux installs
+# the Debian or RPM packages from the selected release. Apple Silicon macOS
+# installs the generated Homebrew formula, so Homebrew owns the binary layout
+# and launchd service lifecycle.
 #
 set -e
 
@@ -21,6 +22,12 @@ HOMEBREW_FORMULA_NAME="openshell"
 BREAKING_RELEASE_VERSION="0.0.37"
 LINUX_PACKAGE_GLIBC_MIN_VERSION="2.31"
 UPGRADE_NOTICE_ACK="${OPENSHELL_ACK_BREAKING_UPGRADE:-}"
+SNAP_PACKAGE_NAME="openshell"
+SNAP_DOCKER_SLOT="docker:docker-daemon"
+SNAP_DEFAULT_CHANNEL="latest/stable"
+SNAP_DEV_CHANNEL="latest/edge"
+LINUX_INSTALL_METHOD_SNAP="snap"
+LINUX_INSTALL_METHOD_CLASSIC="classic"
 
 info() {
   printf '%s: %s\n' "$APP_NAME" "$*" >&2
@@ -54,13 +61,27 @@ ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES:
     OPENSHELL_ACK_BREAKING_UPGRADE
                         Set to 1 only after backing up and cleaning up a
                         pre-v0.0.37 installation.
+    OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD
+                        Linux only. Selects snap or classic. Accepted values:
+                          snap     install from the Snap Store
+                          classic  install via dpkg or rpm
+                        When unset, snap is used when snapd is available and
+                        running, otherwise the classic package manager is used.
+                        Set OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD=classic on distros where
+                        snapd is not desired.
 
 NOTES:
     When OPENSHELL_VERSION is unset, this resolves the latest tagged release
     from ${GITHUB_URL}/releases/latest.
 
-    Linux installs the Debian package on amd64/arm64 or the RPM packages on
-    x86_64/aarch64, depending on the host package manager.
+    Linux prefers the snap method when snapd is available. The Snap channel
+    follows OPENSHELL_VERSION: 'dev' selects ${SNAP_DEV_CHANNEL:-latest/edge},
+    tagged releases select ${SNAP_DEFAULT_CHANNEL:-latest/stable}. snapd
+    manages the gateway as the 'openshell.gateway' service.
+
+    On systems without snapd, Linux installs the Debian package on
+    amd64/arm64 or the RPM packages on x86_64/aarch64, depending on the
+    host package manager.
     macOS installs the release Homebrew formula on Apple Silicon and starts a
     brew services-backed local gateway.
 EOF
@@ -477,6 +498,69 @@ linux_package_method() {
   fi
 }
 
+has_snapd() {
+  if [ "${OPENSHELL_INSTALL_SH_TEST:-0}" = "1" ]; then
+    case "${OPENSHELL_TEST_SNAPD_AVAILABLE:-0}" in
+      1) return 0 ;;
+      0) return 1 ;;
+    esac
+  fi
+
+  command -v snap >/dev/null 2>&1 || return 1
+  [ -S /run/snapd.socket ] || [ -S /var/run/snapd.socket ] || return 1
+  return 0
+}
+
+host_supports_native_package() {
+  has_cmd dpkg || has_cmd rpm
+}
+
+check_docker_not_installed_natively() {
+  if ! command -v docker >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  _docker_path="$(command -v docker)"
+  case "$_docker_path" in
+    /snap/bin/docker | /var/lib/snapd/snap/bin/docker)
+      return 0
+      ;;
+  esac
+
+  error "Docker is installed via a non-snap package. The Docker snap cannot be installed alongside a native Docker installation. Please uninstall the native Docker package and try again, or install OpenShell via dpkg/rpm instead of snap."
+}
+
+resolve_linux_install_method() {
+  _method="${OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD:-}"
+  if [ -n "$_method" ]; then
+    case "$_method" in
+      "$LINUX_INSTALL_METHOD_SNAP" | "$LINUX_INSTALL_METHOD_CLASSIC")
+        echo "$_method"
+        return 0
+        ;;
+      *)
+        error "OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD must be '${LINUX_INSTALL_METHOD_SNAP}' or '${LINUX_INSTALL_METHOD_CLASSIC}' (got: ${_method})"
+        ;;
+    esac
+  fi
+
+  if has_snapd; then
+    echo "$LINUX_INSTALL_METHOD_SNAP"
+  elif host_supports_native_package; then
+    echo "$LINUX_INSTALL_METHOD_CLASSIC"
+  else
+    error "OpenShell Linux installs require either snapd or dpkg/rpm"
+  fi
+}
+
+resolve_snap_channel() {
+  if [ "${RELEASE_TAG:-}" = "dev" ]; then
+    echo "$SNAP_DEV_CHANNEL"
+  else
+    echo "$SNAP_DEFAULT_CHANNEL"
+  fi
+}
+
 set_linux_target_runtime_dir() {
   if [ "$(id -u)" -eq "$TARGET_UID" ] && [ -n "${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:-}" ]; then
     TARGET_RUNTIME_DIR="$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR"
@@ -866,6 +950,44 @@ print_gateway_add_output() {
   done
 }
 
+install_linux_snap() {
+  _channel="$(resolve_snap_channel)"
+
+  info "installing ${APP_NAME} from the Snap Store (channel: ${_channel})..."
+  as_root snap install "$SNAP_PACKAGE_NAME" --channel="$_channel"
+
+  # TODO: Remove this check once snapd 2.76 is released, which lifts the
+  # restriction preventing snap packages from being installed alongside a
+  # native Docker installation. At that point the docker snap can be
+  # pre-installed unconditionally.
+  check_docker_not_installed_natively
+
+  info "pre-installing the Docker snap..."
+  as_root snap install docker
+
+  info "connecting required interfaces..."
+  as_root snap connect "${SNAP_PACKAGE_NAME}:docker" "$SNAP_DOCKER_SLOT" || \
+    warn "could not connect ${SNAP_PACKAGE_NAME}:docker to ${SNAP_DOCKER_SLOT}; the Docker driver will not work until this is fixed"
+  for _plug in log-observe system-observe ssh-keys; do
+    as_root snap connect "${SNAP_PACKAGE_NAME}:${_plug}" || \
+      warn "could not connect ${SNAP_PACKAGE_NAME}:${_plug}; some features may be limited"
+  done
+
+  info "installed ${APP_NAME} from the Snap Store (${_channel})"
+  info "snapd manages the OpenShell gateway as the 'openshell.gateway' service."
+  info ""
+  info "Next steps:"
+  info "  snap services openshell"
+  info "  openshell status"
+  info "  openshell gateway add https://127.0.0.1:17670 --local --name openshell"
+  if ! command -v snap >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    info ""
+    info "note: the 'openshell' binary is provided by the snap."
+    info "Make sure snap is in your PATH, or invoke openshell with the"
+    info "absolute path, before running the next-step commands."
+  fi
+}
+
 install_linux_deb() {
   check_linux_deb_platform
   set_linux_target_runtime_dir
@@ -1033,16 +1155,23 @@ main() {
 
   case "$PLATFORM" in
     linux)
-      require_linux_package_glibc
-      case "$(linux_package_method)" in
-        deb)
-          install_linux_deb
-          ;;
-        rpm)
-          install_linux_rpm
+      case "$(resolve_linux_install_method)" in
+        "$LINUX_INSTALL_METHOD_SNAP")
+          install_linux_snap
           ;;
-        *)
-          error "unsupported Linux package method"
+        "$LINUX_INSTALL_METHOD_CLASSIC")
+          require_linux_package_glibc
+          case "$(linux_package_method)" in
+            deb)
+              install_linux_deb
+              ;;
+            rpm)
+              install_linux_rpm
+              ;;
+            *)
+              error "unsupported Linux package method"
+              ;;
+          esac
           ;;
       esac
       ;;
 
@@ -99,4 +99,82 @@ assert_glibc_preflight_fails \
   "OpenShell Linux packages require glibc >= 2.31; detected musl or unsupported libc." \
   setup_ldd_musl
 
+assert_eq() {
+  local name=$1
+  local expected=$2
+  local actual=$3
+  if [ "$expected" != "$actual" ]; then
+    echo "FAIL: ${name}: expected '${expected}', got '${actual}'" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+}
+
+# has_snapd: with the test-mode override, OPENSHELL_TEST_SNAPD_AVAILABLE selects
+# the result. In real environments the function probes for `snap` and the snapd
+# socket, which the test cannot exercise without root or a real snapd.
+(export OPENSHELL_TEST_SNAPD_AVAILABLE=1; has_snapd) || {
+  echo "FAIL: has_snapd with OPENSHELL_TEST_SNAPD_AVAILABLE=1" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
+(export OPENSHELL_TEST_SNAPD_AVAILABLE=0; has_snapd) && {
+  echo "FAIL: has_snapd with OPENSHELL_TEST_SNAPD_AVAILABLE=0 should fail" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
+
+# resolve_snap_channel
+export RELEASE_TAG=""
+assert_eq "resolve_snap_channel default" "latest/stable" "$(resolve_snap_channel)"
+export RELEASE_TAG="dev"
+assert_eq "resolve_snap_channel dev" "latest/edge" "$(resolve_snap_channel)"
+export RELEASE_TAG="v0.0.37"
+assert_eq "resolve_snap_channel tagged" "latest/stable" "$(resolve_snap_channel)"
+export RELEASE_TAG=""
+unset RELEASE_TAG
+
+# resolve_linux_install_method: explicit env var wins over the probe
+export OPENSHELL_TEST_SNAPD_AVAILABLE=1
+export OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD=snap
+assert_eq "resolve_linux_install_method snap explicit" "snap" "$(resolve_linux_install_method)"
+export OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD=classic
+assert_eq "resolve_linux_install_method classic explicit overrides snap probe" "classic" "$(resolve_linux_install_method)"
+export OPENSHELL_TEST_SNAPD_AVAILABLE=0
+export OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD=classic
+assert_eq "resolve_linux_install_method classic explicit" "classic" "$(resolve_linux_install_method)"
+unset OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD
+
+# resolve_linux_install_method: snap when available
+export OPENSHELL_TEST_SNAPD_AVAILABLE=1
+unset OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD
+assert_eq "resolve_linux_install_method snap auto" "snap" "$(resolve_linux_install_method)"
+
+# resolve_linux_install_method: invalid env var exits non-zero
+export OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD=invalid
+_snap_err="${tmpdir}/snap-err"
+if (resolve_linux_install_method) >/dev/null 2>"$_snap_err"; then
+  echo "FAIL: resolve_linux_install_method should fail on invalid value" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+if ! grep -Fq "OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD must be" "$_snap_err"; then
+  echo "FAIL: resolve_linux_install_method: missing expected error message" >&2
+  cat "$_snap_err" >&2 || true
+  exit 1
+fi
+unset OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD
+
+# resolve_linux_install_method: snap absent + clean PATH (no dpkg/rpm) exits non-zero
+export OPENSHELL_TEST_SNAPD_AVAILABLE=0
+_real_path="$PATH"
+_clean_path="${tmpdir}/clean-path"
+mkdir -p "$_clean_path"
+PATH="$_clean_path"
+unset OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD
+if (resolve_linux_install_method) >/dev/null 2>"$_snap_err"; then
+  PATH="$_real_path"
+  echo "FAIL: resolve_linux_install_method should fail without snap or native" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+PATH="$_real_path"
+export OPENSHELL_TEST_SNAPD_AVAILABLE=1
+unset OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD
+
 echo "install.sh libc preflight tests passed"