Note

You're reading the documentation for a development version. For the latest released version, please have a look at Lyrical.

Installing from the snapshot repository

The main ROS apt repository only holds the most recent version of each package, so a sync can move your system onto newer packages than the ones you last tested against. This article describes how to install ROS from a snapshot of the ROS apt repository, which lets you control exactly when your system moves to a newer sync.

Note

Snapshots are only available for Long Term Support (LTS) releases on Ubuntu.

Summary

Packages are synced from the ros-testing apt repository into the main ROS apt repository periodically for each active distribution. When a sync happens, the older versions of the updated packages are removed from the main repository and can no longer be installed. Also, while maintainers and ROS Bosses strive to avoid regressions, packages failing to build are removed when syncing. This is disruptive if your build or deployment depends on a specific set of package versions.

To improve overall reproducibility and to provide more control over package updates, the snapshot repository at snapshots.ros.org keeps a copy of the main ROS apt repository as it was just after a sync. Installing from a snapshot gives you a fixed set of package versions that does not change until you choose a different snapshot.

Most users should install from the main repository by following the installation instructions. The snapshot repository is useful if you bundle ROS packages into an artifact such as a container image, or if you want to move to a new sync deliberately rather than whenever you next run apt upgrade.

Snapshots are taken for a ROS distribution’s Ubuntu target platform and architectures. See the list of platforms binaries are built for.

Warning

Snapshots do not receive bug fixes or security updates. Keep following ROS releases and upgrade periodically.

Usage

1 Add the snapshot repository key

The snapshot repository is signed with its own key, which is not the key that the ros2-apt-source package installs for the main repository. Download it into a keyring of its own:

$ sudo mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings
$ curl -fsSL "https://keyserver.ubuntu.com/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x4B63CF8FDE49746E98FA01DDAD19BAB3CBF125EA" | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/ros-snapshots-archive-keyring.gpg

Check that you downloaded the expected key before using it:

$ gpg --show-keys --with-fingerprint /etc/apt/keyrings/ros-snapshots-archive-keyring.gpg

Confirm that the fingerprint it prints is 4B63 CF8F DE49 746E 98FA 01DD AD19 BAB3 CBF1 25EA.

2 Choose a snapshot

Browse snapshots.ros.org, and choose the distribution and then snapshot you want to install.

Snapshots are named after the date of the sync they were taken from, such as 2026-08-07. When a distribution reaches end of life, a last snapshot named final is taken, which you can use like any other snapshot.

Record your choice in the shell you will use for the remaining steps, for example, humble and 2026-08-07:

$ export ROS_DISTRO=humble
$ export SNAPSHOT=2026-08-07

3 Add the snapshot repository to apt

Write an apt source file pointing at the snapshot you chose:

sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ros2-snapshots.sources > /dev/null <<EOF
Types: deb
URIs: http://snapshots.ros.org/${ROS_DISTRO}/${SNAPSHOT}/ubuntu
Suites: $(. /etc/os-release && echo ${UBUNTU_CODENAME:-${VERSION_CODENAME}})
Components: main
Signed-By: /etc/apt/keyrings/ros-snapshots-archive-keyring.gpg
EOF

If you have already installed ROS, remove the ros2-apt-source package:

$ sudo apt remove ros2-apt-source

In case you are switching to an older snapshot, give the snapshot repository a pin priority above 1000 so that apt prefers it, otherwise apt will not downgrade to the snapshot’s older versions:

sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/ros2-snapshots > /dev/null <<EOF
Package: *
Pin: origin snapshots.ros.org
Pin-Priority: 1001
EOF

Then update the apt caches:

$ sudo apt update

4 Use a matching rosdistro index

The rosdistro index is versioned separately from the apt repositories, so rosdep may resolve keys against a newer state of rosdistro than the snapshot you installed. Syncs are tagged in rosdistro using the same <distribution>/<date> naming as snapshots, so you can pin the index to the tag matching your snapshot.

$ sed -i "s|ros\/rosdistro\/master|ros\/rosdistro\/${ROS_DISTRO}\/${SNAPSHOT}|" /etc/ros/rosdep/sources.list.d/20-default.list
$ mkdir -p ~/.config/rosdistro
$ echo "index_url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ros/rosdistro/${ROS_DISTRO}/${SNAPSHOT}/index-v4.yaml" > ~/.config/rosdistro/config.yaml
$ rosdep update

Note

We use ~/.config/rosdistro/config.yaml as a more permanent rosdistro index pin here. However, the ROSDISTRO_INDEX_URL environment variable takes precedence over this configuration file. If it is set, unset it, otherwise the index is not pinned to your snapshot. To check which index is used:

$ python3 -c "from rosdistro import get_index_url; print(get_index_url())"

5 Install ROS

Install packages as you normally would. The versions you get are the ones that were in the main repository at the time of the snapshot:

$ sudo apt install ros-rolling-desktop

If you already had ROS installed from the main repository, move the existing installation onto the snapshot:

$ sudo apt dist-upgrade

Note that this may downgrade packages, since the snapshot can be older than the main repository.

Return to the main repository

To go back to the main repository, remove the snapshot source and the pin:

$ sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ros2-snapshots.sources
$ sudo rm -f /etc/apt/preferences.d/ros2-snapshots

You will need to add the ROS 2 apt repository to your system.

First ensure that the Ubuntu Universe repository is enabled.

$ sudo apt install software-properties-common
$ sudo add-apt-repository universe

The ros-apt-source packages provide keys and apt source configuration for the various ROS repositories.

Installing the ros2-apt-source package will configure ROS 2 repositories for your system. Updates to repository configuration will occur automatically when new versions of this package are released to the ROS repositories.

$ sudo apt update && sudo apt install curl -y
$ export ROS_APT_SOURCE_VERSION=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/ros-infrastructure/ros-apt-source/releases/latest | grep -F "tag_name" | awk -F'"' '{print $4}')
$ curl -L -o /tmp/ros2-apt-source.deb "https://github.com/ros-infrastructure/ros-apt-source/releases/download/${ROS_APT_SOURCE_VERSION}/ros2-apt-source_${ROS_APT_SOURCE_VERSION}.$(. /etc/os-release && echo ${UBUNTU_CODENAME:-${VERSION_CODENAME}})_all.deb"
$ sudo dpkg -i /tmp/ros2-apt-source.deb

Then update the apt index and upgrade:

$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt dist-upgrade

Reset the rosdistro index:

$ rm ~/.config/rosdistro/config.yaml
$ rm /etc/ros/rosdep/sources.list.d/20-default.list
$ sudo rosdep init
$ rosdep update

To move to a different snapshot instead, start from step 2 again.

FAQs

How often are snapshots published?: A snapshot is usually taken after a sync, but the interval between snapshots varies. Browse snapshots.ros.org to see what is available for a distribution.
How long are snapshots kept?: Snapshots for released distributions are available for at least six months from their sync or end of life date.
Is there a snapshot repository for Rolling?: No. Snapshots are only published for released distributions.
How is this different from the ros-testing repository?: The two point in opposite directions. The ros-testing repository holds packages that have not yet been synced into the main repository, so you can test them before a release. A snapshot holds packages exactly as they were at a past sync, so you can keep installing the versions you already tested. See Testing with pre-release binaries.
Can I use a snapshot on a production robot?: Snapshots receive no bug fixes and no security updates. If you use one, treat moving to a newer snapshot or distro as part of your regular maintenance. Note that ABI compatibility between snapshots is not tested or guaranteed, so when switching a system to a new snapshot, updating all ROS packages is recommended.
How can I get a snapshot of Debian packages from Ubuntu, e.g., ROS dependencies?: Ubuntu has its own snapshot service.