- VS Code Snap package bug on Linux keeps deleted files, clogging hard drives
- Snap Creates Separate Local Trash Folders Per Version, Worsening Storage Issues
- No solution yet; Users are advised to install VS Code via .deb/.rpm or Flatpak instead of Snap
Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code, installed as a Snap package on a Linux device, has a strange bug that keeps all files deleted by users, thereby clogging hard drives, leading to a myriad of other problems for users.
The bug was first spotted by a few software developers, who found gigabytes of files that were supposed to be deleted. Some of them discovered the bug after completely running out of space on their computer.
The register notes that the flaw was first detected over a year ago and that a bug report was published in early November 2024. In the report, it was stated that the cause of the problem was Snap creating a local Trash folder for each version of VS Code, instead of just using the system one.
Code change without address
Additionally, Snap (a Linux packaging format and system) also keeps older versions of VS Code after updates, further multiplying the number of folders and files in the local Recycle Bin that should have been deleted, but persist.
On GitHub, a user discovered that the bug stems from an unresolved code change introduced in early October 2024 that “creates a fake Recycle Bin that is not the system’s Recycle Bin.” According to the user, the folder is unmanageable, “postponed from update to update” and “gradually bloating”.
Low disk space can slow down the system, editors, and compilers, and cause crashes or write failures.
The register says that neither VS Code nor Snap has a way to manage these folders, but says it is possible via the command line.
At this time, there is no indication that a patch has been released, or even that one is in the works. For now, many Linux users are avoiding the bug by installing VS Code from the official .deb/.rpm packages or using alternatives like Flatpak instead of the Snap version.
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