Charmcraft snap fails to install due to a timeout on the configure hook

[PietroPasotti]

Bug Description

Recently I've seen a flaky error appear on snap install charmcraft.
It seems that the configure step times out. It only occurs in CI so far, so it's probably due to resource constraints.

Example failure in CI:
https://github.com/canonical/tempo-coordinator-k8s-operator/actions/runs/11814262043/job/32912967414?pr=62

Sometimes to make it go away it's enough to retry (a couple of times...).

To Reproduce

snap install charmcraft --classic --channel 3.x/candidate

Environment

Current runner version: '2.320.0'
Operating System
Ubuntu
24.04.1
LTS
Runner Image
Image: ubuntu-24.04
Version: 20241112.1.0
Included Software: https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/ubuntu24/20241112.1/images/ubuntu/Ubuntu2404-Readme.md
Image Release: https://github.com/actions/runner-images/releases/tag/ubuntu24%2F20241112.1

charmcraft.yaml

not applicable

Relevant log output

/usr/bin/sudo snap install charmcraft --classic --channel 3.x/candidate
error: cannot perform the following tasks:
- Run configure hook of "charmcraft" snap if present (run hook "configure": <exceeded maximum runtime of 5m0s>)
Error: The process '/usr/bin/sudo' failed with exit code 1
Error: Error: The process '/usr/bin/sudo' failed with exit code 1
    at ExecState._setResult (/home/runner/work/_actions/canonical/charming-actions/934193396735701141a1decc3613818e412da606/dist/check-libraries/index.js:3950:25)
    at ExecState.CheckComplete (/home/runner/work/_actions/canonical/charming-actions/934193396735701141a1decc3613818e412da606/dist/check-libraries/index.js:3933:18)
    at ChildProcess.<anonymous> (/home/runner/work/_actions/canonical/charming-actions/934193396735701141a1decc3613818e412da606/dist/check-libraries/index.js:3827:27)
    at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:519:28)
    at maybeClose (node:internal/child_process:1105:16)
    at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:305:5)

[jnsgruk]

This was fixed in #1984 and should be released soon :)

[PietroPasotti]

not sure I see how it's related, but I hope you're right!

[jnsgruk]

The workaround for now is to snap install lxd before you install charmcraft

[PietroPasotti]

how does this explain the flaky behaviour? if it's missing lxd, how come it sometimes succeeds?

[PietroPasotti]

also it seems that my GH workflow already had a

      - name: Setup LXD
        uses: canonical/setup-lxd@main

step right before the one that installs charmcraft. so either that step is b0rk or...?

[tigarmo]

@PietroPasotti according to the link you pasted (https://github.com/canonical/tempo-coordinator-k8s-operator/actions/runs/11814262043/job/32912967414?pr=62), the step that failed was "Check libs", which installs charmcraft but is separate from the job that sets up LXD (prepare-itest-runs)

[tigarmo]

how does this explain the flaky behaviour? if it's missing lxd, how come it sometimes succeeds?

If LXD is missing, calling lxc will install the snap from the store. This can then fail sometimes depending on transient store issues.