Removing gnome software snap plugin breaks gnome software storefront on Xubuntu 20.04

[Stuart]

How to reproduce:

1) Fresh install of Xubuntu 20.04
2) Open "Terminal"
3) Type "sudo apt autoremove --purge snapd gnome-software-plugin-snap"
4) Launch "Gnome Software"

Result:
I removed snapd & the Gnome Software snap plugin and I noticed that it broke the Gnome Software front page, where you can see all the featured and recommended applications etc. See attached screenshot. After running "sudo apt autoremove --purge snapd gnome-software-plugin-snap" the Gnome Software Center should default back to showing applications from the Ubuntu repository and not snap store. The same happens in Ubuntu 18.04!

I tried clearing the app-info cache but to no avail.

$pkill gnome-software
$sudo rm -r /var/cache/app-info
$sudo appstreamcli refresh --force --verbose

Gnome-Software terminal output:
12:06:06:0632 Gs enabled plugins: desktop-categories, fwupd, os-release, packagekit, packagekit-local, packagekit-offline, packagekit-proxy, packagekit-refine-repos, packagekit-refresh, packagekit-upgrade, packagekit-url-to-app, appstream, desktop-menu-path, hardcoded-blacklist, modalias, odrs, packagekit-refine, rewrite-resource, packagekit-history, provenance, systemd-updates, generic-updates, provenance-license, icons, key-colors, key-colors-metadata
12:06:06:0633 Gs disabled plugins: dpkg, dummy, repos
12:06:07:0935 Gs Only 0 apps for popular list, hiding
12:06:07:0965 Gs hiding category audio-video featured applications: found only 0 to show, need at least 9
12:06:07:0965 Gs hiding category graphics featured applications: found only 0 to show, need at least 9
12:06:08:0925 Gs Only 2 apps for recent list, hiding

Screenshot:
https://imgur.com/a/F4BCWQu

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: gnome-software 3.36.0-0ubuntu3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-26.30-generic 5.4.30
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-26-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs zunicode zavl icp zcommon znvpair
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CasperVersion: 1.445
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Mon May 18 11:56:16 2020
InstalledPlugins:
 gnome-software-plugin-flatpak N/A
 gnome-software-plugin-snap N/A
LiveMediaBuild: Xubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20200423)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: gnome-software
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
modified.conffile..etc.xdg.autostart.gnome-software-service.desktop: [deleted]

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Stuart (linuxscientist)]

This is not the same bug. Please compare screenshots, bug report 1873060 has a big empty space between apps and categories. I don't even have apps showing in the front page at all.

[Stuart (linuxscientist)]

Gnome Software Center should default back to showing applications from the Ubuntu repository but there's nothing.

[C1ph3r L1nux (c1ph3rl1nux)]

I have the same issue. When I remove snapd & gnome-software-plugin-snap, Gnome Software Center's front page breaks and I have no apps, all I can see are the categories.

I'm on Xubuntu 18.04.

[James Taylor (james-taylor99)]

+1 Confirming the bug. I'm not a fan of snaps or containerized apps in general - I don't think they're ready just yet, so I always de-install them from my OS. I did that today and have encountered the same problem as the OP.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Confirmed on focal, the workaround is easy though (keeping the snap plugin installed, it doesn't force any snap use) so marking as low

[Stuart (linuxscientist)]

Of course it does, that's why I removed it. All recommended applications shown on the gnome storefront are snaps, all of them, see for yourself. Also when you search it always shows snaps first instead of repo apps. So the workaround is not a solution.

Screenshots:
https://imgur.com/Xk2E69a
https://imgur.com/24DjV4N

[C1ph3r L1nux (c1ph3rl1nux)]

@Stuart
Honestly, I'm not surprised by the Ubunutu devs response to your bug report. Like everyone else, I got excited about the latest Ubuntu LTS release and installed it on day one. A week in, I’m sorry to say that I leave disappointed. The amount of unready snap features being effectively forced onto users is affecting Ubuntu’s usability and user-friendliness. In 20.04 LTS, Ubuntu’s Software Center was switched from being a .deb version of GNOME Software to a snap app. The new snapped store can handle management of snap applications and traditional .deb ones, but it can’t install or remove Flatpak applications, like the previous .deb version could. Users wanting to install Flatpak apps need to revert to using the .deb version. Which at this point is no longer available through the terminal. It’s not an ideal solution when previous Ubuntu Software releases could handle all three formats by default. In all, the latest Ubuntu Software is a step back. Even without Flatpak apps, I was expecting the snap store to at least do well what it is supposed to. It turns out it prioritizes snap apps over .deb in search results at any cost! So you’ll see a long list of non relevant search results of snap apps above .deb ones, even if your search term exactly matches the latter. Needless to say this is a serious issue for discovering software, especially for new users. Given that app discovery is so central to consumer operating systems, I’m gonna say the new Ubuntu isn’t only a step back, but is borderline unreliable. Snap applications auto-update and that’s fine if Ubuntu wants to keep systems secure. But it can’t even be turned off manually. Auto-updating of snaps can only be deferred at best, until at some point, like Windows, it auto-updates anyway. Even on metered connections, snaps auto-update anyway after some time. This is a deal breaker for people on limited bandwidth connections or who want to know exactly what they’re updating and when they’d like to.
I never hold off updating my system for more than seven days in the worst case, but this auto-update snap thing is causing me issues like slowing down my connection abruptly and using a major chunk of my limited data for the day.Ubuntu was my first Linux-based operating system and is what attracted me to the ecosystem. I have a soft spot for it, especially the amazing Unity days. As such, it is disappointing to see this snap obsession that has taken over Ubuntu. An OS once lauded for its sane defaults and user friendliness is actively going against the user’s will. What’s especially concerning is that this is the Ubuntu version that millions of people will use for at least two years. I don’t hate snaps but being forced to use it when clearly in a premature state is forcing me to hate it. Snaps simply aren’t ready for system-wide daily usage and Ubuntu should’ve known better. Perhaps Ubuntu should’ve created a separate snap-based OS image, like Fedora’s Silverblue, and only swap the default when it’s ready. Ubuntu 20.04 LTS’ snap obsession has discouraged me from using it for the foreseeable future. I switched to Pop!_OS a few days ago as my primary OS and I;m loving it so far. You should give it...