I’ve a similar discussion occurring elsewhere:
opened 06:46PM - 15 Oct 25 UTC
RFE
Priority: LOW
Triaged
#### Desired Solution And Rationale
When I invoke any of SnapD's "`snap`"'s bin… ary's sub-commands that require superuser authentication (of which "`install`" is an example):
- if I'm using a TTY, it prompts me to escalate my privileges in the CLI, whereas
- if I'm using an (XOrg) X11 or (KWin) Wayland instance, it creates a PolKit modal via KDE's package:
<p></p><img width="632" height="283" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/2d8306fe-89d1-4a80-b22a-01c1f82b3a55" /><p></p>
Solely if those fail, does it state: [^1]
[^1]: [`github.com/canonical/snapd/blob/134ffb5d0baacafd4f5ed1df9e113a1508d38bb9/po/en_GB.po#L49-L52`](https://github.com/canonical/snapd/blob/134ffb5d0baacafd4f5ed1df9e113a1508d38bb9/po/en_GB.po#L49C1-L52C28:~:text=snap%20login%20%2D%2Dhelp%5C%22\)%22-,%23.%20TRANSLATORS:%20%25s%20is%20an%20error,msgstr%20%22%25s%20\(try%20with%20sudo\)%22,-%23%2C%20c%2Dformat)
> error: access denied (try with `sudo`)
DNF5 should imitate this, rather than merely state:
https://github.com/rpm-software-management/dnf5/blob/2d2b92692411cbaedd589aedc37079f53198fbb4/dnf5/po/dnf5.pot#L1681-L1683
#### Alternatives
[`bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=1697969#p1697969`](https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=1697969#p1697969:~:text=Packagekit%20runs%20as%20a%20system%20activated%20daemon%2C%20so%20it%20can%20perform%20tasks%20that%20needs%20elevated%20previlages.) describes how `pkcon` manages to bypass even that prompt. However, that would be the purview of another issue. If more desirable, please state so, for I'll file an issue for it, too.
I’ve found pkexec to be a better experience, because the user can’t accidentally miss a prompt (the GUI experience is no different to invoking Partition Manager), it advises the user (in the CLI) on what to do when it fails.