---
title: Install tailcat on Ubuntu using the Snap Store | Snapcraft
description: Get the latest version of tailcat for on Ubuntu - Like netcat, but over
  Tailscale's data plane, without the control plane
url: https://snapcraft.io/install/tailcat/ubuntu
---

[Canonical Snapcraft](https://snapcraft.io/)

# Install tailcat on **Ubuntu**

# tailcat

[Chi Wai CHAN (raychan96)](https://snapcraft.io/publisher/raychan96 "View all snaps from Chi Wai CHAN (raychan96)")

* [Chi Wai CHAN (raychan96)](https://snapcraft.io/publisher/raychan96 "View all snaps from Chi Wai CHAN (raychan96)")

[Install](https://snapcraft.io/install/tailcat/ubuntu#install)

#### Like netcat, but over Tailscale's data plane, without the control plane

Tailcat is a remix of Tailscale open source pieces to act like netcat, but over Tailscale's data
plane, without Tailscale's control plane. Tailscale's data plane (magicsock) gives you
point-to-point WireGuard-encrypted tunnels between two machines, using DERP relays for NAT
hole-punching and as a relay of last resort. Unlike Tailscale itself, tailcat needs no account,
no control plane, and no root/admin access. All connection metadata is exchanged out of band
(e.g. by copy/paste or DNS TXT record) and everything runs in userspace via a gVisor netstack.

Please refer to the upstream project <https://github.com/tailscale/tailcat> for more information.

### Package name

* tailcat

---

### License

* BSD-3-Clause

---

### Last updated

* 10 September 2026 - latest/stable
* 10 September 2026 - latest/candidate

---

### Websites

* [tailscale.com](https://tailscale.com/tailcat "https://tailscale.com/tailcat")

---

### Contact

* [chanchiwairay@gmail.com](mailto:chanchiwairay@gmail.com "mailto:chanchiwairay@gmail.com")

---

### Source code

* [github.com/tailscale/tailcat](https://github.com/tailscale/tailcat "https://github.com/tailscale/tailcat")
* [github.com/chanchiwai-ray/tailcat-snap](https://github.com/chanchiwai-ray/tailcat-snap "https://github.com/chanchiwai-ray/tailcat-snap")

---

### Report a bug

* [github.com/tailscale/tailcat/issues](https://github.com/tailscale/tailcat/issues "https://github.com/tailscale/tailcat/issues")
* [github.com/chanchiwai-ray/tailcat-snap/issues](https://github.com/chanchiwai-ray/tailcat-snap/issues "https://github.com/chanchiwai-ray/tailcat-snap/issues")

---

##### Report a Snap Store violation

* [Report this Snap](https://snapcraft.io/install/tailcat/ubuntu#report-snap-modal)

---

## Enable snaps on Ubuntu and install tailcat

Snaps are applications packaged with all their dependencies to run on all popular Linux distributions from a single build. They update automatically and roll back gracefully.

Snaps are discoverable and installable from the [Snap Store](https://snapcraft.io/store), an app store with an audience of millions.

### Enable snapd

If you’re running [Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus)](https://www.ubuntu.com/) or later, including [Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (Bionic Beaver)](https://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/features) and [Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FocalFossa/ReleaseNotes), you don’t need to do anything. Snap is already installed and ready to go.

For versions of Ubuntu between [14.04 LTS (Trusty Tahr)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/TrustyTahr/ReleaseNotes) and [15.10 (Wily Werewolf)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WilyWerewolf/ReleaseNotes), as well as Ubuntu flavours that don’t include *snap* by default, *snap* can be installed from the Ubuntu Software Centre by searching for *snapd*.

Alternatively, snapd can be installed from the command line:

```
sudo apt update
sudo apt install snapd
```

Either log out and back in again, or restart your system, to ensure snap’s paths are updated correctly.

### Install tailcat

To install tailcat, simply use the following command:

```
sudo snap install tailcat
```

### Other popular snaps…

[See more...](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=featured)

[See more in Featured](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=featured)

### More things to do…

#### [Get the snap store](https://snapcraft.io/snap-store)

Browse and find snaps from the convenience of your desktop using the snap store snap.

#### [Learn more about snaps](https://snapcraft.io/docs)

Interested to find out more about snaps? Want to publish your own application? Visit [snapcraft.io](https://snapcraft.io/) now.

[Back to top](https://snapcraft.io/install/tailcat/ubuntu)

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