Introduction to apt command
apt (Advanced Package Tool) is a package management tool in Debian-based Linux systems. You can use apt command to install, update, remove, or query packages and their dependencies. APT was ported and became APT-RPM to manage the rpm package format. APT-RPM can be used by any RPM-based distribution, such as Conectiva, Red Hat, SUSE, ALT-Linux, etc.
Comparison between apt and apt-get
Both apt and apt-get are command-line tools for handling packages.
- Most of the commands of apt are similar to apt-get but you have to use apt-cache for search and show command.
- apt is designed as an end user interface and its output may be changed between versions.
- apt contains the most used commands and options from more specialized APT tools like apt-get and apt-cache.
- Besides, apt includes the progress bar and colour texts in the output for an interactive use.
How apt command works
apt command uses repositories to manage the packages. Often, the repositories that come pre-installed with Ubuntu will suffice for the majority of the Debian packages you'll install via APT. Software repositories are essentially URLs in a text file, stored in one of two places.
- The main Ubuntu repository list is stored inÂ
/etc/apt/sources.list. Inside that file, you'll find a multitude of repositories for Ubuntu's package manager to pull packages from. - In addition, files with an extension of .list are read from theÂ
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/ directory and are also used whenever you use apt.
A typical repository line in either of these two files will look similar to the following:
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic main restricted
Here,
- The first section of each line will be eitherÂ
deb orÂdeb-src, which references whether theÂapt command will find binary packages (deb) or source packages (deb-src), there. - In the second section, we have the actual URL which apt will use in order to reach the repository.
- In the third section, we have the code-name of the release; in this case, it's bionic (which refers to the code-name for Ubuntu 18.04, Bionic Beaver).
- The fourth section of each repository line refers to the Component, which references whether or not the repository contains software that is free and open source
- The component can be main, restricted, universe, or multiverse.
- Repositories with a main component include officially supported software. This generally means that the software packages have source code available, so Ubuntu developers are able to fix bugs.
- Software marked restricted is still supported but may have a questionable license.
- Universe packages are supported by the community, not Canonical themselves.
- Finally, multiverse packages contain software that is neither free nor supported, which you would be using at your own risk.
Different examples to use apt command
Only root users or sudo users have permission to execute apt command. The basic syntax of apt command would be:
apt [options] command [package name]
In this article, we will teach you to use apt commands to manage the packages and their dependencies.
1. Install a package with apt command
You can use this command to install a package in your system. You need to specify the package name for installing that package.
# apt install package_name
Sample Output:
You can specify multiple packages to install all of them.
# apt install package1 package2 package3
2. Remove a package with apt command
To uninstall a package from the system, you can use the remove command followed by the package name.
# apt remove package_name
Sample Output:
Since remove command does not delete configuration files, you can use purge command to remove packages along with their configuration files.
# apt purge package_name
3. apt command to show package details
This command prints the detailed information of a specified package.
# apt show package_name
Sample Output:
root@golinux:~# apt show gcc
Package: gcc
Version: 4:5.3.1-1ubuntu1
Priority: optional
Section: devel
Source: gcc-defaults (1.150ubuntu1)
Origin: Ubuntu
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Original-Maintainer: Debian GCC Maintainers <debian-gcc@lists.debian.org>
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug
Installed-Size: 45.1 kB
Provides: c-compiler
Depends: cpp (>= 4:5.3.1-1ubuntu1), gcc-5 (>= 5.3.1-3~)
Recommends: libc6-dev | libc-dev
Suggests: gcc-multilib, make, manpages-dev, autoconf, automake, libtool, flex, bison, gdb, gcc-doc
Conflicts: gcc-doc (<< 1:2.95.3)
Task: ubuntu-desktop, ubuntu-usb, kubuntu-desktop, kubuntu-full, edubuntu-desktop, edubuntu-usb, xubuntu-core, xubuntu-desktop, mythbuntu-frontend, mythbuntu-desktop, mythbuntu-backend-slave, mythbuntu-backend-master, ubuntustudio-desktop-core, ubuntustudio-desktop, ubuntu-gnome-desktop, ubuntukylin-desktop
Build-Essential: yes
Supported: 5y
Download-Size: 5,250 B
APT-Manual-Installed: yes
APT-Sources: http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main i386 Packages
Description: GNU C compiler
This is the GNU C compiler, a fairly portable optimizing compiler for C.
.
This is a dependency package providing the default GNU C compiler.
4. Search for packages with apt command
search command allows you to search a pattern in the name and description of packages.
# apt search pattern
Sample Output:
root@golinux:~# apt search vim
Sorting... Done
Full Text Search... Done
clang-format-3.9/xenial-security 1:3.9.1-4ubuntu3~16.04.2 i386
Tool to format C/C++/Obj-C code
clang-format-4.0/xenial-security 1:4.0-1ubuntu1~16.04.2 i386
Tool to format C/C++/Obj-C code
clang-format-8/xenial-security 1:8-3~ubuntu16.04.1 i386
Tool to format C/C++/Obj-C code
exuberant-ctags/xenial 1:5.9~svn20110310-11 i386
build tag file indexes of source code definitions
grilo-plugins-0.2-base/xenial,now 0.2.17-0ubuntu2 i386 [installed]
Framework for discovering and browsing media - Base Plugins
tmux/xenial 2.1-3build1 i386
terminal multiplexer
vim/xenial-security 2:7.4.1689-3ubuntu1.5 i386
Vi IMproved - enhanced vi editor
vim-athena/xenial-security 2:7.4.1689-3ubuntu1.5 i386
Vi IMproved - enhanced vi editor - with Athena GUI
...
5. Update the list of available packages with apt command
You can use this command to update the list of available packages from the configured repositories. The update argument is used to download package information from all configured sources.
# apt update
Sample Output:
root@golinux:~# apt update Get:1 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security InRelease [109 kB] Hit:2 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial InRelease Get:3 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates InRelease [109 kB] Get:1 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security InRelease [109 kB] Get:4 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/main i386 DEP-11 Metadata [93.7 kB] Get:5 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/universe i386 DEP-11 Metadata [130 kB] Get:6 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/multiverse i386 DEP-11 Metadata [2,468 B] Get:3 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates InRelease [109 kB] Get:7 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports InRelease [107 kB] Get:8 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe i386 Packages [7,512 kB] ... Get:38 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/universe i386 DEP-11 Metadata [6,608 B] Get:39 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/universe DEP-11 64x64 Icons [5,608 B] Get:40 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/multiverse i386 DEP-11 Metadata [216 B] Get:41 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/multiverse DEP-11 64x64 Icons [29 B] Fetched 28.2 MB in 11min 30s (40.8 kB/s) Reading package lists... 77% Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done 498 packages can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see them.
6. apt command to upgrade packages
This command allows you to upgrade all the installed packages and their dependencies to the latest version via sources.list. New packages will be installed if required to satisfy dependencies, but existing packages will never be removed. If an upgrade for a package requires the remove of an installed package the upgrade for this package isn't performed.
# apt upgrade
Sample Output:
root@golinux:~# apt upgrade Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done Calculating upgrade... Done The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required: snapd-login-service Use 'apt autoremove' to remove it. The following NEW packages will be installed: distro-info libzstd1 linux-headers-4.15.0-142 linux-headers-4.15.0-142-generic linux-image-4.15.0-142-generic linux-modules-4.15.0-142-generic linux-modules-extra-4.15.0-142-generic python3-distro-info python3-yaml ubuntu-advantage-tools xdg-desktop-portal ... Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y Get:1 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 libc6-dev i386 2.23-0ubuntu11.3 [1,677 kB] Get:2 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 libc-dev-bin i386 2.23-0ubuntu11.3 [66.5 kB] Get:3 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 linux-libc-dev i386 4.4.0-210.242 [832 kB] Get:4 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 libc6 i386 2.23-0ubuntu11.3 [2,272 kB]
To upgrade a particular package, specify the package name.
# apt upgrade package_name
7. View the list of upgradable packages using apt command
If you need to view the list of upgradable packages in your system, you can use the following command.
# apt list --upgradable
Sample Output:
deepak@golinux:~$ apt list --upgradable Listing... Done accountsservice/xenial-updates,xenial-security 0.6.40-2ubuntu11.6 i386 [upgradable from: 0.6.40-2ubuntu11.3] amd64-microcode/xenial-updates,xenial-security 3.20191021.1+really3.20180524.1~ubuntu0.16.04.2 i386 [upgradable from: 3.20180524.1~ubuntu0.16.04.2] apparmor/xenial-updates,xenial-security 2.10.95-0ubuntu2.11 i386 [upgradable from: 2.10.95-0ubuntu2.9] apport/xenial-updates,xenial-security 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.30 all [upgradable from: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.18] apport-gtk/xenial-updates,xenial-security 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.30 all [upgradable from: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.18] apt/xenial-updates 1.2.35 i386 [upgradable from: 1.2.27] apt-transport-https/xenial-updates 1.2.35 i386 [upgradable from: 1.2.27] apt-utils/xenial-updates 1.2.35 i386 [upgradable from: 1.2.27] aptdaemon/xenial-updates,xenial-security 1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu14.5 all [upgradable from: 1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu14] aptdaemon-data/xenial-updates,xenial-security 1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu14.5 all [upgradable from: 1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu14] apturl/xenial-updates 0.5.2ubuntu11.2 i386 [upgradable from: 0.5.2ubuntu11.1] apturl-common/xenial-updates 0.5.2ubuntu11.2 i386 [upgradable from: 0.5.2ubuntu11.1] aspell/xenial-updates,xenial-security 0.60.7~20110707-3ubuntu0.1 i386 [upgradable from: 0.60.7~20110707-3build1] ... cpp-5/xenial-updates,xenial-security 5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.12 i386 [upgradable from: 5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.10] cups/xenial-updates,xenial-security 2.1.3-4ubuntu0.11 i386 [upgradable from: 2.1.3-4ubuntu0.5] cups-browsed/xenial-updates,xenial-security 1.8.3-2ubuntu3.5 i386 [upgradable from: 1.8.3-2ubuntu3.4] cups-bsd/xenial-updates,xenial-security 2.1.3-4ubuntu0.11 i386 [upgradable from: 2.1.3-4ubuntu0.5] cups-client/xenial-updates,xenial-security 2.1.3-4ubuntu0.11 i386 [upgradable from: 2.1.3-4ubuntu0.5]
8. Upgrade the full system with apt command
full-upgrade command allows you to upgrade the whole system. It will install/remove/upgrade packages if that is required to upgrade the whole system.
# apt full-upgrade
Sample Output:
root@golinux:~# apt full-upgrade Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done Calculating upgrade... Done The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required: snapd-login-service Use 'apt autoremove' to remove it. The following NEW packages will be installed: distro-info libzstd1 linux-headers-4.15.0-142 linux-headers-4.15.0-142-generic linux-image-4.15.0-142-generic linux-modules-4.15.0-142-generic linux-modules-extra-4.15.0-142-generic python3-distro-info python3-yaml ubuntu-advantage-tools xdg-desktop-portal xdg-desktop-portal-gtk The following packages will be upgraded: accountsservice amd64-microcode apparmor apport apport-gtk apt apt-transport-https apt-utils aptdaemon aptdaemon-data apturl apturl-common aspell avahi-autoipd avahi-daemon avahi-utils base-files bash bind9-host binutils bluez-cups bluez-obexd bsdutils busybox-initramfs busybox-static ... debconf-i18n dh-python distro-info-data dmidecode dnsmasq-base dnsutils dpkg dpkg-dev e2fslibs e2fsprogs evince evince-common evolution-data-server evolution-data-server-common evolution-data-server-online-accounts file file-roller firefox firefox-locale-en fonts-opensymbol friendly-recovery fwupd g++-5 gcc-5 gcc-5-base geoclue-ubuntu-geoip gettext gettext-base wireless-regdb wpasupplicant x11-common xdg-utils xorg xserver-common xserver-xorg-core-hwe-16.04 xserver-xorg-legacy-hwe-16.04 xterm zlib1g 498 upgraded, 12 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 520 MB of archives. After this operation, 440 MB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y Get:1 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 base-files i386 9.4ubuntu4.13 [61.8 kB] Get:2 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 bash i386 4.3-14ubuntu1.4 [593 kB] Get:3 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 bsdutils i386 1:2.27.1-6ubuntu3.10 [53.0 kB] Get:4 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 libc6-dbg i386 2.23-0ubuntu11.3 [3,124 kB] Get:5 http://np.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 libc6-dev i386 2.23-0ubuntu11.3 [1,677 kB]
9. apt command to remove unused packages
When installing a new package on the system, the package dependencies are automatically installed. When you remove a package, those dependencies remain on the system and are no longer used. To remove all unused packages and dependencies, you can use the following command.
# apt autoremove
Sample Output:
root@golinux:~# apt autoremove Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 498 not upgraded.
10. List all packages with apt command
You can use the following command to view the list of all packages that are available for your system.
# apt list
Sample Output:
root@golinux:~# apt list Listing... Done qtpositioning5-doc-html/xenial 5.5.1-3ubuntu1 all qtpositioning5-examples/xenial 5.5.1-3ubuntu1 all qtpurchasing5-dbg/xenial 5.6.0~git20151023.2f454143-0ubuntu4 i386 qtpurchasing5-dev/xenial 5.6.0~git20151023.2f454143-0ubuntu4 i386 qtqr/xenial 1.4~bzr21-1 all qtquick1-5-dbg/xenial 5.5.1-2build1 i386 ... qtscript5-dbg/xenial 5.5.1+dfsg-2build1 i386 qtscript5-dev/xenial 5.5.1+dfsg-2build1 i386 qtscript5-doc/xenial-updates 5.5.1-3ubuntu0.1 all qtscript5-doc-html/xenial 5.5.1+dfsg-2build1 all qtscript5-examples/xenial 5.5.1+dfsg-2build1 i386 qtscript5-private-dev/xenial 5.5.1+dfsg-2build1 i386 qtscrob/xenial 0.11+git-2 i386
11. List all installed packages with apt command
This command can help you to get the list of all installed packages on your system.
# apt list --installed
Sample Output:
root@golinux:~# apt list Listing... Done qtpositioning5-doc-html/xenial 5.5.1-3ubuntu1 all qtpositioning5-examples/xenial 5.5.1-3ubuntu1 all qtpurchasing5-dbg/xenial 5.6.0~git20151023.2f454143-0ubuntu4 i386 qtpurchasing5-dev/xenial 5.6.0~git20151023.2f454143-0ubuntu4 i386 qtqr/xenial 1.4~bzr21-1 all ... qtscript5-dbg/xenial 5.5.1+dfsg-2build1 i386 qtscript5-dev/xenial 5.5.1+dfsg-2build1 i386 qtscript5-doc/xenial-updates 5.5.1-3ubuntu0.1 all qtscript5-doc-html/xenial 5.5.1+dfsg-2build1 all qtscript5-examples/xenial 5.5.1+dfsg-2build1 i386 qtscript5-private-dev/xenial 5.5.1+dfsg-2build1 i386 qtscrob/xenial 0.11+git-2 i386
To list the specific package, you can use:
# apt list --installed | grep package_name
12. Check dependencies of package using apt
You can use this command to print the dependencies information of a specified package.
# apt depends package_name
Sample Output:
13. Avoid Yes/No prompt with apt command
To avoid Yes/No prompt and assume Yes, you can use -y option.
14. List the policy of a package using apt command
You can use -a option with list command to list the policy of a specific package.
# apt -a list package_name
Sample Output:
root@golinux:~# apt -a list python
Listing... Done
python/xenial-updates,now 2.7.12-1~16.04 i386 [installed]
python/xenial 2.7.11-1 i386
15. apt command to edit the source information file
With the following command, you can edit the source information file /etc/apt/sources.list.
# apt edit-sources
Â
Conclusion
This article explains the different examples of apt commands for handling packages. It is an essential tool to install, remove, update, or query packages and their dependencies in Debian-based Linux systems. We hope we have helped you to learn apt command and feel free to ask questions in a comment section.
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