To upgrade your system, first, update your package index as outlined above, and then type: sudo apt upgradeįor information on upgrading to a new Ubuntu release see Upgrading.Īctions of the apt command, such as installation and removal of packages, are logged in the /var/log/dpkg.log log file.įor further information about the use of APT, read the comprehensive APT User’s Guide or type: apt help Upgrade Packages: Over time, updated versions of packages currently installed on your computer may become available from the package repositories (for example security updates). To update the local package index with the latest changes made in the repositories, type the following: sudo apt update Update the Package Index: The APT package index is essentially a database of available packages from the repositories defined in the /etc/apt/sources.list file and in the /etc/apt/ directory. This may or may not be the desired effect, so use with caution. For basic commands the syntax of the two tools is identical.Īlso, adding the -purge option to apt remove will remove the package configuration files as well. The apt-get command should be used in scripts (perhaps with the -quiet flag). Scripting: While apt is a command-line tool, it is intended to be used interactively, and not to be called from non-interactive scripts. Multiple Packages: You may specify multiple packages to be installed or removed, separated by spaces. To remove the package installed in the previous example, type the following: sudo apt remove nmap Remove a Package: Removal of a package (or packages) is also straightforward.
For example, to install the nmap network scanner, type the following: sudo apt install nmap Install a Package: Installation of packages using the apt tool is quite simple. Some examples of popular uses for the apt utility:
The apt command is a powerful command-line tool, which works with Ubuntu’s Advanced Packaging Tool (APT) performing such functions as installation of new software packages, upgrade of existing software packages, updating of the package list index, and even upgrading the entire Ubuntu system. The software management tools in Ubuntu will do this automatically. In order for festival to function, it and all of its dependencies must be installed. For example, the speech synthesis package festival depends upon the package alsa-utils, which is a package supplying the ALSA sound library tools needed for audio playback.
Dependencies are additional packages required by the principal package in order to function properly. Packages are normally in a pre-compiled binary format thus installation is quick and requires no compiling of software. deb, and usually exist in repositories which are collections of packages found online or on physical media, such as CD-ROM discs. The package files contain all of the necessary files, meta-data, and instructions to implement a particular functionality or software application on your Ubuntu computer.ĭebian package files typically have the extension. Ubuntu’s package management system is derived from the same system used by the Debian GNU/Linux distribution.
Several tools are available for interacting with Ubuntu’s package management system, from simple command-line utilities which may be easily automated by system administrators, to a graphical interface which is easy to use by those new to Ubuntu. In addition to providing access to an organized base of over 60,000 software packages for your Ubuntu computer, the package management facilities also feature dependency resolution capabilities and software update checking. Ubuntu features a comprehensive package management system for installing, upgrading, configuring, and removing software.