Advanced Packaging Tool

Introduction

This document contains frequently used command and the corresponding used cases for package management software Advanced Packaging Tool (APT). For simplification, all the variables are written in parenthesis, e.g. (package), (version). The optional parameters are written in sqaure brackets, e.g. [—versions], [—mixed]

 

Table of Content

• Environment Setting
• Package Explorer
• Package Installation
• Upgrade Installed Package

 

Environment Setting

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Update APT package index

sudo apt update

Show all personal package archives (PPA) repository APT has tracked

apt policy

Track new PPA repository

sudo apt-get install software-properties-common # if add-apt-repository is not available
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:(PPA repository/PPA)

Removed tracked PPA repository

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:(PPA repository/PPA)

 

Package Explorer

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Show installed packages

apt list --installed

Show outdated packages

apt list --upgradable

Search available packages in tracked PPA repository

apt search [--names-only] (package/regex) 

Search available packages (with all available versions) in APT repostitory

apt list --all-versions (package)

 

Package Installation

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Install specific package

sudo apt install (package)[=(version)]

Reinstall specific package

sudo apt install [--reinstall] (package)

Uninstall specific package (but keep configuration files)

sudo apt remove (package)

Uninstall specific package (also remove configuration files)

sudo apt purge (package)

 

Upgrade Installed Package

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Upgrade specific package

sudo apt upgrade [package]

Upgrade all packages except for marked packages

sudo apt upgrade

Show marked packages

sudo apt-mark showhold

Disallow package to be upgraded

sudo apt-mark hold (package)

Allow package to be upgraded

sudo apt-mark unhold (package)