Debian APT Quick Reference

This is a summary of the information in the APT HOWTO. Read the HOWTO to learn more about how to use the Debian package management system.

Note that some of the commands shown here must be installed before they can be removed. For example, to use 'netselect', you must first (as root) do 'apt-get install netselect'.

Maintain available packages

Function	Command	Example
Update the list of available packages	apt-get update
Add a new Debian CD-ROM or DVD	apt-cdrom add
Choose the fastest Debian mirror from a list	netselect url1 url2 url3...	netselect ftp.uk.debian.org ftp.de.debian.org debian.proxad.net

Install

Function	Command	Example
Install package	apt-get install packagename	apt-get install xchat
Reinstall package	apt-get --reinstall install packagename	apt-get --reinstall install xchat
Redo the setup for a package	dpkg-reconfigure packagename	dpkg-reconfigure setserial
Install a package from a different Debian version	apt-get -t dist install packagename	apt-get -t stable install nautilus
Install a specific version of a package	apt-get install package=version-number	apt-get install nautilus=2.2.4-1
Install package source	apt-get source packagename	apt-get source xchat
Install package source and build it immediately	apt-get -b source packagename	apt-get -b source xchat
Install dependencies needed for building a package	apt-get build-dep packagename	apt-get build-dep xchat
Install an individual .deb file that has been manually downloaded	dpkg -i filename	dpkg -i mypackage.deb

Remove

Function	Command	Example
Remove a package and all packages that depend upon it, but leave configuration files in place	apt-get remove packagename	apt-get remove kdebase
Completely remove a package and all packages that depend upon it, including all the configuration files	apt-get --purge remove packagename	apt-get --purge remove kdebase
Completely remove an individual package, but leave its dependencies in place	dpkg --purge packagename	dpkg --purge xchat
Remove old downloaded .deb files	apt-get autoclean
Remove all downloaded .deb files	apt-get clean
Remove unused locales	localepurge
Show the libraries that can be removed because they are no longer needed	deborphan
Show the packages that can be removed in a single step because they have no dependencies	deborphan -all-packages

Upgrade

Function	Command
Upgrade to the latest version of the current release	apt-get upgrade
Show what would be done by apt-get upgrade	apt-get -u upgrade
Upgrade to the latest version of the latest release	apt-get dist-upgrade
Show what would be done by apt-get dist-upgrade	apt-get -u dist-upgrade
Show packages that can be upgraded	apt-show-versions -u

Query available (uninstalled) packages

Function	Command	Example
Find packages with certain words in their description	apt-cache search first-word second-word...	apt-cache search puzzle game
Show the description of a package	apt-cache show packagename	apt-cache show xchat
Show general information about a package	apt-cache showpkg packagename	apt-cache showpkg kworldclock
Show the dependencies of a package	apt-cache depends packagename	apt-cache depends kworldclock
List the contents of a package	apt-file list packagename	apt-file list penguineyes
Find a package that contains a specific file	apt-file search filename

Query installed packages

Function	Command	Example
Show all the packages that are installed	dpkg -l
List the contents of an installed package	dpkg -L packagename	dpkg -L kdebase
Find the installed package that owns a particular file or directory	dpkg -S file	dpkg -S /usr/share/wallpapers
Faster alternative to dpkg -L and dpkg -S	dlocate

June 2004

Phil Jones (philjones1 AT blueyonder.co.uk)