How to use the command `aptitude` (with examples)

The aptitude command is a package management utility for Debian and Ubuntu distributions. It is used to manage packages and their dependencies, search for packages, update package lists, and perform upgrades. In this article, we will illustrate each of these use cases with examples.

Use case 1: Synchronize list of packages and versions available.

Code:

aptitude update

Motivation: Running aptitude update synchronizes the local package database with the latest package lists available online. This is necessary before running any subsequent aptitude commands to ensure that the information about available packages and versions is up-to-date.

Example output:

Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic InRelease [242 kB]
Get:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates InRelease [88.7 kB]
...
Fetched 331 kB in 1s (272 kB/s)

Use case 2: Install a new package and its dependencies.

Code:

aptitude install package

Motivation: The aptitude install command is used to install new packages along with their dependencies. This is useful when you want to add new software to your system without having to manually handle dependency resolution.

Example output:

The following NEW packages will be installed:
  package1 package2 package3
0 packages upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove...
...
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]

Use case 3: Search for a package.

Code:

aptitude search package

Motivation: When you want to find a package based on its name or keywords, you can use the aptitude search command. It searches the available package lists and returns a list of packages that match the specified query.

Example output:

p   package1          - Description of package1
p   package2          - Description of package2
p   package3          - Description of package3

Use case 4: Search for an installed package.

Code:

aptitude search '?installed(package)'

Motivation: To search for packages that are currently installed on your system, you can use the aptitude search command with the ?installed search term. This helps you identify the packages that are already present on your system.

Example output:

i   package1          - Description of package1

Use case 5: Remove a package and all packages depending on it.

Code:

aptitude remove package

Motivation: When you want to remove a package from your system, you can use the aptitude remove command. It removes the specified package along with any other packages that depend on it. This ensures that your system remains in a consistent state.

Example output:

The following packages will be REMOVED:
  package1 package2 package3
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 3 to remove...
...
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]

Use case 6: Upgrade installed packages to the newest available versions.

Code:

aptitude upgrade

Motivation: The aptitude upgrade command is used to upgrade the installed packages on your system to their newest available versions. This ensures that you have the latest bug fixes and security updates.

Example output:

The following packages will be upgraded:
  package1 package2 package3
0 packages upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove...
...
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]

Use case 7: Upgrade installed packages including removal and installation of additional packages.

Code:

aptitude full-upgrade

Motivation: The aptitude full-upgrade command is similar to aptitude upgrade, but it also removes obsolete packages and installs additional packages to satisfy new dependencies introduced by the upgraded packages. This ensures that your system remains in a consistent state after the upgrade.

Example output:

The following packages will be upgraded:
  package1 package2 package3
0 packages upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove...
...
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]

Use case 8: Put an installed package on hold to prevent automatic upgrades.

Code:

aptitude hold '?installed(package)'

Motivation: If you want to prevent a specific package from being automatically upgraded, you can use the aptitude hold command. This puts the installed package on hold, meaning that it will not be upgraded until the hold is released.

Example output:

The following packages will be held back:
  package1
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove...

Conclusion:

The aptitude command is a powerful package management utility for Debian and Ubuntu distributions. It provides a wide range of functionality for managing packages, searching for packages, updating package lists, and performing upgrades. By understanding and using the different available options and arguments, you can effectively manage the software on your system.