How to use the command 'check-support-status' (with examples)

The ‘check-support-status’ command is used to identify installed Debian packages for which support has had to be limited or prematurely ended. The command provides information on packages whose support is limited, has already ended, or will end earlier than the distribution’s end of life.

Use case 1: Display packages whose support is limited, has already ended or will end earlier than the distribution’s end of life.

Code:

check-support-status

Motivation: This use case allows users to get an overview of the installed Debian packages that have limited support or whose support has already ended or will end earlier than the distribution’s end of life. It helps in identifying vulnerable packages that may need to be updated or replaced.

Explanation: The above code simply executes the ‘check-support-status’ command without any additional arguments. This will display a list of packages along with their support status.

Example output:

Package                     Type             Support Status        End-of-Life     Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
package1                    Limited          No                     2023-06-30      None
package2                    Ended            Yes                    -               None
package3                    Ended            Yes                    -               Security issues

Use case 2: Display only packages whose support has ended.

Code:

check-support-status --type ended

Motivation: This use case allows users to filter and display only those packages whose support has already ended. It helps in quickly identifying packages that need to be updated or replaced due to security vulnerabilities.

Explanation: The ‘–type ended’ argument is specified with the ‘check-support-status’ command to filter the packages based on their support status. Only the packages whose support has already ended will be displayed in the output.

Example output:

Package                     Type             Support Status        End-of-Life     Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
package2                    Ended            Yes                    -               None
package3                    Ended            Yes                    -               Security issues

Use case 3: Skip printing a headline.

Code:

check-support-status --no-heading

Motivation: This use case is useful when an output without the headline is desired. It can be helpful when integrating the command’s output into scripts or other automated processes.

Explanation: The ‘–no-heading’ argument is used with the ‘check-support-status’ command to skip printing the headline in the output. This will result in a cleaner output without any title or header information.

Example output:

package1                    Limited          No                     2023-06-30      None
package2                    Ended            Yes                    -               None
package3                    Ended            Yes                    -               Security issues

Conclusion:

The ‘check-support-status’ command is a helpful tool for identifying installed Debian packages that have limited support or whose support has already ended. By using different arguments, users can filter the packages based on their support status and customize the output as needed. This command aids in managing and maintaining the security of Debian packages.