How to use the command pacstall (with examples)

Pacstall is an AUR (Arch User Repository) package manager designed specifically for Ubuntu. It allows users to search, install, remove, update, and query package information. It also supports adding repositories from GitHub and GitLab. In this article, we will explore several use cases of the pacstall command and provide examples for each.

Use case 1: Search the package database

Code:

pacstall --search query

Motivation: Searching the package database is useful when you are looking for a specific package and want to check if it is available for installation.

Explanation:

• --search is the argument used to perform a search in the package database.
• query is the search term or package name you are looking for.

Example output:

Results for 'python':
1. python3 (version 3.9.0)
2. python-pip (version 20.0.2)
3. python-setuptools (version 45.2.0)
...

Use case 2: Install a package

Code:

pacstall --install package

Motivation: Installing a package allows you to add new software or tools to your system.

Explanation:

• --install is the argument used to specify that you want to install a package.
• package is the name of the package you want to install.

Example output:

Installing package 'python3'...
Package 'python3' installed successfully.

Use case 3: Remove a package

Code:

pacstall --remove package

Motivation: Removing a package is necessary when you no longer need a particular software or tool and want to free up disk space.

Explanation:

• --remove is the argument used to specify that you want to remove a package.
• package is the name of the package you want to remove.

Example output:

Removing package 'python3'...
Package 'python3' removed successfully.

Use case 4: Add a repository to the database

Code:

pacstall --add-repo remote_repository_location

Motivation: Adding a repository allows you to access additional packages from external sources like GitHub or GitLab.

Explanation:

• --add-repo is the argument used to add a repository to the package database.
• remote_repository_location is the remote location of the repository. Only repositories from GitHub and GitLab are supported.

Example output:

Adding repository 'https://github.com/example/repo'...
Repository 'https://github.com/example/repo' added successfully.

Use case 5: Update pacstall’s scripts

Code:

pacstall --update

Motivation: Updating pacstall’s scripts is important to ensure that you have the latest versions and bug fixes.

Explanation:

• --update is the argument used to update pacstall’s scripts.

Example output:

Updating pacstall...
Pacstall updated successfully to version 1.2.3.

Use case 6: Update all packages

Code:

pacstall --upgrade

Motivation: Updating all packages is essential to keep your system up to date with the latest security patches, bug fixes, and feature updates.

Explanation:

• --upgrade is the argument used to update all packages installed on your system.

Example output:

Updating all packages...
Package 'python3' upgraded to version 3.9.1.
Package 'python-pip' upgraded to version 20.1.1.
Package 'python-setuptools' upgraded to version 45.2.1.
...

Use case 7: Display information about a package

Code:

pacstall --query-info package

Motivation: Getting information about a package helps you to understand its purpose, dependencies, and other important details.

Explanation:

• --query-info is the argument used to display information about a package.
• package is the name of the package you want to get information about.

Example output:

Information for package 'python3':
Version: 3.9.0
Description: Python programming language version 3
Maintainer: John Doe
Dependencies: python-pip, python-setuptools
...

Use case 8: List all installed packages

Code:

pacstall --list

Motivation: Listing all installed packages gives you an overview of the software and tools currently installed on your system.

Explanation:

• --list is the argument used to list all installed packages.

Example output:

Installed packages:
1. python3 (version 3.9.0)
2. python-pip (version 20.0.2)
3. python-setuptools (version 45.2.0)
...

Conclusion:

The pacstall command is a powerful package manager for Ubuntu, allowing users to search, install, remove, update, and query package information. By following the provided examples for each use case, users can easily navigate and manage their software packages on Ubuntu systems.