Debian Package Management

This is a stub. Please feel free to give this article love and attention if you know more about this topic than we have here.

overview

this class should outline the basics of debian package management- searching, installing, updating and removing software.

background

prerequisites

• basic familiarity with commandline and Command Line 2
• basic familiarity with linux

tips for working environment

• keep a web browser pointed to this page
• open several terminal windows
• don't forget to use the "man" command, or -h and --help
• commandline reminders
  • remember to use tab completion.
  • hit tab twice, fast.
  • hit tab again!
  • remember to use the up arrow to re-do a previous command
  • keep hitting tab!

topics covered

apt

apt

where to get software from: /etc/apt/sources.list

update the list of available packages(do this after changing sources.list):

apt-get update

upgrade packages:

apt-get upgrade

do a more thorough upgrade:

apt-get dist-upgrade

install a package:

apt-get install firefox

remove a package:

apt-get remove firefox

clear out downloaded package files:

apt-get clean

only clear out package files no longer available:

apt-get autoclean

search for software:

apt-cache search firefox

show available versions of a package:

apt-cache policy firefox

pinning: /etc/apt/preferences

aptitude

aptitude

similar to apt, but more sophisticated. has a text-only menu system.

dpkg

underneath it all, lies dpkg

list status of installed packages:

dpkg -l

another way to list the status of packages:

dpkg --get-selections

list the files in a package:

dpkg -L firefox

find out which package owns a certain file:

dpkg -S /bin/bash

install a package without using apt or aptitude(this does no dependency resolution- so avoid if at all possible):

dpkg -i hackme-script-foo_0.0.1_i386.deb

synaptic

synaptic

it's graphical. point and click your way to carpal tunnel.