Apt-Get & Dpkg

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apt-get permissions

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In general it is easiest to run as sudo or change to root level account before running Debian package management commands.

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sources.list

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This file contains the list of repositories that you can download content from.

The sources section of the list allows download of source code for packages.

The packages section of the list allows for download of the binary packages.

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apt-get update

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Updates the repository list cache, making available packages for installation from any of those configured repositories.

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apt-get upgrade

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Upgrades your distribution packages.

If there are updates for packages you have installed then it will list and offer to install them.

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apt-get dist-upgrade

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Will offer to upgrade your distribution from one version to another if another 'released' version is available.

Beta versions can also be installed, but require a configuration change in the repos file.

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apt-get install

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This command will install whatever package(s) that you indicate directly following the command, along with the dependencies for it.

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apt-get remove

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This command will remove whatever package(s) that you indicate directly following the command, along with dependencies that are no longer needed by any other installed packages.

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apt-get source

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This command will install whatever source package(s) that you indicate directly after the command.

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apt-get check

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Will check to be sure all application dependencies have been installed for all packages.

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apt-get clean

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Will clean the apt-cache and require a run of the apt-get update command to further install packages.

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apt-get autoremove

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Will remove packages that are no longer needed for various reasons (upgrades, manual removal/uninstallation, etc) that did not get cleaned up as part of post-install.

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apt-get ... -q

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Will quietly complete the apt-get command, output suitable for logging, no progress indicators.

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apt-get ... -y

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Answer affirmative to any necessary confirmation questions for install/remove/etc, when using apt-get.

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apt-get ... -s

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Simulates the apt-get installation/removal of the package(s) in question, along with a list of the dependencies affected.

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dpkg

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Command used to manually install individual .deb packages outside of a repo download.This utility will does not automatically install dependencies, although it will list those that are missing as part of the output.

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apt-get install -f

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Resolves missing dependencies. Running this command after .deb package installation will download and install the missing dependencies.

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apt-get install {debian package}.deb

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Will allow for apt-get to scan for dependencies and install and configure them as part of the process.

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dpkg -i {package}.deb

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Installs a debian package, dependencies not included. May require to be run as sudo/root, different for each package

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dpkg --get-selections

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Shows all installed packages on the system. When looking for a specific package, follow with '|grep {text}' to filter.

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dpkg -L {package name}

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Lists all the files that were installed along with the package name as well as their location on the system.

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dpkg -C

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Audits for partially installed packages.

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dpkg --remove {package name}

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Removes the referenced package, but just as with the install, dependencies will not be removed.

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dpkg --purge {package name}

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Will purge the package, along with all configuration files related to that package during a removal.

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dpkg --reconfigure {package name}

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Will allow the reconfiguration, including the configuration of the files references.

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dselect

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A high-level package browser. Allows selection and installation/removal of packages in a terminal using an 'ncurses' menu system.

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aptitude

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Another high level package browser that is similar to dselect. It can be used as a replacement for apt-get as it does everything that apt-get does, including install and manage dependencies.

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aptitude update

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Will update sources.

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aptitude search

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Will search for the package indicated.

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aptitude autoclean

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Same as apt-get clean

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aptitude remove

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Same as apt-get remove

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aptitude autoremove

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Same as apt-get autoremove