How to use APT (Advanced Packaging Tool) software

We try to list here the main places to find information about apt, the package manager in Debian.

Any program cited should be Free Software and Open Source software.

Solution

Official doccumentation from Debian

• apt-howto

Front-ends for apt

• wajig
  • Single commandline wrapper around apt, apt-cache, dpkg, /etc/init.d scripts and more, intended to be easy to use and providing
• aptipude
  • text-based front-end that replaces the old dselect.
• Synaptic
  • This is the main GUI for apt, based on GTK+ v2
• KPackage
  • GUI for KDE that can be used as apt front-end
• gnome-apt
  • GUI for GNOME that can be used as apt front-end

Various extensions/enhancements when installing packages

• APT-TORRENT
  • To use apt over a bittorrent network.
• apt-axel
  • Using axel with apt to speed up downloads (simultaneous downloads, etc...) nead to apt-get dist-upgrade as root in a terminal in order to install all new packages and put your system up to date. extensive documentation for all of its functions.
• apt-build
  • Compiling software from source optimised for your architecture. It uses the sources of Debian packages available in official repositories.

Find packages

• debtags
  • Multiple tags per package solution: the Debian Package Tags.
• apt-best
  • Utility to help users in finding the most popular debian packages.

Auto install software

• cron-apt
  • Package that can be configured to use cron and to automatically download all new packages while the computer is not used. Then you only
• auto-apt
  • If a program tries to access a file known to belong in an uninstalled package, auto-apt will install that package using apt-get.

Using apt offline or with slow connections

• apt-zip
• deb-downloader
• apt-offline Offline APT Package Manager
• APT offline is a guide from 1999

Uninstall not used packages

• Debfoster is officially deprecated by aptitude since January 2006
• deborphan

Various tricks and guides

• apt-pinning
  • Using testing and unstable packages on a stable debian.
• fakeroot
  • Fake root environment

(un)official repositoris

• official Debian mirrors
• backports is a web site where you can find updated packages for your stable debian distribution
• apt-get.org is the biggest collection of unofficial repositoris. Most of the software if free/dom or free/ware.
• is another place where you can upload packages and use it as unofficial repository

Related HowTos

• Sources.list file for apt(How to configure the)
• Debian (What is there about)

From HowTo Wiki, a Wikia wiki.