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1mailto(apt@packages.debian.org)
2manpage(apt-get)(8)(4 Dec 1998)(apt)()
3manpagename(apt-get)(APT package handling utility -- command-line interface)
4
5manpagesynopsis()
6 apt-get [options] [command] [package ...]
7
8manpagedescription()
9
10apt-get is the command-line tool for handling packages, and may be considered
11the user's "back-end" to apt(8).
12
13em(command) is one of:
14itemize(
15 it() update
16 it() upgrade
17 it() dselect-upgrade
18 it() dist-upgrade
19 it() install package1 [package2] [...]
20 it() remove package1 [package2] [...]
21 it() source package1 [package2] [...]
22 it() check
23 it() clean
24 it() autoclean
25)
26
27Unless the -h, or --help option is given one of the above commands
28must be present.
29
30startdit()
31dit(bf(update))
32bf(update) is used to resynchronize the package overview files from their
33sources. The overviews of available packages are fetched from the
34location(s) specified in bf(/etc/apt/sources.list).
35For example, when using a Debian archive, this command retrieves and
36scans the bf(Packages.gz) files, so that information about new and updated
37packages is available. An bf(update) should always be performed before an
38bf(upgrade) bf(dist-upgrade). Please be aware that the overall progress
39meter will be incorrect as the size of the package files cannot be known in
40advance.
41
42dit(bf(upgrade))
43bf(upgrade) is used to install the newest versions of all packages currently
44installed on the system from the sources enumerated in
45bf(/etc/apt/sources.list). Packages currently installed with new versions
46available are retrieved and upgraded; under no circumstances are currently
47installed packages removed, or packages not already installed retrieved and
48installed. New versions of currently installed packages that cannot be
49upgraded without changing the install status of another package will be left
50at their current version. An bf(update) must be performed first so that
51bf(apt-get) knows that new versions of packages are available.
52
53dit(bf(dselect-upgrade))
54bf(dselect-upgrade)
55is used in conjunction with the traditional Debian GNU/Linux packaging
56front-end, bf(dselect (8)). bf(dselect-upgrade)
57follows the changes made by bf(dselect) to the em(Status)
58field of available packages, and performs the actions necessary to realize
59that state (for instance, the removal of old and the installation of new
60packages).
61
62dit(bf(dist-upgrade))
63bf(dist-upgrade),in addition to performing the function of bf(upgrade),
64also intelligently handles changing dependencies with new versions of
65packages; bf(apt-get) has a "smart" conflict resolution system, and it will
66attempt to upgrade the most important packages at the expense of less
67important ones if necessary. The bf(/etc/apt/sources.list) file contains a
68list of locations from which to retrieve desired package files.
69
70dit(bf(install))
71bf(install) is followed by one or more em(packages) desired for installation.
72Each em(package) is a package name, not a fully qualified filename
73(for instance, in a Debian GNU/Linux system, em(ldso) would be the argument
74provided, not em(ldso_1.9.6-2.deb)). All packages required by the package(s)
75specified for installation will also be retrieved and installed. The
76bf(/etc/apt/sources.list) file is used to locate the desired packages. If a
77hyphen is appended to the package name (with no intervening space), the
78identified package will be removed if it is installed. This latter feature
79may be used to override decisions made by apt-get's conflict resolution system.
80
81If no package matches the given expression and the expression contains one
82of '.', '?' or '*' then it is assumed to be a POSIX regex and it is applied
83to all package names in the database. Any matches are then installed (or
84removed). Note that matching is done by substring so 'lo*' matches 'how-lo'
85and 'lowest'. If this is undesired prefix with a '^' character.
86
87dit(bf(remove))
88bf(remove) is identical to bf(install) except that packages are removed
89instead of installed. If a plus sign is appended to the package name (with no
90intervening space), the identified package will be installed.
91
92dit(bf(source))
93bf(source) causes apt-get to fetch source packages. APT will examine the
94available packages to decide which source package to fetch. It will then
95find and download into the current directory the newest available version of
96that source package. Source packages are tracked separately from binary
97packages via bf(deb-src) type lines in the bf(/etc/apt/sources.list) file.
98This probably will mean that you will not get the same source as the package
99you have installed or as you could install. If the --compile options is
100specified then the package will be compiled to a binary .deb using
101dpkg-buildpackage, if --download-only is specified then the source package
102will not be unpacked.
103
104Note that source packages are not tracked like binary packages, they exist
105only in the current directory and are similar to downloading source
106tar balls.
107
108dit(bf(check))
109bf(check) is a diagnostic tool; it updates the package cache and checks for
110broken packages.
111
112dit(bf(clean))
113bf(clean) clears out the local repository of retrieved package files. It
114removes everything but the lock file from bf(/var/cache/apt/archives/)
115and bf(/var/cache/apt/archives/partial/).
116When APT is used as a bf(dselect(8)) method, bf(clean) is run automatically.
117Those who do not use dselect will likely want to run code(apt-get clean)
118from time to time to free up disk space.
119
120dit(bf(autoclean))
121Like bf(clean), bf(autoclean) clears out the local repository of retrieved
122package files. The difference is that it only removes package files that
123can no longer be downloaded, and are largely useless. This allows a
124cache to be maintained over a long period without it growing out of
125control.
126
127enddit()
128
129manpageoptions()
130All command line options may be set using the configuration file, the
131descriptions indicate the configuration option to set. For boolean
132options you can override the config file by using something like bf(-f-),
133bf(--no-f), bf(-f=no) or several other variations.
134
135startdit()
136dit(bf(-d, --download-only))
137Download only; package files are only retrieved, not unpacked or installed.
138Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::Download-Only).
139
140dit(bf(-f, --fix-broken))
141Fix; attempt to correct a system with broken dependencies in
142place. This option may be used alone or in conjunction with any of the
143command actions, and is sometimes necessary when running APT for the
144first time; APT itself does not allow broken package dependencies to
145exist on a system. It is possible that a system's dependency structure
146can be so corrupt as to require manual intervention (which usually
147means using dselect or dpkg --remove to eliminate some of the offending
148packages). Use of this option together with -m may produce an error in
149some situations. Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::Fix-Broken).
150
151dit(bf(-h, --help))
152Help; display a helpful usage message and exits.
153
154dit(bf(-v, --version))
155Show the program version.
156
157dit(bf(-m, --ignore-missing, --fix-missing))
158Ignore missing packages; If packages cannot be retrieved or fail the
159integrity check after retrieval (corrupted package files), hold back
160those packages and handle the result. Use of this option together with
161-f may produce an error in some situations. If a package is selected for
162installation (particularly if it is mentioned on the command line) and it
163could not be downloaded then it will be silently held back.
164Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::ignore-missing).
165
166dit(bf(--no-download))
167Disables downloading of packages. This is best used with --ignore-missing to
168force APT to use only the .debs it has already downloaded.
169Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::No-Download).
170
171dit(bf(-q, --quiet))
172Quiet; produces output suitable for logging, omitting progress indicators.
173More q's will produce more quiet up to a maximum of 2. You can also use
174bf(-q=#) to set the quiet level, overriding the configuration file. Note that
175quiet level 2 implies -y, you should never use -qq without a no-action
176modifier such as -d, --print-uris or -s as APT may decided to do something
177you did not expect.
178Configuration Item: bf(quiet)
179
180dit(bf(-s, --simulate, --just-print, --dry-run, --recon, --no-act))
181No action; perform a simulation of events that would occur but do not
182actually change the system. Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::Simulate).
183
184Simulate prints out
185a series of lines each one representing a dpkg operation, Configure (Conf),
186Remove (Remv), Unpack (Inst). Square brackets indicate broken packages with
187and empty set of square brackets meaning breaks that are of no consequence
188(rare).
189
190dit(bf(-y, --yes, --assume-yes))
191Automatic yes to prompts; assume "yes" as answer to all prompts and run
192non-interactively. If an undesirable situation, such as changing a held
193package or removing an essential package occurs then bf(apt-get) will
194abort. Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::Assume-Yes).
195
196dit(bf(-u, --show-upgraded))
197Show upgraded packages; Print out a list of all packages that are to be
198upgraded. Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::Show-Upgraded).
199
200dit(bf(-b, --compile, --build))
201Compile source packages after downloading them.
202Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::Compile).
203
204dit(bf(--ignore-hold))
205Ignore package Holds; This causes bf(apt-get) to ignore a hold placed on
206a package. This may be useful in conjunction with bf(dist-upgrade) to
207override a large number of undesired holds. Configuration Item: bf(APT::Ignore-Hold).
208
209dit(bf(--no-upgrade))
210Do not upgrade packages; When used in conjunction with bf(install)
211bf(no-upgrade) will prevent packages listed from being upgraded if they
212are already installed. Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::no-upgrade).
213
214dit(bf(--force-yes))
215Force yes; This is a dangerous option that will cause apt to continue without
216prompting if it is doing something potentially harmful. It should not be used
217except in very special situations. Using bf(force-yes) can potentially destroy
218your system! Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::force-yes).
219
220dit(bf(--print-uris))
221Instead of fetching the files to install their URIs are printed. Each
222URI will have the path, the destination file name, the size and the expected
223md5 hash. Note that the file name to write to will not always match
224the file name on the remote site! This also works with the bf(source)
225command. Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::Print-URIs).
226
227dit(bf(--purge))
228Use purge instead of remove for anything that would be removed.
229Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::Purge).
230
231dit(bf(--reinstall))
232Re-Install packages that are already installed and at the newest version.
233
234dit(bf(--list-cleanup))
235This option defaults to on, use bf(--no-list-cleanup) to turn it off.
236When on apt-get will automatically manage the contents of
237/var/state/apt/lists to ensure that obsolete files are erased. The only
238reason to turn it off is if you frequently change your source list.
239Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::List-Cleanup)
240
241dit(bf(--trivial-only))
242Only perform operations are 'trivial'. Logically this can be considered
243related to --assume-yes, where --assume-yes will answer yes to any prompt,
244--trivial-only will answer no. Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::Trivial-Only)
245
246dit(bf(--no-remove))
247If any packages are to be removed apt-get immediately aborts without
248prompting. Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::No-Remove)
249
250dit(bf(--diff-only), bf(--tar-only))
251Download only the diff or tar file of a source archive.
252Configuration Item: bf(APT::Get::Diff-Only)
253
254dit(bf(-c, --config-file))
255Configuration File; Specify a configuration file to use. bf(apt-get) will
256read the default configuration file and then this configuration file. See
257bf(apt.conf(5)) for syntax information.
258
259dit(bf(-o, --option))
260Set a Configuration Option; This will set an arbitrary configuration option.
261The syntax is
262verb(-o Foo::Bar=bar)
263enddit()
264
265manpagefiles()
266itemize(
267 it() /etc/apt/sources.list
268 locations to fetch packages from
269
270 it() /var/cache/apt/archives/
271 storage area for retrieved package files
272
273 it() /var/cache/apt/archives/partial/
274 storage area for package files in transit
275
276 it() /var/state/apt/lists/
277 storage area for state information for each package resource specified in
278 the source list
279
280 it() /var/state/apt/lists/partial/
281 storage area for state information in transit
282)
283
284manpageseealso()
285apt-cache(8),
286dpkg(8),
287dselect(8),
288sources.list(5),
289apt.conf(5),
290The APT Users Guide in /usr/doc/apt/
291
292manpagediagnostics()
293apt-get returns zero on normal operation, decimal 100 on error.
294
295manpagebugs()
296See http://bugs.debian.org/apt. If you wish to report a
297bug in bf(apt-get), please see bf(/usr/doc/debian/bug-reporting.txt)
298or the bf(bug(1)) command.
299
300manpageauthor()
301apt-get was written by the APT team <apt@packages.debian.org>.