-apt - Advanced Packaging Tool
-=============================
-
-apt is the main package management tool for Debian and its variants.
-It enables to search and install deb packages. The underlying libraries
-that apt is build upon are called libapt-pkg and libapt-inst.
-
-Coding
-------
-Apt is maintained in git, considering creating a branch when you
-start hacking on it.
-
-Apt uses its own autoconf based build system, see README.make for
-more details. To get started, just run:
-```
-$ make
-```
-from a fresh checkout.
-
-When you make changes and want to run them, make sure your
-$LD_LIBRARY_PATH points to the new location, e.g. via:
-```
-$ export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$(pwd)/build/bin
-$ ./build/bin/apt-get moo
-```
+APT
+===
+
+apt is the main commandline package manager for Debian and its derivatives.
+It provides commandline tools for searching and managing as well as querying
+information about packages as well as low-level access to all features
+provided by the libapt-pkg and libapt-inst libraries which higher-level
+package managers can depend upon.
+
+Included tools are:
+
+* apt-get for retrieval of packages and information about them
+ from authenticated sources and for installation, upgrade and
+ removal of packages together with their dependencies
+* apt-cache for querying available information about installed
+ as well as installable packages
+* apt-cdrom to use removable media as a source for packages
+* apt-config as an interface to the configuration settings
+* apt-key as an interface to manage authentication keys
+* apt-extracttemplates to be used by debconf to prompt for configuration
+ questions before installation.
+* apt-ftparchive creates Packages and other index files
+ needed to publish an archive of debian packages
+* apt-sortpkgs is a Packages/Sources file normalizer.
+
+The libraries libapt-pkg and libapt-inst are also maintained as part of this project,
+alongside various additional binaries like the acquire-methods used by them.
+Bindings for Python ([python-apt](https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/python-apt)) and
+Perl ([libapt-pkg-perl](https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/libapt-pkg-perl)) are available as separated projects.
+
+Discussion happens mostly on [the mailinglist](mailto:deity@lists.debian.org) ([archive](https://lists.debian.org/deity/)) and on [IRC](irc://irc.oftc.net/debian-apt).
+Our bugtracker as well as a general overview can be found at the [Debian Tracker page](https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/apt).
+
+
+Contributing
+------------
+APT is maintained in git, the official repository being located at
+`git://anonscm.debian.org/apt/apt.git` ([webgit](http://anonscm.debian.org/gitweb/?p=apt/apt.git)),
+but also available at other locations like [GitHub](https://github.com/Debian/apt).
+
+The default branch is `debian/sid`, other branches targeted at different
+derivatives and releases being used as needed. Various topic branches in
+different stages of completion might be branched of from those, which you
+are encouraged to do as well.
+
+### Coding
+
+APT uses its own autoconf based build system, see [README.make](http://anonscm.debian.org/gitweb/?p=apt/apt.git;a=blob;f=README.make)
+for the glory details, but to get started, just run:
+
+ $ make
+
+from a fresh git checkout.
+
+The source code uses in most parts a relatively uncommon indent convention,
+namely 3 spaces with 8 space tab (see [doc/style.txt](http://anonscm.debian.org/gitweb/?p=apt/apt.git;a=blob;f=doc/style.txt) for more on this).
+Adhering to it avoids unnecessary code-churn destroying history (aka: `git blame`)
+and you are therefore encouraged to write patches in this style.
+Your editor can surely help you with this, for vim the settings would be
+`setlocal shiftwidth=3 noexpandtab tabstop=8`
+(the later two are the default configuration and could therefore be omitted).
+
+### Translations
+
+While we welcome contributions here, we highly encourage you to contact the [Debian Internationalization (i18n) team](https://wiki.debian.org/Teams/I18n).
+Various language teams have formed which can help you creating, maintaining
+and improving a translation, while we could only do a basic syntax check of the
+file format…
+
+Further more, Translating APT is split into two independent parts:
+The program translation, meaning the messages printed by the tools,
+as well as the manpages and other documentation shipped with APT.
+
+### Bug triage
+
+Software tools like APT which are used by thousands of users every
+day have a steady flow of incoming bugreports. Not all of them are really
+bugs in APT: It can be packaging bugs like failing maintainer scripts a
+user reports against apt, because apt was the command he executed leading
+to this failure or various wishlist items for new features. Given enough time
+also the occasional duplicate enters the system.
+Our bugtracker is therefore full with open bugreports which are waiting for you! ;)
Testing
-------
-There is a extensive integration testsuite available via:
-```
-$ ./test/integration/run-tests
-```
+### Manual execution
+
+When you make changes and want to run them manually, make sure your
+`$LD_LIBRARY_PATH` points to the libraries you have built, e.g. via:
+
+ $ export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$(pwd)/build/bin
+ $ ./build/bin/apt-get moo
+
+
+### Integration tests
+
+There is a extensive integration testsuite available which can be run via:
+
+ $ ./test/integration/run-tests
+
+While these tests are not executed at package build-time as they require additional
+dependencies, the repository contains the configuration needed to run them on [Travis CI](https://travis-ci.org/)
+as well as via autopkgtests e.g. on [Debian Continuous Integration](http://ci.debian.net/?q=apt#package/apt).
+
+A testcase here is a shellscript embedded in a framework creating an environment in which
+apt tools can be used naturally without root-rights to test every aspect of its behavior
+itself as well as in conjunction with dpkg and other tools while working with packages.
+
+
+### Unit tests
+
+These tests are gtest-dev based, reside in `./test/libapt` and can be run with `make test`.
+They are executed at package build-time, but not by `make`.
+
+Debugging
+---------
+
+APT does many things, so there is no central debug mode which could be
+activated. It uses instead various config-options to activate debug output
+in certain areas. The following describes some common scenarios and generally
+useful options, but is in no way exhaustive.
+
+Note that you should *NEVER* use these settings as root to avoid accidents.
+Similation mode (`-s`) is usually sufficient to help you run apt as a non-root user.
+
+### Using different state files
+
+If a dependency solver bug is reported, but can't be reproduced by the
+triager easily, it is beneficial to ask the reporter for the
+`/var/lib/dpkg/status` file, which includes the packages installed on the
+system and in which version. Such a file can then be used via the option
+`dir::state::status`. Beware of different architecture settings!
+Bugreports usually include this information in the template. Assuming you
+already have the `Packages` files for the architecture (see `sources.list`
+manpage for the `arch=` option) you can change to a different architecture
+with a config file like:
+
+ APT::Architecture "arch1";
+ #clear APT::Architectures;
+ APT:: Architectures { "arch1"; "arch2"; }
+
+If a certain mirror state is needed, see if you can reproduce it with [snapshot.debian.org](http://snapshot.debian.org/).
+Your sources.list file (`dir::etc::sourcelist`) has to be correctly mention the repository,
+but if it does, you can use different downloaded archive state files via `dir::state::lists`.
+
+In case manually vs. automatically installed matters, you can ask the reporter for
+the `/var/lib/apt/extended_states` file and use it with `dir::state::extended_states`.
+
+### Dependency resolution
+
+APT works in its internal resolver in two stages: First all packages are visited
+and marked for installation, keep back or removal. Option `Debug::pkgDepCache::Marker`
+shows this. This also decides which packages are to be installed to satisfy dependencies,
+which can be seen by `Debug::pkgDepCache::AutoInstall`. After this is done, we might
+be in a situation in which two packages want to be installed, but only on of them can be.
+It is the job of the pkgProblemResolver to decide which of two packages 'wins' and can
+therefore decide what has to happen. You can see the contenders as well as their fight and
+the resulting resolution with `Debug::pkgProblemResolver`.
+
+### Downloading files
+
+Various binaries (called 'methods') are tasked with downloading files. The Acquire system
+talks to them via simple text protocol. Depending on which side you want to see, either
+`Debug::pkgAcquire::Worker` or `Debug::Acquire::http` (or similar) will show the messages.
+
+The integration tests use a simple self-built webserver which also logs. If you find that
+the http(s) methods do not behave like they should be try to implement this behavior in the
+webserver for simpler and more controlled testing.
-as well as gtest-dev based integration tests available in
-`./test/libapt` and can be run with make test.
+### Installation order
+Dependencies are solved, packages downloaded: Everything read for the installation!
+The last step in the chain is often forgotten, but still very important:
+Packages have to be installed in a particular order so that their dependencies are
+satisfied, but at the same time you don't want to install very important and optional
+packages at the same time if possible, so that a broken optional package does not
+block the correct installation of very important packages. Which option to use depends on
+if you are interested in the topology sorting (`Debug::pkgOrderList`), the dependency-aware
+cycle and unconfigured prevention (`Debug::pkgPackageManager`) or the actual calls
+to dpkg (`Debug::pkgDpkgPm`).
projects / apt.git / commitdiff
