# [ APT Commands ] ( CheatSheet )

1. Installing and Removing Software

● sudo apt install <package_name>: Install a package.

● sudo apt remove <package_name>: Remove a package without removing
dependencies.
● sudo apt purge <package_name>: Remove a package along with its
configuration files.
● sudo apt autoremove: Remove automatically all unused packages.

2. Updating Package Lists and Upgrading Packages

● sudo apt update: Update the list of available packages and their
versions, but it does not install or upgrade any packages.
● sudo apt upgrade: Upgrade all installed packages to the newest available
versions.
● sudo apt full-upgrade: Upgrade packages, removing installed packages if
necessary.
● sudo apt dist-upgrade: Deprecated equivalent of full-upgrade.

3. Searching and Finding Information About Packages

● apt search <term>: Search for a package by name or description.

● apt show <package_name>: Show detailed information about a package.
● apt list --installed: List all installed packages.
● apt list --upgradable: List all packages that can be upgraded.

4. Holding and Unholding Packages

● sudo apt-mark hold <package_name>: Hold a package to prevent it from

being updated.
● sudo apt-mark unhold <package_name>: Unhold a package to allow it to be
updated again.

5. Cleaning and Purging

● sudo apt clean: Clear the local repository of retrieved package files.

By: Waleed Mousa

 ● sudo apt autoclean: Remove only outdated package files from the local
repository.

6. Working with Repositories

● sudo add-apt-repository <repository>: Add a new repository.

● sudo add-apt-repository --remove <repository>: Remove a repository.
● sudo apt edit-sources: Edit the sources.list file.

7. Fixing Broken Packages

● sudo apt install -f: Fix broken dependencies.

● sudo dpkg --configure -a: Reconfigure unpacked but unconfigured packages.

8. APT Configuration and Preferences

● apt-config dump: Show APT configuration settings.

● apt-config shell: Use APT configuration settings in shell scripts.

9. Downloading Packages Without Installing

● apt download <package_name>: Download the .deb file for a package to the
current directory.

10. Listing and Understanding Dependencies

● apt depends <package_name>: Show raw dependency information for a

package.
● apt rdepends <package_name>: Show reverse dependency information for a
package.

11. Checking the Policy and Priorities

● apt policy <package_name>: Show policy settings, including priority, for

a package.
● apt policy: Show priority of all repositories and packages.

12. Source Packages

● apt source <package_name>: Fetch source files for a package.

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 ● sudo apt build-dep <package_name>: Install build dependencies for a
package.

13. Handling Recommended and Suggested Packages

● sudo apt install --no-install-recommends <package_name>: Install without

recommended packages.
● sudo apt install --install-suggests <package_name>: Install suggested
packages.

14. Working with Snapshots and Backups

● aptitude create-state-bundle: Create a snapshot of APT's state.

● aptitude restore-state-bundle <file>: Restore APT's state from a
snapshot.

15. Simulating Commands

● sudo apt install --simulate <package_name>: Simulate installation of a

package.
● sudo apt remove --simulate <package_name>: Simulate removal of a package.

16. Environment Options and Variables

● apt-config shell: Invoke a shell configured for APT.

17. Miscellaneous Operations

● apt moo: An Easter egg command.

● aptitude: Run the aptitude interface, an alternative to apt with some
additional features.

18. Version and Cache Management

● apt-cache policy <package_name>: Show detailed priority selection for a

package.
● apt-cache madison <package_name>: Show available versions of a package in
a table.

19. APT Utilities and Tools

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 ● apt-file search <file_name>: Search which package contains a specific
file.
● apt-file list <package_name>: List files contained in a package.

20. APT History and Logs

● cat /var/log/apt/history.log: View APT history.

● cat /var/log/apt/term.log: View APT terminal logs.

21. APT Special Commands

● sudo aptitude: A high-level interface to the package manager

(alternative to apt).
● dpkg -l: List all installed packages with dpkg, the lower-level package
manager.

22. Changing APT Settings

● dpkg-reconfigure <package_name>: Reconfigure an already installed package.

23. Handling Kernel and Modules

● sudo apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r): Install kernel headers.

24. Handling Dpkg Packages

● sudo dpkg -i <package.deb>: Install a .deb package.

● sudo dpkg -r <package_name>: Remove a .deb package.

25. APT and Security

● sudo apt list --installed | grep -i <term>: Check if a specific package is

installed.
● sudo apt-get check: Verify there are no broken dependencies.

26. APT Special Queries

● apt list --manual-installed: List manually installed packages.

● apt list --all-versions <package_name>: List all available versions of a
package.

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27. APT with Dpkg Queries

● dpkg-query -L <package_name>: List all files provided by a package.

● dpkg-query -W: Show all packages installed in the system.

28. APT Security and Keys

● sudo apt-key list: List trusted keys in APT's keyring.

● sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com
<recv_keys>: Add a new key to the keyring.

29. APT Configuration and Preferences Files

● sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf: Edit the main APT configuration file.

● sudo nano /etc/apt/preferences: Edit the APT preferences file for pinning.

30. Holding and Pinning Specific Packages

● echo "<package_name> hold" | sudo dpkg --set-selections: Hold a package

using dpkg.
● echo "<package_name> install" | sudo dpkg --set-selections: Unhold a
package.

31. APT Reporting and Logs

● grep Broken /var/log/apt/term.log: Check the log for broken packages.

● apt list | grep installed: List all installed packages.

32. APT Network Settings and Proxies

● sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/01proxy: Configure APT to use a proxy

server.

33. Kernel Packages Management

● sudo apt install --reinstall linux-image-$(uname -r): Reinstall the

current kernel.

34. Managing Services and Daemons

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 ● sudo apt install --reinstall <service-package>: Reinstall a service or
daemon package.

35. APT History and User Actions

● less /var/log/apt/history.log: View user actions with APT in a paginated

format.

36. Dealing with Broken or Unmet Dependencies

● sudo apt --fix-broken install: Try fixing broken dependencies.

37. APT and Multi-Arch Support

● dpkg --add-architecture <architecture>: Enable multi-architecture

support.

38. Changing Default APT Options

● sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf: Change default options for APT

interactions.

39. APT Snapshot and Rollback

● aptitude snapshot: Create a snapshot of current packages status

(requires aptitude).
● aptitude rollback: Roll back to a previous snapshot (requires aptitude).

40. APT List Enhancements

● apt list --orphaned: List orphaned packages no longer required by any

installed package.

41. APT Cache and Database Management

● sudo apt-cache stats: Display statistics about the cache.

● sudo apt-cache showpkg <package_name>: Show package records and
dependencies.

42. Enhanced APT Logging

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 ● sudo apt -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes install <package_name>: Get
detailed logs for package problem resolving.

43. APT Hooks

● ls /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/: List all APT hooks.

44. APT Mirror Selection

● sudo apt install netselect-apt: Install netselect-apt to find the fastest

mirror.

45. Checking for Held Packages

● dpkg --get-selections | grep hold: Check for any packages on hold.

46. APT in Scripts and Automation

● apt-get -qq update: Quietly update package list, useful in scripts.

47. APT User Interface Adjustments

● aptitude -F %p: Adjust the display format of packages (requires

aptitude).

48. APT Debugging and Troubleshooting

● apt-get -o Debug::Acquire::http=true update: Debug APT's HTTP acquisition

method.

49. APT with Foreign Architectures

● dpkg --print-foreign-architectures: Print foreign architectures added to

dpkg.

50. APT Package and Dependency Exploration

● apt-cache depends <package_name>: View dependencies of a package.

● apt-cache rdepends <package_name>: View reverse dependencies of a
package.

By: Waleed Mousa