Understanding apt-get

[Mistoffeles]

Coming from the RHEL/Fedora side, I am very accustomed to the easy and clean functionality of yum. I am used to being able to get a brief summary about a package by typing:

yum info packagename

or finding a package, or something included in a package, even when I don't have the exact name or even the package name at all using:

yum info partialname

or

yum provides somethingorother

This also allows me to make sure that I have both 32-bit and 64-bit libraries for something, in case I need them for whatever reason, and such reasons are not uncommon.

So how do I do these same things using apt-get?

For example I am looking for libpcap, and I can't for the life of me figure out what I need to do on Ubuntu server 9.04 to get it. I have already tried:

apt-get install libpcap

but this did not work. I know I have repository access as I have already installed emacs due to my extreme dislike of vi and variants of it.

[SunnyRabbiera]

Here is a decent page on the subject:

http://aruljohn.com/info/apt/

Personally I prefer apt over YUM

[spiceminesofkessel]

Try typing:

apt-cache show [packagename]

That gives you all information and dependencies for any package.

I would suggest you download the free e-book Ubuntu Pocket Guide and Reference by Keir Thomas from here (http://www.ubuntupocketguide.com). It has a chapter on software management and it explains the apt commands in decent detail.

[sahabcse]

Follow below url for package management in ubuntu

http://sahabm.blogspot.com/2009/01/package-management-debian-and-ubuntu.html

[mcduck]

"apt-cache search something" searches from packages
"apt-cache show packagename" prints information about the package

..and "sudo apt-get install/remove/update/upgrade/purge..." to actually do something with the packages.

[kerry_s]

create alias's for the commands to make your life easier.


alias !='sudo'
alias u='sudo apt-get update;sudo apt-get upgrade'
alias s='apt-cache search'
alias i='sudo apt-get install'
alias r='sudo apt-get remove --purge'
alias c='sudo apt-get clean'
alias ch='clear;history -c'
alias q='exit'

here's the "PS1=" that i use


PS1='\n \e[0;34mApt-get\e[1;37m:: \e[1;33mu\e[0;32m=\e[1;37mupdate \e[1;33ms\e[0;32m=\e[1;37msearch \e[1;33mi\e[0;32m=\e[1;37minstall \e[1;33mr\e[0;32m=\e[1;37mremove \e[1;33mc\e[0;32m=\e[1;37mclean
\e[0;34mOther\e[1;37m:: \e[1;33mch\e[0;32m=\e[1;37mclear-history \e[1;33mq\e[0;32m=\e[1;37mexit
\n[\e[0;31mCommand \e[1;37m@ \e[0;34m\w\e[1;37m]\n\e[0;32m>\e[1;37m '