When Removing an Application/Program, Are Any Traces Left Behind?

[Junior UB]

Hi, I'm new to the Ubuntu 12.04 OS. I've noticed that Windows leaves traces ("leftovers") in the registry and also leaves some useless folders and files behind after removing a program. I'm wondering if Ubuntu does the same? If so, how can I remove all files and folders associated with an application/program I am removing?

[karthick87]

Ubuntu doesn't use a registry like windows. So don't worry about it or compare it to windows. The only thing is when i you install any package the packages will be stored in caches. You can clean that by executing the following command.

sudo apt-get clean all

You can also use the following command to remove associated packages of an uninstalled package.

sudo apt-get autoremove

[Bashing-om]

+1 .....
additionally depending on re-install intents there is the option to delete the config files or leave them in place.

man apt-get
man dpkg

are good reads.

hth <==BDQ

[Junior UB]

Thanks for your reply karthick87. That answered my question.

[Junior UB]

Are these "config files" leftovers from removed packages?

[bodhi.zazen]

When you remove a package, any associated configuration files are NOT removed

sudo apt-get remove foo

To remove the config files, you need to purge a package

sudo apt-get purge foo

See man apt-get

Even purging a package will leave config files in $HOME, config files in $HOME must be manually removed. Look at .files (.local, .config, etc)

[critin]

And if you want to see what it removes, install Synaptic Package Manager if you don't have it. Open it and find the package you want to uninstall by typing the name in the search bar. Right click on the package and mark to 'Completely Remove'.