Querying the package list with apt-cache
Look Inside
We take a look at apt-cache, an essential utility for command line-based package management.
Debian-based systems have several dozen utilities for managing packages from the command line. After apt-get and dpkg, the most important is apt-cache [1]. Apt-cache queries the packages in your repositories, providing the information you want before you install. If you want to know a package's statistics and dependencies, which package contains an application, or whether a package exists at all, then apt-cache is an essential utility for command line-based package management.
The cache referred to in the name is the list of information about all packages available in the Debian package management system – which means those installed from tarballs are excluded. This cache is based on the sources contained in /etc/apt/source.lists, as well as some files in the /etc/apt/sources.lists.d directory.
The main part of the cache, which contains information about the current state of each package, is stored in /var/lib/apt/lists. Information about packages in transition, such as those held back during installation, is stored in /var/lib/apt/lists/partial/. As you might guess from the locations, regular users can query apt-cache, but any alteration or updating of the cache requires the root account.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
There's a New Linux AI Assistant in Town
Newelle is a Linux AI assistant that can work with different LLMs and includes document parsing and profiles.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Released with Minor Fixes
The latest Linux kernel doesn't really include any big-ticket features, just a lot of lines of code.
-
EU Sovereign Tech Fund Gains Traction
OpenForum Europe recently released a report regarding a sovereign tech fund with backing from several significant entities.
-
FreeBSD Promises a Full Desktop Installer
FreeBSD has lacked an option to include a full desktop environment during installation.
-
Linux Hits an Important Milestone
If you pay attention to the news in the Linux-sphere, you've probably heard that the open source operating system recently crashed through a ceiling no one thought possible.
-
Plasma Bigscreen Returns
A developer discovered that the Plasma Bigscreen feature had been sitting untouched, so he decided to do something about it.
-
CachyOS Now Lets Users Choose Their Shell
Imagine getting the opportunity to select which shell you want during the installation of your favorite Linux distribution. That's now a thing.
-
Wayland 1.24 Released with Fixes and New Features
Wayland continues to move forward, while X11 slowly vanishes into the shadows, and the latest release includes plenty of improvements.
-
Bugs Found in sudo
Two critical flaws allow users to gain access to root privileges.
-
Fedora Continues 32-Bit Support
In a move that should come as a relief to some portions of the Linux community, Fedora will continue supporting 32-bit architecture.