• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Technipages

Tutorials and fixes for smartphone, gadget, and computer problems

  • Topics
    • Android
    • Browsers
    • Gaming
    • Hardware
    • Internet
    • iPhone
    • Linux
    • macOS
    • Office
    • Reviews
    • Software
    • Windows
    • Definitions
  • Product Reviews
  • Downloads
  • About
How to Install a Program With Apt-Get

How to Install a Program With Apt-Get

November 2, 2020 by Mel Hawthorne Leave a Comment

Most Linux desktop distributions come with a desktop environment that gives you an actual graphical interface rather than being limited to using a purely command-line environment as you would be on Linux server distributions. One of the many features that these desktop distributions include by default, is a graphical software update manager. This can really help to make using Linux more accessible to beginners, but it’s a good idea to learn how to use the commands, especially if you’re ever likely to work with Linux servers. On Debian-based Linux distributions such as Ubuntu and Linux Mint, the main command-line tool used to manage software updates is called “apt-get”.

Apt-get is a package manager that compares the version numbers of installed software with that in the list of online repositories to identify which applications have available updates. These updates can then be downloaded and applied. These repositories contain a huge list of software packages that can be searched and then have specified packages installed along with their dependencies.

Tip: Most software packages require other packages to be installed to be able to work. Sometimes these dependencies are already installed, if they’re not then apt-get will install them alongside the specified package automatically.

How to use apt-get

The first thing you need to do with apt-get is to download the latest update list from your configured repositories. To do so type the command “sudo apt-get update”. Doing this will ensure that the software you install or update is the latest available version.

Tip: “sudo” is a prefix used to run commands with root permissions. It should only be used where necessary due to the inherent powers of the root account but is needed for most admin tasks including software installs. When using sudo you will be asked to enter your password to confirm your identity, however, this will be remembered for a few minutes, so you won’t need to enter your password every time.

Use the command “sudo apt-get update” to get the latest versions of your configured repositories.

Next, you need to identify the exact name of the package you want to install. To do so, search through the repositories with the command “apt-cache search [search term]” where “[search term]” is the rough name of the software you wish to install. The search results show the name of the package on the left and a very short description on the right.

Search terms that are too loose may end up returning dozens of results of similarly named and potentially similarly functioning software. Try narrowing down your search term or using multiple terms separated by spaces. If you search for multiple words separated by spaces these terms will be applied cumulatively and only show results that match all terms.

Use the command “apt-cache search [search term]” to search for the exact name of the software you want to install.
Once you know the name of the package you want to install, type the command “sudo apt-get install [package name]” where “[package name]” is the exact name of the package you want to install. You can specify multiple packages at once by separating the names with spaces.

If the package requires dependencies to be installed apt-get will show you the list of packages being installed and ask for confirmation. Press the “y” key to confirm the installation or “n” to abort. If the package does not need to install any dependencies, apt-get will assume that you running the command was permission enough to install it and the process will complete automatically.

Use the command “sudo apt-get install [software name]” to install the software you want.
Once the install is complete, you’re ready to start using your new software.

You Might Also Like

  • Windows 10: Another Program Is Currently Using This File
    Windows 10: Another Program Is Currently Using This File
  • Windows 10: How to Find the Location of EXE Program
    Windows 10: How to Find the Location of EXE Program
  • WhatsApp: How to Program Holiday Messages for Later
    WhatsApp: How to Program Holiday Messages for Later
  • Allow Program Access Through McAfee Personal Firewall
    Allow Program Access Through McAfee Personal Firewall
  • Windows 10 - How to Uninstall a Program Using the Command Prompt
    Windows 10 - How to Uninstall a Program Using the Command…
  • Free Program Fixes Missing Song Title, Artist and Album Info in iTunes
    Free Program Fixes Missing Song Title, Artist and Album Info…

Filed Under: Software

Reader Interactions

Did this help? Let us know!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • What is SMPS?
  • How to Find Watched Videos on Facebook in 2023
  • How to View Facebook Memories in 2023
  • How to Fix Google Maps Voice Directions Not Working
  • What Happens to Messages When You Permanently Delete Facebook
  • How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to Steam Deck
  • How to Reset Root Password on Steam Deck
  • How to Update Steam Deck

Who’s Behind Technipages?

Baby and Daddy My name is Mitch Bartlett. I've been working in technology for over 20 years in a wide range of tech jobs from Tech Support to Software Testing. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful reference for all.

You May Also Like

  • LAN-Aware Program
  • Word Processing Program
  • Presentation Graphics Program

© Copyright 2023 Guiding Tech Media · All Rights Reserved · Privacy