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aptitude - Text-based Package Management Interface

The aptitude command is a text-based interface for the Debian package management system. It provides both a curses-based menu interface and command-line functionality for installing, upgrading, and removing Debian packages. Aptitude excels at dependency resolution and maintains a comprehensive history of package operations.

Basic Syntax

aptitude [OPTIONS] [ACTION] [PACKAGES...]

Common Options

General Options

• -h, --help - Display help information
• -v, --verbose - Show additional information
• -q, --quiet - Suppress normal output
• -s, --simulate - Simulate actions without performing them
• -d, --download-only - Download packages without installing
• -y, --assume-yes - Assume yes to all prompts
• -P, --prompt-after-completion - Show prompt after operations complete
• --no-gui - Use command-line interface only
• --disable-columns - Disable columnized output

Package Selection Options

• --purge-unused - Remove unused packages with configuration files
• --show-why - Show why packages are being installed or removed
• --show-deps - Show dependency information
• --show-resolver-actions - Show detailed dependency resolution
• --visualize - Show dependency graph

Interactive Mode Options

• --no-new-installs - Don't install new packages (only upgrades)
• --target-release <release> - Set target release for packages
• --safe-upgrade - Safe upgrade (no new packages or removals)
• --full-upgrade - Full upgrade (may install/remove packages)
• --add-user-tag <tag> - Add user tag to packages

Usage Examples

Command-Line Package Management

# Update package lists
aptitude update

# Upgrade installed packages (safe)
aptitude safe-upgrade

# Full system upgrade (may install/remove packages)
aptitude full-upgrade

# Install a package
aptitude install package_name

# Install multiple packages
aptitude install package1 package2 package3

# Install package without prompts
aptitude install -y package_name

# Install specific package version
aptitude install package_name=version

# Remove a package (keep configuration)
aptitude remove package_name

# Remove package and configuration files
aptitude purge package_name

# Reinstall a package
aptitude reinstall package_name

Package Search and Information

# Search for packages
aptitude search keyword

# Search with pattern matching
aptitude search ~npackage_name

# Search by description
aptitude search ~dkeyword

# Search by maintainer
aptitude search ~mmaintainer

# Show package details
aptitude show package_name

# Show package versions
aptitude versions package_name

# List installed packages
aptitude search '~i'

# List available packages
aptitude search '!~i'

# Show why a package would be installed
aptitude why package_name

# Show why a package would be removed
aptitude why-not package_name

Dependency Resolution and Troubleshooting

# Show dependency resolution details
aptitude install --show-deps package_name

# Show why packages are being installed
aptitude install --show-why package_name

# Install with specific resolver strategy
aptitude install -o Aptitude::ProblemResolver::StepScore=1000 package_name

# Hold a package at current version
aptitude hold package_name

# Unhold a package
aptitude unhold package_name

# Mark package as automatically installed
aptitude markauto package_name

# Mark package as manually installed
aptitude unmarkauto package_name

# Show automatically installed packages
aptitude search '~i ~M'

# Show manually installed packages
aptitude search '~i !~M'

Package Group and Task Management

# List available tasks
aptitude tasksel

# Install task
aptitude install task_name^

# List package groups
aptitude search ~T

# Install package group
aptitude install ~Tgroup_name

# Show tasks for desktop environment
aptitude install ~Tdesktop

Repository Management

# Show repository sources
aptitude versions

# Install from specific repository
aptitude install -t repository_name package_name

# Show package source information
aptitude changelog package_name

# Check package availability in repositories
aptitude show package_name | grep State

Practical Examples

System Maintenance and Updates

# Complete system maintenance cycle
aptitude update && aptitude safe-upgrade

# Full system upgrade with cleanup
aptitude update && aptitude full-upgrade && aptitude purge-unused

# Security updates only
aptitude install '~nsecurity~i'

# Check for broken packages
aptitude search '~b'

# Fix broken packages
aptitude install -f

# Clean up unused packages
aptitude purge-unused

# Remove orphaned configuration files
aptitude purge '~c'

Advanced Package Operations

# Install package with specific architecture
aptitude install package_name:amd64

# Install package without recommendations
aptitude install --without-recommends package_name

# Install with recommendations
aptitude install --with-recommends package_name

# Download package without installing
aptitude download package_name

# Install local package file
aptitude install /path/to/package.deb

# Build dependency installation
aptitude build-dep package_name

# Reverse dependency installation
aptitude install package_name^

# Install package from specific version
aptitude install package_name/stable
aptitude install package_name/testing

Package Management Patterns

# Search patterns by architecture
aptitude search ~i~amd64

# Search by package state
aptitude search '~i~npython'  # installed python packages
aptitude search '~p~nlib'     # purged lib packages
aptitude search '~c~nconfig'  # configuration files remaining

# Search by section
aptitude search ~Sadmin        # administration packages
aptitude search ~Sdevel        # development packages
aptitude search ~Sgames        # game packages

# Search by priority
aptitude search ~Prequired
aptitude search ~Pimportant
aptitude search ~Pstandard
aptitude search ~Poptional

# Complex search patterns
aptitude search '~npython~n3.*~i'  # installed python 3 packages
aptitude search '~deditor~i'       # installed editors
aptitude search '~mmaintainer~n'   # packages by maintainer

Interactive Mode Operations

# Start interactive mode
aptitude

# Start with specific filter
aptitude '~i'

# Start showing why packages are installed
aptitude --show-why

# Start with specific category
aptitude --display-format '%p%V'

# Non-interactive mode for scripting
aptitude -y install package_name

Package State Management

# Show package state changes
aptitude show package_name | grep State

# Package hold management
aptitude hold package_name      # prevent upgrades
aptitude unhold package_name    # allow upgrades
aptitude hold '~n.*~i~M'        # hold all auto-installed packages

# Automatic/manual package marking
aptitude markauto package_name
aptitude unmarkauto package_name
aptitude markauto '~i~nlib.*'   # mark all lib packages as auto
aptitude unmarkauto '~i~napp.*' # mark app packages as manual

# Purge old packages
aptitude purge '~noldpackage'

# Remove specific versions
aptitude purge '~npackage~V1.0'

Configuration and Customization

# Set configuration options
aptitude -o Aptitude::Delete-Unused=false install package_name
aptitude -o Aptitude::Recommends-Important=false install package_name

# Use specific resolver strategy
aptitude -o Aptitude::ProblemResolver::SolutionCost=score install package_name

# Show configuration
aptitude config dump

# Show specific configuration option
aptitude config dump | grep Recommends

# Set default actions
echo 'Aptitude::Recommends-Important "false";' >> /etc/apt/apt.conf

Troubleshooting and Debugging

# Show detailed dependency resolution
aptitude install --show-deps --show-why package_name

# Debug broken dependencies
aptitude search '~b'

# Check for conflicts
aptitude install package_name --simulate

# Show resolver actions
aptitude install --show-resolver-actions package_name

# Visualize dependency graph
aptitude install --visualize package_name

# Check package versions across repositories
aptitude versions package_name

# Show package changelog
aptitude changelog package_name

# Show package files
aptitude show package_name | grep -A 20 "Package file list"

Archive and Backup Operations

# Create package selection backup
aptitude search '~i!~M' > manual_packages.txt
aptitude search '~i~M' > auto_packages.txt

# Restore package selection
cat manual_packages.txt | awk '{print $2}' | xargs aptitude install

# Archive package states
aptitude search '~i' > installed_packages.log
aptitude search '~i~M' > auto_installed.log

# Compare package states
diff old_installed.log new_installed.log

Related Commands

• apt - High-level package management tool
• apt-get - Low-level package management tool
• apt-cache - Package cache query tool
• dpkg - Low-level Debian package manager
• apt-mark - Package selection state management
• tasksel - Task installation tool
• debconf - Debian configuration management
• apt-file - Search for files in packages

Best Practices

System Updates

1. Use aptitude update before any package operations
2. Prefer safe-upgrade for regular maintenance
3. Use full-upgrade only when necessary for major updates
4. Always review package changes before confirming
5. Keep a backup of critical package configurations

Package Management

1. Use --show-why to understand dependency changes
2. Regularly run purge-unused to clean up system
3. Use markauto/unmarkauto for proper dependency tracking
4. Review patterns before complex operations with --simulate
5. Keep track of manual vs automatic package installations

Dependency Resolution

1. Trust aptitude's resolver but verify major changes
2. Use --show-deps for complex dependency situations
3. Hold critical packages when necessary to prevent unwanted upgrades
4. Understand the difference between safe-upgrade and full-upgrade
5. Use patterns for bulk operations involving related packages

Interactive Usage

1. Use ? key in interactive mode for help
2. Learn keyboard shortcuts for efficient navigation
3. Use g to preview changes before applying them
4. Explore package information with Enter key
5. Use search filters to navigate large package lists

Scripting and Automation

1. Always use -y or --assume-yes for non-interactive scripts
2. Include --simulate for testing before actual operations
3. Use specific search patterns for targeted operations
4. Log package operations for audit purposes
5. Test scripts in safe environments before production use

The aptitude package manager provides a powerful, text-based interface for Debian package management with superior dependency resolution capabilities and comprehensive package state tracking, making it particularly suitable for complex system administration tasks and detailed package management operations.