tags: [ packaging ]

To fetch package list:

apt-get update

To download and install package updates:

apt-get upgrade

To download and install the updates AND install new necessary packages

AND remove any packages that stand in the way of the upgrade:

apt-get dist-upgrade

Full command:

apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade

To install a new package(s):

apt-get install ...

To download a package without installing it. (The package will be downloaded in your current working dir)

apt-get download

To change cache dir and archive dir (where .deb are stored):

apt-get -o Dir::Cache="/path/to/destination/dir/" -o Dir::Cache::archives="./" install ...

To show apt-get installed packages:

grep 'install ' /var/log/dpkg.log

To silently keep old configuration during batch updates:

apt-get update -o DPkg::Options::='--force-confold' ...