Package Managers on Linux: A Simple Cheat Sheet

What are package managers? For beginners, you can think of them as "app stores for nerds". More specifically, they are tools for automating software installation, updates, and dependency resolution. Here's a simple cheat sheet for apt (used in Debian/Ubuntu) and pacman (used in Arch Linux), which noting the most used commands.

Understanding Package Managers

APT (Advanced Package Tool) and Pacman are two of the most widely used package managers in the Linux ecosystem:

APT: The default package manager for Debian-based distributions (Ubuntu, Linux Mint, etc.). Known for its stability and extensive package repository.
Pacman: Arch Linux's package manager, celebrated for its speed, simplicity, and rolling-release model.

Both package managers handle:

Software installation and removal
System updates
Dependency resolution
Package searching and information retrieval

Optimizing Package Sources with Mirrors

Before diving into package management commands, it may be a great idea to configure your package sources to use mirrors. Mirrors are servers that host copies of package repositories, and using a geographically closer mirror can significantly improve download speeds and reliability.

Automated Mirror Configuration

For Chinese users, the simplest way to optimize your package sources is using chsrc, a utility that automatically selects and configures optimal mirrors for a variety of software sources, including APT and Pacman. Visit their website for straightforward instructions on mirror configuration.

Manual Mirror Configuration

For those who prefer manual configuration or need specific mirrors:

APT Mirror Configuration

Edit the sources file: sudo vim /etc/apt/sources.list
Replace the content with your preferred mirror. For example, using the Tsinghua mirror:

## Tsinghua
deb https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/ubuntu/ jammy main restricted universe multiverse
deb https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/ubuntu/ jammy-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/ubuntu/ jammy-backports main restricted universe multiverse

Save the file and run sudo apt update to update the source information.

Pacman Mirror Configuration

Find suitable mirrors on the Arch Linux Mirror Status page
Edit the mirror list: sudo vim /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
Add your preferred mirrors, ordering them by priority. For example:

### China
## Aliyun
Server = https://mirrors.aliyun.com/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
## Tsinghua
Server = https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
## NJU
Server = https://mirrors.nju.edu.cn/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
## NJUPT
Server = https://mirrors.njupt.edu.cn/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch

Save the file and run sudo pacman -Syu to synchronize and update all the packages.

Updating Package Repositories

After configuring your package sources, the next step is to update the package repositories to fetch the latest package information. After a repository update, you may also process package upgrades.

# APT Update Commands
sudo apt update     # Refresh package information
sudo apt upgrade    # Upgrade installed packages
sudo apt full-upgrade # Upgrade packages with dependency changes

# Pacman Update Commands
sudo pacman -Sy    # Sync package databases
sudo pacman -Syu   # Sync databases and update system
sudo pacman -Syyu  # Force sync and update (useful when changing mirrors)

Package Management Operations

Searching and Querying Packages

Finding and getting information about packages:

# APT Search Commands
apt search PACKAGE_NAME     # Search for packages
apt show PACKAGE_NAME      # Show package details
apt list --installed      # List installed packages
apt list --upgradeable   # List packages that can be upgraded

# Pacman Search Commands
pacman -Ss PACKAGE_NAME   # Search for packages in repositories
pacman -Si PACKAGE_NAME   # Show package information
pacman -Qq               # List all installed packages
pacman -Qqe              # List explicitly installed packages
pacman -Qqd              # List packages installed as dependencies
pacman -Qqdt             # List orphaned dependencies

Note

For Pacman, uppercase S is for sync operations with repositories, while lowercase s is for search operations.

Installing and Removing Packages

Managing software on your system:

# APT Installation Commands
sudo apt install PACKAGE_NAME          # Install a package
sudo apt install -y PACKAGE_NAME       # Install without confirmation
sudo apt install -f                    # Fix broken dependencies
sudo apt install PACKAGE1 PACKAGE2     # Install multiple packages

# Pacman Installation Commands
sudo pacman -S PACKAGE_NAME            # Install a package
sudo pacman -S --needed PACKAGE_NAME   # Install only if not already installed
sudo pacman -S PACKAGE1 PACKAGE2       # Install multiple packages

Package Removal and System Cleanup

Safely removing packages and cleaning up the system:

# APT Removal Commands
sudo apt remove PACKAGE_NAME           # Remove a package
sudo apt purge PACKAGE_NAME           # Remove package and configuration
sudo apt autoremove                   # Remove unused dependencies
sudo apt clean                        # Clear package cache

# Pacman Removal Commands
sudo pacman -R PACKAGE_NAME           # Remove a package
sudo pacman -Rs PACKAGE_NAME          # Remove package with dependencies
sudo pacman -Rns PACKAGE_NAME         # Remove package, dependencies, and configs
sudo pacman -Sc                       # Clear package cache

Warning

Always review the list of packages to be removed before confirming, especially when using commands that remove dependencies.

Advanced Pacman Configuration

Enhance your Pacman experience with these optimizations:

Enable Colored Output Edit /etc/pacman.conf and uncomment or add:
```
Color
ILoveCandy  # (Optional) This adds a fun progress bar
```
Enable Parallel Downloads In /etc/pacman.conf, uncomment or add:
```
ParallelDownloads = 5
```

The Arch User Repository (AUR)

The Arch User Repository (AUR) is a community-driven repository that significantly extends Arch Linux's software availability. It contains package descriptions (PKGBUILDs) that allow you to compile packages from source and install them using Pacman.

AUR Helpers

AUR helpers are tools that automate the process of building and installing packages from the AUR. Popular options include:

Paru: A feature-rich AUR helper written in Rust
Yay: User-friendly AUR helper with advanced features

Installing AUR Packages

You can install AUR packages manually or use an AUR helper for a more streamlined experience. Let's take a look at both methods.

Actually, yay and paru are also packages in the AUR. So, why not just take the installation of paru as an example of a manual installation?

# Install prerequisites
sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel git

# Clone and build Paru
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/paru.git
cd paru
makepkg -si

After installing paru, you can use this helper to install AUR packages more conveniently. Here are some basic commands:

# Basic Paru usage
paru -S PACKAGE_NAME     # Install a package
paru -Sua               # Update AUR packages
paru -Syu               # Update both repository and AUR packages

Additional Resources

For more detailed information about package management:

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