Package Manager
⭕ What is a software package?
▪ A compressed archive containing all required files for the software to run
▪ Apps usually have dependencies, which need to be installed with it
▪ Files are split across different folders
⭕ Tasks of a Package Manager
▪ Download, install or update existing software from a repository
▪ Ensures the integrity and authenticity of the package
▪ Manages and resolves all required dependencies
▪ Knows where to put all the files in the Linux file system
▪ Easy upgrading of the software
⭕ Package Manager - pre-installed
▪ Package Manager is already included in every Linux distribution
▪ On Ubuntu, you have an APT package manager available
▪ Package Manager, like apt has commands you can use to install, uninstall or upgrade software
⭕ Package Repository
▪ A repository is a storage location, where all the software packages are hosted
▪ Contains thousands of programs
▪ Package Manager fetches the packages from these repositories
Always update the package index before upgrading or installing new packages
▪ Pulls the latest changes from the APT repositories
▪ The APT package index is basically a database
▪ Holding records of available packages from the repositories
Alternative Package Manager
There are different package managers available
A very similar package manager is APT-GET, which you will often come across
⭕ APT
▪ Is more user friendly, like progress bar Fewer, but sufficient command options in a more organized way
▪ Recommended by Linux distributions!
⭕ APT-GET
▪ On Ubuntu, APT-GET is also out of the box available
▪ Different set of commands
▪ You can achieve the same user-friendly output if you use additional command options e.g. "apt search" not available
Alternative ways to install software
▪ On Linux, you will mostly use apt package manager
▪ But generally, you need to know different ways to install a software
Why? Because
▪ When there are packages, that are not available in these official repositories
▪ Or package is available, but not the latest version (software packages are verified, before adding to repository, and verification process takes time)
▪ Programs, which are not available: Browsers, Code editors, etc.
⭕ Snap Package Manager
▪ Snap is a software packaging and deployment system
▪ A newer package manager, initial release in 2014
▪ Many still use the term "snappy", which it was called before
▪ A package manager for all OS, which use the Linux kernel
▪ Snap = A snap is a bundle of an app and its dependencies
▪ Snap Store = Provides a place to upload snaps, and for users to browse and install the software
▪ Snapcraft = Is the command and framework used to build and publish snaps
Add repository to official list of repos
▪ Use Case:
● When installing relatively new applications, which are not yet in the official repositories
▪ How to:
● Add the repository, which contains the package to official repositories list
● Often the command is listed in the installation guide of the tool:
● Command adds repository to APT sources (into /etc/apt/sources.list)
● Afterward, you can install the package as usual - the next apt install will look into this new repository as well
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