Debian GNU/Linux provides three main package management tools:
-
dpkg
-
The original package management tool,
which is used from the command line. The newer package management
tools, which most users find more convenient, invoke
dpkg on behalf of the user. However,
dpkg provides access to some
functions - particularly query functions - not available using
the more user-friendly tools.
-
dselect
-
A graphical front-end to
dpkg, which lets the user browse a list of
available packages and select packages for installation or
removal.
-
apt-get
-
A command-line tool that lets the user
maintain a list of sources from which to obtain packages. Sources can
be files on mounted filesystems, files on CD-ROM, files on FTP
servers, and so on. When the user requests that a package be
installed,
apt-get locates the package file on one
of its servers, downloads the package if necessary, and installs the
package.
This appendix does not attempt to cover all the features and
options of each tool. Instead, the material is organized around a set
of common system administration tasks, usually presenting only one
technique for dealing with each task. As you learn more about Debian,
you'll discover other ways of performing these tasks.
Since package management generally involves manipulation of
files with restricted permissions, most package management operations
must be performed by
root.
