Cheat-sheet for debian package manager aptitude

Aptitude is a package manager for Debian and Debian-based systems.

# dpkg
    aptitude
    dpkg-deb
# dpkg
    dpkg --list
    dpkg --status packagename
    dpkg --listfiles foo
    dpkg --search filename
    dpkg-divert --divert /bin/login.debian /bin/login
    dpkg-scanpackages BIN_DIR OVERRIDE_FILE [PATHPREFIX] > my_Packages
    dlocate -S filename
    apt-file search foo
# apt-proxy
# search
    aptitude search '?narrow(?installed, !?archive(stable))'
    aptitude search '?narrow(?installed, ?archive(testing) !?archive(stable))'
# apt-get
    apt-get source foo
    apt-get build-dep foo
# apt-cache
    apt-cache showsrc mypackagename
    apt-get source mypackagename
# internals of apt package
    bash$ apt-cache policy hello
    bash$ ar -t /usr/lib/libvorbis.a
    bash$ tar -xzvf control.tar.gz
    control.tar.gz
        # dependency info
        <http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-controlfields.html#s-binarycontrolfiles>
    data.tar.gz
        # to make
        <http://radagast.bglug.ca/linux/anatomy_of_a_deb_file.html>
# extract package
    cd /var/cache/apt/archives
    mkdir /tmp/libapache2
    mv libapache2-mod-perl2_2.0.4-7_amd64.deb /tmp/libapache2
    cd /tmp/libapache2
    ar -vx libapache2-mod-perl2_2.0.4-7_amd64.deb
    tar -zxf data.tar.gz
# alternatives
    update-alternatives --config x-window-manager
# important directories
    /lib/dpkg/info/
    /var/cache/apt/archives

Aptitude states that, unlike Advanced Packaging Tool, it “does not have Super Cow Powers”. In apt-get “super cow powers” can be found by issuing the command apt-get moo. However, in aptitude issuing moo will give the user a prompt saying there are no Easter eggs.

However, by issuing aptitude -v moo, then aptitude -vv moo, and so on the user will see a series of statements telling them to go away, some ending with a picture (a reference to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince) not unlike the original apt-get Easter egg. Different versions of the program have different sequences.

In addition, the package description states that “aptitude is also Y2K-compliant, non-fattening, naturally cleansing, and housebroken.”