Comparing the apt-get and aptitude package tools

Colorful Mix

You will attract errors and add confusion if you alternately use apt-get and aptitude – for example, if you install Package A with aptitude, then use apt-get to remove Package A, and the install Package B, again with aptitude.

In the first step, aptitude sets up any actions and installs Package A. In the second step, apt-get deletes Package A without aptitude knowing anything about it, so aptitude assumes the package is still installed. In the last step, aptitude installs package B along with package A, again because package A is in the list of packages to be installed by aptitude. Package B is considered "lost" by aptitude and therefore needs to be set up again for installation.

Conversely, the same would not occur. Aptitude doesn't remove a package installed by apt-get behind its back because the software considers it "installed" in its list. This behavior belongs to the group of bugs centered around holds between aptitude and dpkg/dselect [8]. To avoid the trouble, it's best to decide on one of the package managers and stay with it.

This detail especially gains in importance when software in an APT repository indicates that it should be installed via aptitude install package_name . This call might potentially install the package, but it can also drag along all of aptitude's scheduled package actions  – which is not always the developer's intention. The same danger might not exist with apt-get install package_name .

Conclusion

Apt-get and aptitude are command-line package managers for Debian-based systems, including Ubuntu and its many variants. If you are growing weary of the Software Center and prefer to work from the command line, either apt-get or aptitude will do the job – but don't try to use them both. Whether you adopt apt-get or aptitude is entirely your decision and has nothing to do with the software you wish to install.