Software management in Ubuntu 13.04

Quick Sources

The Software Center is a graphical interface for Apt, the Advanced Packaging Tool, which manages the list of software in the repositories in the background. As already noted, you can also run Apt over the command line; many experienced Ubuntu users prefer this method because the commands work with any Ubuntu derivative. Here are four important commands:

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-cache search <--names-only> inkscape
$ sudo apt-get install inkscape
$ sudo apt-get remove <--purge> inkscape

The first command brings the package list up to date, which is important considering how quickly program versions change. The next line searches for a package whose name or description includes the term inkscape . Add the --names-only option (without the angle brackets) to search for the package name only if too many hits are returned. The third line installs the package, and the fourth line removes it. Use the optional --purge option to purge the configuration files in the home directory along with the package down to the local configuration that you have to remove yourself.

To remove all the packages installed through a PPA, either use Software Center and choose the PPA next to Installed , or stay on the command line, install the ppa-purge package, and use the command

$ sudo ppa-purge ppa:inkscape/stable

(for the Inkscape example here).

Single Consignments

Finally, some websites provide single Debian packages to download. To install the software, double-click the DEB package. Ubuntu then calls Software Center and recommends installing the package. Once you click OK , the package appears, together with a screenshot and description in Software Center. Finally, download the package with Install .