Ubuntu : Installing, Removing, and Searching for Packages & Apps from Terminal

Contributed by seamonkey420 January 10, 2008  
Tagged: Linux

This is a quickie on how install, uninstall, and search for applications/packages in Ubuntu Linux from the Terminal window.

Searching for Packages / Applications from Terminal

1. Open the Terminal window (Applications > Accessories > Terminal).

2. at the commandline, type:
apt-cache search xxyyzz

xxyyzz being the full or partial name of the package/application

Installing Packages / Applications from Terminal

1. Open the Terminal window.

2. at the commandline, type:

sudo apt-get install xxxxxxx
(xxxxxx = name of pacakge to install, ie wacom-tools )

you will then be prompted for your password or the admin password; enter it and hit enter.

3. the terminal session will now go and check the source locations for the package, if it exists, it will then download and install it. If its already installed, it will give a message saying 0 installed 1 already installed type of message.

4. type:
exit
reboot to be sure that the package/application was installed properly.

Uninstalling Packages / Applications from Terminal

1. Open the Terminal window.

2. at the commandline, type:

sudo apt-get remove xxxxxxx
(xxxxxx = name of pacakge to remove, ie wacom-tools )

you will then be prompted for your password or the admin password; enter it and hit enter.

3. Once it finishes, type:
exit

NOTES

this method is identical to using the Synaptics Package Manager utility, the terminal method is nice for when you know the exact name of the packages you want to install.

for example if you get an error saying your missing xyz package; you can just open up terminal and do the apt-get command.

sudo = su “do” (in other words, run as superuser the following command, in Windows it would be using the “Run As” command)

type: man apt-get
this will bring up a help/readme type window in terminal explaining what flags can be used w/the command.