How to: apt list installed packages

As a Linux user, you may have come across the ‘apt list installed packages’ command while trying to manage your system packages. This command is used to display a list of all the packages that are currently installed on your system using the Advanced Packaging Tool (APT). In this article, we will explore the ‘apt list installed packages’ command in detail, including its usage, related concepts, and methods.

Usage

The ‘apt list installed packages’ command is used to display a list of all the packages that are currently installed on your system using the APT package manager. The command can be executed in a terminal window by typing the following command:

apt list --installed

When executed, the command will display a list of all the installed packages in the following format:

package-name/version arch

Where ‘package-name’ is the name of the package, ‘version’ is the version number of the package, and ‘arch’ is the architecture of the package. For example, the output may look like this:

accountsservice/0.6.55-0ubuntu11.6 amd64
acl/2.2.53-6ubuntu1 amd64
acpi-support/0.143 amd64
acpid/1:2.0.31-1ubuntu2 amd64
adduser/3.118ubuntu1.1 all

Understanding the ‘apt list installed packages’ command requires some knowledge of the following related concepts:

APT

APT (Advanced Packaging Tool) is a package manager used in Debian-based Linux distributions. It is used to manage the installation, removal, and upgrade of software packages on a system. APT uses a central repository of packages, which can be accessed using the ‘apt’ command.

Package

A package is a collection of files that make up a software application or library. Packages can be installed, removed, and upgraded using a package manager like APT.

Repository

A repository is a central location where packages are stored and can be accessed by a package manager like APT. Repositories are usually maintained by the distribution vendor or the community.

Methods

The ‘apt list installed packages’ command can be used with various options to display specific information about the installed packages. Some of the most commonly used options are:

–all-versions

This option is used to display all available versions of the installed packages. It can be executed in a terminal window by typing the following command:

apt list --installed --all-versions

–upgradable

This option is used to display a list of installed packages that have available upgrades. It can be executed in a terminal window by typing the following command:

apt list --installed --upgradable

–installed-packages

This option is used to display a list of installed packages without their version numbers or architectures. It can be executed in a terminal window by typing the following command:

apt list --installed-packages

–quiet

This option is used to display a list of installed packages without any additional information or details. It can be executed in a terminal window by typing the following command:

apt list --installed --quiet

Conclusion

The ‘apt list installed packages’ command is a useful tool for managing software packages on a Linux system. It allows you to quickly and easily view a list of all the packages that are currently installed on your system. By understanding the related concepts and methods, you can use this command to display specific information about the installed packages and manage them more efficiently.