| aptitude | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Daniel Burrows[1] |
| Initial release | 1999; 26 years ago (1999) |
| Stable release | |
| Repository | |
| Written in | C++ (ncurses) |
| Operating system | Linux,iOS[3] |
| Platform | Debian and derivatives |
| Type | Package manager |
| License | GPLv2 |
aptitude is afront end toAPT, theDebianpackage manager.[4] It displays a list of software packages and allows the user to interactively pick packages to install or remove. It has a search system utilizing flexible search patterns. It was initially created for Debian, but has appeared inRPM-based distributions as well.
aptitude is based on thencursescomputer terminal library, with which it provides an interface that incorporates some elements commonly seen ingraphical user interfaces (GUIs) (such aspull-down menus).
In addition to the ncurses interface, aptitude provides an extensivecommand-line interface (CLI). Even though aptitude is one executable file, it provides command-line functions similar to those of the family of tools provided by APT (apt-get, apt-cache, apt-listchanges, etc.). aptitude also emulates mostapt-getcommand-line arguments, allowing it to act as a full replacement forapt-get. In the past, it was recommended that aptitude and apt-get not be used interchangeably. This is no longer true, as both programs now correctly track and share a common list of packages that were automatically installed to satisfy dependencies.[5]
aptitude was created in 1999. At the time two otherterminal-based APT-likefront ends were available: thedselect program, which had been used to manage packages on Debian before APT was created, and the console-apt program, a project that was considered to be theheir apparent to dselect.aptitude was created to experiment with a moreobject-oriented programming design than that used in console-apt, in the hope that this would result in a more flexible program with a broader set of features.
The first public release ofaptitude was version 0.0.1 on November 18, 1999. It was very limited: it had the ability to view the list of available packages, but could not actually download or install any packages. By version 0.0.4a, this ability had been added, with many other improvements; this version was included in Debian 2.2, code name:potato.
In late 2000, the wholeuser interface module was rewritten; a newarchitecture was created, based on thelibsigc++callbacklibrary and concepts from modernwidget toolkits such asGTK+ andQt. This enabled the interface to become much more similar to GUIs than it had been previously, with features such aspull-down menus andpop-up dialogs. One ofaptitude's more unusual features, a tiny implementation ofMinesweeper, was added at this time. The first officialaptitude release following this rewrite was 0.2.0.,aptitude 0.2.11.1 was released with Debian 3.0Woody. By this time, theconsole-apt project (renamed todeity) had been effectively abandoned by its maintainers, and it was removed from Woody. aptitude has also been ported tojailbrokeniOS as part of theCydia package manager.[3]
aptitude states that, unlike APT, it does not have "Super Cow Powers". In apt-get, "super cow powers" can be found by issuing the commandapt-get moo. However, in aptitude issuing moo will give the user a prompt saying there are noEaster eggs.
However, by issuingaptitude -v moo, thenaptitude -vv moo, and so on the user will see a series of statements denying the "Super Cow Powers" or telling them to go away, some ending with a picture (a reference toAntoine de Saint-Exupéry'sThe 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."
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