apt-get vs aptitude

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 01:11:20AM -0500, Christopher Browne wrote:
> On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 12:20 AM, Rajinder Yadav <devguy.ca-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> > What is the difference between using apt-get and aptitude to install
> > packages?
> >
> > I'm using aptitude because if I recall correctly it manages the package
> > dependencies better, where as apt-get will not. I recall having to use
> > synaptic to fix a problem once and that when I stopped using apt-get.
> 
> The essential difference is that aptitude represents a "captive,
> GUI-ish" interface (albeit in a terminal window) whereas apt-get is
> purely scriptable/commandable.

I believe in almost all cases you can replace apt-get with aptitude and
use the same command line.  aptitude has a curses interface, but also
has command line scriptability.

> aptitude is a bit nicer at handling the interaction where you're not
> quite sure what you want to install, and want to browse + select +
> browse some more before deciding what to commit to.
> 
> apt-get is perfectly good at coping with installing particular
> packages or sets thereof, as long as you have already identified those
> sets.

-- 
Len SOrensen
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