Debian Releases APT 2.9.3 With New Package Solver

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Debian Releases APT 2.9.3 With New Package Solver

Debian's APT packaging tool is working its way toward the big APT 3.0 release. The APT 2.9 development series is underway and debuting last month was APT's new (CLI) user interface with a columnar display, colored text, and other improvements for this widely-used tool on Debian-based environments. APT 2.9.3 is out today as the newest development release and new to this version is a new package solver...

https://www.phoronix.com/news/APT-2.9.3-New-Package-Solver

[uid313]

I wish the Synaptic Package Manager (a GUI for APT) would get some love too. Great software but is a bit behind the times and would need GTK 4 support and better integration with Polkit.

[Artim]

I wish the Synaptic Package Manager (a GUI for APT) would get some love too. Great software but is a bit behind the times and would need GTK 4 support and better integration with Polkit.

But why still bother with that dirt old thing? There are more than enough competent app stores that will handle other package formats like Flatpaks and Snaps too. They are much more polished.

[Britoid]

One of the reasons I prefer Fedora-based distros is that DNF, whilst slower than Apt, wipes the floor when it comes to functionality such as history and package resolution. It's nice to see apt trying to catch up as right now and make it a viable alternative.

dnf you can pass it file paths, pkgconfig classes etc and it will happily go off and find the matching package.

[Artim]

One of the reasons I prefer Fedora-based distros is that DNF, whilst slower than Apt, wipes the floor when it comes to functionality such as history and package resolution. It's nice to see apt trying to catch up as right now and make it a viable alternative.

dnf you can pass it file paths, pkgconfig classes etc and it will happily go off and find the matching package.

No idea what pkgconfig classes are, but apt-file does the same with file paths. Sure it would be a nice to have if apt could do it on its own, but not really any reason why I would ever consider Fedora. And what does it better with history?

[nazar-pc]

I wish the Synaptic Package Manager (a GUI for APT) would get some love too. Great software but is a bit behind the times and would need GTK 4 support and better integration with Polkit.

IMO absolutely the best way to manage Debian packages on Ubuntu for those who want to know exactly what they install and what state each package is in.
But it does seem mostly abandoned unfortunately.

[shmerl]

What's the upstream for apt. Debian repo itself? I.e. where can I submit feature requests?

[QwertyChouskie]

No idea what pkgconfig classes are, but apt-file does the same with file paths. Sure it would be a nice to have if apt could do it on its own, but not really any reason why I would ever consider Fedora. And what does it better with history?

You can totally do:

sudo apt install /path/to/package.deb

and it'll work just fine. Seems this feature isn't well known, but it's there and it works.

[uid313]

But why still bother with that dirt old thing? There are more than enough competent app stores that will handle other package formats like Flatpaks and Snaps too. They are much more polished.

Oh, I use other software stores like GNOME Software and Ubuntu App Center but for me Synaptic isn't a software store it is a package management application which I use clean up leftover dependencies, re-install packages, fix broken packages and fix broken installs and botched upgrades and things like that. It is very useful when running the daily builds of Ubuntu.

[tildearrow]

Still holding broken packages? That's the feature I hate the most about APT...