Installing multiple packages at the same time
You can do this, why not!? You can run the following single command to install package-x
and package-y
:
sudo apt-get install package-x package-y
Note:
It has been mentioned that you can add the -y
flag to apt-get
to answer Yes to all the prompts. This usually only saves you from having to say Yes once, anyways. It's nice to know about the -y
flag, but be careful, because it can also automatically remove things that you may not want removed. Typically, I omit the -y
flag and manually review all Added or Removed packages to prevent myself from making mistakes that could have horrible affects on my computer. However, apt-get upgrade -y
seems to be a good option and less volatile.
sudo apt-get upgrade package-x package-y -y
To install packages use:
sudo apt-get install package-name
To install multiple packages simply list one after the other:
sudo apt-get install package-name1 package-name2 package-name3
To force apt-get install
to answer yes
to any are you sure you want to install this package?
questions which may arise add a -y
to the end
sudo apt-get install package1 package2 package3 -y
I'm not sure about other users but I find it helpful to keep a file that has a list of all packages/programs that I commonly use so that in the event I need to reinstall I can simply copy and paste the command rather than having to spend the next few weeks figuring out what I have and haven't got.
As Angel identified below keeping a copy of dpkg --get-selections
will allow you to keep handy all the packages you had in case of reinstall.
You can also restore pkg
metadata by using apt-mark showauto > auto.lst
and apt-mark showmanual > manual.lst
to get metadata and apt-mark auto < auto.lst
and apt-mark manual.lst to restore it
.