Chapter 13. Software Installs and Updates

Secrets in This Chapter

  • Setting Repositories

  • Installing Updates

  • Managing Applications

  • Managing Packages

  • Managing Packages from the Command Line

In the fast-paced world of Linux, it doesn't take long for an Ubuntu installation to become out of date. Security updates and bug fixes for open-source software packages are released almost daily. If your Ubuntu workstation or server is connected to the Internet, you can take advantage of software security and bug updates as they are released. Ubuntu includes both a manual and an automated method of updating the core software installation. This chapter looks at both of these methods of updating your Ubuntu system. This chapter also examines how to install additional software features onto your Ubuntu server or workstation from the Internet.

Software Management in Ubuntu

The Ubuntu operating system contains lots of software. Trying to keep track of which applications are installed, which ones can be installed, and which ones you can remove can be a full-time job. Fortunately Ubuntu offers some features that help make software management a little easier. This section walks through the basics of how Ubuntu handles software and shows how to access software for Ubuntu once you've installed the basic distribution.

Software Packages

Chapter 1, "What Is Ubuntu?" discussed the origins of the Ubuntu Linux distribution. The Ubuntu distribution consists of many different open-source software packages. A package is a self-contained ...

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