How can I find the name of a Package?

Question

I want to create links to software within Software Center using the APTURL - However, I'm not sure how to find out the true "package name". What is the easiest way to discover a package's name for use with the APTURL or apt-get command?

Answer 1

You can search for package names using the command line and the apt-cache command. For example, enter the following command to find out what the package name is for "firefox":

apt-cache search firefox

If you get a long list of results, you can view (pipe) the results in a viewer:

apt-cache search firefox | less

or a text file:

apt-cache search firefox > ~/firefox-list.txt

The command apt-cache search searchstring performs a full text search over all the software sources registered on your Ubuntu system. It will search the package names and the descriptions for an occurrence of the searchstring term and will print out the package name and the short description, including virtual package names.

If --names-only is given, then the long description is not searched, only the package name is. This option usually gives a smaller set of results.

Answer 2

To create an APT link, open up Ubuntu Software Center ( Applications -> Ubuntu Software Center ), search for and find a package:

Now click Edit -> Copy Web Link or hit Shift+Ctrl+C:

You should now have an APT link in your clipboard, like this: http://apt.ubuntu.com/p/moovida

Answer 3

You can find the name of a package through the Ubuntu Software Center:

Once launched type the name of the software you wish to find the package name for in the top right search box.

Once you find the software you are looking for select "More Info"

At the bottom of the additional information page you'll find Version information which contains, in parentheses, the name of the package

This is the package name you'll want to use in either apt-get commands or in APTURL links. Also - as demonstrated in the above picture - the package names of available add-ons are listed in parentheses next to each respective add-on.

Answer 4

Use apt-cache search to find the package name of a package in the default Ubuntu repositories that is installable by apt. For example search for an Nvidia proprietary graphics driver that has the '455' version number somewhere in its package name (including in the middle of the package name).

apt-cache search 455

Search for a package with a name that includes '455-generic' (including the hyphen character in the package name).

apt-cache search 455-generic

Search for a package with a name that starts with 'postgresql-12-'.

apt-cache search "^postgresql-12-"

The caret character ^ in "^postgresql-12-" indicates that the package name starts with postgresql-12-

Search for a package with a name that ends with '455'.

apt-cache search 455$

The $ character in 455$ indicates that the package name ends with 455

Search for a package with a name that contains both 'docker' and 'client'.

apt-cache search docker | grep client

Answer 5

How about just using:

aptitude search <search_terms>

And then you will have some info to use.