Toolbox Aid

August 9th, 2024 12:50 PM Mr. Q Categories: Command

Command: apt-get source package_name

Used to download the source code of a specific package. This command retrieves the source code archive of the specified package, which can be used for examining or modifying the package before building it from source.

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Sample Command and Output:

$ apt-get source vim
Reading package lists... Done
Downloading vim_8.1.2269-1ubuntu5.dsc
Downloading vim_8.1.2269.orig.tar.gz
Downloading vim_8.1.2269-1ubuntu5.debian.tar.xz

Description:

• apt-get source <package_name>: Retrieves and downloads the source code of the specified package (vim in this example). This includes the original source tarball, the Debian packaging files, and the .dsc file which contains the package’s metadata.

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Additional Commands and Sample Outputs:

• apt-get source --compile package_name: Download and compile the source code for the package. Sample Command and Output:

  $ apt-get source --compile vim
  Reading package lists... Done
  Downloading vim_8.1.2269-1ubuntu5.dsc
  Downloading vim_8.1.2269.orig.tar.gz
  Downloading vim_8.1.2269-1ubuntu5.debian.tar.xz
  Building the package...

Description:

• apt-get source --compile <package_name>: Downloads the source code and automatically builds the package. This is useful for testing changes to the package or ensuring that the build process works as expected.
• apt-get source --diff-only package_name: Download only the Debian-specific changes (diff) for the package. Sample Command and Output:

  $ apt-get source --diff-only vim
  Reading package lists... Done
  Downloading vim_8.1.2269-1ubuntu5.debian.tar.xz

Description:

• apt-get source --diff-only <package_name>: Downloads only the Debian-specific changes (diff) file, which contains the modifications made to the original source code for packaging purposes.

Note: Use apt-get source to obtain the source code of packages for examination, modification, or building custom versions.