If you have ever used Debian, Ubuntu, or Linux Mint, you’ve likely typed sudo apt or sudo apt-get hundreds of times. While they often seem to do the same thing, they represent two different eras of Linux package management.
What are they?
- APT (Advanced Package Tool): A high-level command-line interface for the package management system. It’s designed to be the "end-user friendly" version.
- apt-get: One of the core back-end tools that APT uses. It is a robust, low-level tool that has been around since the late 90s.
In simple terms, they both handles:
- Installing software
- Updating package lists
- Upgrading installed packages
- Managing dependencies
Why were they introduced?
In the early days of Debian, installing software was a manual nightmare. You had to download .deb files and resolve "dependency hell" (where one app needs another app to work) yourself.
apt-get was introduced to automate this—it would find, download, and install dependencies for you. Later, apt was introduced (around 2014) to simplify the user experience by merging the most common functions of several different tools (apt-get, apt-cache, and apt-config) into one easy-to-remember command.
Similarities and Differences
The Similarities
Both tools interact with the same underlying database of packages (DPKG). If you install a program with apt-get, you can remove it with apt. They use the same repositories and handle dependencies with the same level of reliability.
The Key Differences
The main difference is design philosophy. apt-get is designed to be stable and "script-friendly," while apt is designed to be pleasant for humans to look at.
| Feature | apt | apt-get |
|---|---|---|
| Progress Bar | Shows a nice percentage bar at the bottom. | No progress bar (just scrolling text). |
| Simplicity | Merges apt-get and apt-cache. | Requires separate tools for searching. |
| Stability | Interface may change slightly over time. | Interface is "locked" for backward compatibility. |
| Feedback | Lists which packages are being upgraded. | Provides more "raw" output. |
Commands and Compatibility
For the average user, apt commands are much more intuitive. Here is how they map to each other:
| Task | Modern apt Command | Legacy apt-get / apt-cache |
|---|---|---|
| Update repositories | apt update | apt-get update |
| Install a package | apt install [name] | apt-get install [name] |
| Remove a package | apt remove [name] | apt-get remove [name] |
| Search for a package | apt search [name] | apt-cache search [name] |
| Upgrade system | apt full-upgrade | apt-get dist-upgrade |
Compatibility
apt-get is still considered the gold standard for shell scripts. Because apt is newer and its output formatting can change, it may break scripts that rely on parsing specific text. apt-get is guaranteed to behave the same way it did 10 years ago.
Common Misconceptions
1. "apt is just an alias for apt-get"
False. While they share a lot of code, apt is its own binary. It doesn't just pass commands to apt-get; it handles them differently to provide better user feedback, such as the colorful progress bars and the summary of packages.
2. "apt-get is deprecated and I shouldn't use it"
False. apt-get is not going anywhere. It is still the preferred tool for system administrators and developers writing automation scripts because of its stability and more detailed logging options.
3. "apt is faster than apt-get"
False. The download and installation speed depend on your internet and your hardware. Since both tools use the same back-end libraries to actually move bits around, there is no significant performance difference between them.
Which one should you use?
- Use
aptfor your daily manual tasks. It looks better, it’s easier to type, and it gives you more helpful information. - Use
apt-getif you are writing a script or if you are working on an older system whereaptmight not be installed.
Conclusion
apt and apt-get aren’t two different tools or aliases—they’re two interfaces to the same underlying APT system, built for different situations. apt-get represents the original, stable, and script-friendly tool that system administrators still rely on for automation and precision. apt, on the other hand, was introduced to make everyday package management simpler, cleaner, and more approachable—especially for beginners.
