apt-file

HowTo: install apt-file. It can be used to show which files are included by a package.
Introduction
[edit]apt-file can be used to show which files are included by a package.
From the Debian package description apt-file![]()
:
search for files within Debian packages (command-line interface) apt-file is a command line tool for searching files contained in packages for the APT packaging system. You can search in which package a file is included or list the contents of a package without installing or fetching it.
Installation
[edit]The order in which these commands are run matters [1] but the process is idempotent. This means it is possible to re-apply all of the following steps.
1 Delete file /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/30usability-misc. [2]
sudo safe-rm -f -- /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/30usability-misc
2 Install apt-file.
Install package(s) apt-file following these instructions:
1 Platform specific notice.
- Kicksecure: No special notice.
- Kicksecure-Qubes: In Template.
2 Update the package lists and upgrade the system.
sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade
3 Install the apt-file package(s).
Using apt command line --no-install-recommends option is in most cases optional.
sudo apt install --no-install-recommends apt-file
4 Platform specific notice.
- Kicksecure: No special notice.
- Kicksecure-Qubes: Shut down Template and restart App Qubes based on it as per Qubes Template Modification.
5 Done.
The procedure of installing package(s) apt-file is complete.
3 Run apt-file update with root rights.
sudo apt-file update
4 Done.
The setup of apt-file has been completed.
Usage
[edit]Syntax:
sudo apt-file list package-name
Example:
sudo apt-file list nano
See Also
[edit]command-not-found- Speeding up "apt update" with Acquire::Languages=none and Contents-deb::DefaultEnabled=false - It's so much faster!

Footnotes
[edit]- ↑
Also
apt updatecannot be skipped since package contents files need to be downloaded. - ↑
Because it contains settings that speed up APT

but break
apt-fileandcommand-not-found.Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb::DefaultEnabled false;
This breaks
apt-filebecause it requires/var/lib/apt/lists/*Contents*to exist.See: Debian bug #857090

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