Table of Contents

Ubuntu - apt-get - Upgrade installed packages

sudo apt-get upgrade

NOTE: This will upgrade all installed packages.


To upgrade only a specific program

sudo apt-get upgrade <package_name>

Another way to perform a complete upgrade

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

WARNING: It is recommended to avoid using this command.

  • The command apt-get upgrade is very obedient.
    • It never tries to remove any packages or tries to install a new package on its own.
  • The command apt-get dist-upgrade, on the other hand, is proactive.
    • It looks for dependencies with the newer version of the package being installed and it tries to install new packages or remove existing ones on its own.
    • It has a “smart” conflict resolution system. It will attempt to upgrade the most important packages, at the expense of the less important ones.
      • This may lead to the removal of some packages, which you might not want. This is the main reason why dist-upgrade should be avoided on production machines.