apt-clone

Clone the package state of the current system into a specified directory

$ apt-clone clone [path/to/directory]

$ apt-clone clone --destination [path/to/backup.tar.gz]

$ apt-clone restore [path/to/backup.tar.gz]

$ apt-clone info [path/to/backup.tar.gz]

$ apt-clone restore [path/to/backup.tar.gz] --destination [path/to/restore]

apt-clone [options]

--all
    Clone all packages including automatically installed dependencies.

--show-installed
    Show currently installed packages (listing the manifest).

--with-dpkg-repack
    Include downloaded packages with dpkg-repack to the archive to make it portable.

--destination
    Specify the destination path for cloning data (default is ./apt-clone.tar.gz).

--source
    Specify the source path for restoration.

--restore
    Restore packages from a previously saved state.

--same-version
    Try to install the exact same versions as on the original system.

--purge
    Purge removed packages (restore functionality only).

--simulate
    Simulate the restore process without actually installing any packages.

--help
    Display help message.

apt-clone is a utility designed to clone the packages installed on one Debian-based system (like Ubuntu) to another.

It works by generating a manifest of currently installed packages, including their versions. This manifest can then be used on another system to install the same packages, effectively replicating the software environment.

This is particularly useful for system administrators who need to deploy identical software configurations across multiple machines, or for developers who want to ensure a consistent environment for testing and development. apt-clone simplifies this process by automating the package installation and configuration. It also supports creating an archive containing the packages for offline installation.

apt-clone relies on the APT package manager. It cannot clone or restore software installed outside of APT (e.g., manually compiled programs). It also may fail if package versions are no longer available in the repositories.

To clone the installed packages to an archive file:
apt-clone create apt-clone.tar.gz
To restore the packages from the archive on a new system:
apt-clone restore apt-clone.tar.gz

apt-clone was developed to simplify the task of replicating software environments across multiple Debian-based systems.

It addresses the need for a quick and reliable way to migrate or duplicate package configurations.

Over time, it has evolved to include features such as package archiving and more refined restoration options.

apt(8), dpkg(1)