apt-sortpkgs

apt-sortpkgs < Packages > Packages.sorted

The apt-sortpkgs command is a lightweight utility in Debian-based systems, primarily used internally by APT tools to sort package index files. It reads package stanzas (paragraphs containing package metadata like name, version, and dependencies) from standard input and outputs them to standard output, sorted lexicographically by the Package field.

This sorting enables efficient binary searches in large Packages files generated by tools like apt-ftparchive or dpkg-scanpackages, improving APT's performance during repository updates and package queries. Without sorting, linear scans would slow down operations on repositories with thousands of packages.

Typically not invoked directly by users, it's called automatically during repository generation. For example, when creating a Packages index, unsorted input is piped through apt-sortpkgs before compression into Packages.gz. The tool handles multi-architecture formats and ignores malformed stanzas, ensuring robustness.

Its simplicity—no options or complex configuration—makes it reliable for scripting in repository maintenance tasks.

Internal APT tool; direct use unnecessary for most users. Assumes valid Debian control file format on input; ignores invalid stanzas without error.

Generate sorted Packages:
dpkg-scanpackages . /dev/null | apt-sortpkgs > Packages

Preserves original stanza order within same package name; stable sort ensures reproducibility.

Introduced in APT 0.3.19 (1998) as part of early repository tooling. Evolved minimally; current version in APT 2.7+ focuses on stability for high-volume repos. Key for dpkg/APT ecosystem since Debian 2.0.

apt-ftparchive(1), dpkg-scanpackages(1), apt-cache(8)