steamos-update

Update the operating system

$ steamos-update

$ steamos-update check

steamos-update

(No widely documented parameters)
    The steamos-update command is typically run without additional arguments or options. Its design emphasizes simplicity, internally managing the complex update process for the SteamOS operating system and its components. Any underlying options are generally not exposed to the end-user.

steamos-update is a specialized command-line utility integral to Valve's SteamOS, designed to manage system and application updates. Unlike generic Linux package managers, steamos-update often serves as a higher-level wrapper, orchestrating the update process in a manner tailored for the SteamOS gaming environment. It ensures that the core operating system, drivers, and potentially game-related components are kept up-to-date.

On older Debian-based SteamOS versions, it would interact with the underlying apt package management system. For SteamOS 3.0 (found on the Steam Deck) and newer Arch Linux-based versions, it coordinates updates involving pacman for the base system and flatpak for applications, frequently leveraging an A/B partition scheme for robust and atomic system upgrades. Its primary goal is to provide a seamless, reliable update experience, minimizing disruption to the user's gaming sessions. While graphical update prompts are common, steamos-update provides a command-line interface for manual initiation of the update process.

steamos-update is exclusive to SteamOS environments. It often requires root privileges (e.g., `sudo steamos-update`) to execute successfully. Updates can be substantial in size and may necessitate a system reboot upon completion. The exact behavior and underlying mechanisms of the command can vary significantly between different versions of SteamOS (e.g., Debian-based vs. Arch Linux-based), so users should be aware of their specific SteamOS version. There are typically no user-facing command-line options for fine-grained control, as it's designed to automate the update process.

Depending on the SteamOS version, steamos-update acts as a high-level wrapper. For SteamOS 3.0 (Steam Deck), it orchestrates updates involving `pacman` for base system packages and `flatpak` for applications, often utilizing A/B partition schemes for robust system updates.

Primarily designed for system-wide updates, ensuring core SteamOS components, drivers, and packages are up-to-date. While updates are frequently prompted via the graphical interface, users can execute `steamos-update` directly from a terminal for manual initiation or troubleshooting.

The steamos-update command has evolved alongside SteamOS itself. In its early iterations, when SteamOS was based on Debian, it served as a high-level abstraction over apt for system updates. With the shift to SteamOS 3.0 (and the Steam Deck) to an Arch Linux base, the command adapted to orchestrate updates using pacman and flatpak, often leveraging an A/B partition scheme for robust, atomic system upgrades. Its development has consistently focused on providing a streamlined and reliable update experience, crucial for a gaming-centric operating system, minimizing user intervention and ensuring system stability after updates.

pacman(8), apt(8), flatpak(1), systemctl(1)