synaptic

synaptic [options]

--help
    Show a summary of command-line options.

--version
    Display the Synaptic version information.

--display=<display>
    Specify the X display to use for the graphical interface.

--config-file=<file>
    Use an alternative configuration file instead of the default.

--no-scaled-pixmaps
    Prevent scaling of pixmaps in the interface.

--hide-main-window
    Start Synaptic with its main window hidden.

--set-filter=<filter_name>
    Apply a predefined filter on startup (e.g., 'Broken', 'New', 'Upgradable').

--set-mode=<mode_name>
    Set the initial view mode (e.g., 'Sections', 'Status', 'Origin').

--filter-parameter=<parameter>
    Provide a parameter for the specified filter (e.g., a section name for 'Section' filter).

--select-package=<package_name>
    Select and highlight a specific package in the package list upon startup.

--with-package-details
    Open Synaptic with the package details pane visible upon selection.

--non-interactive
    Suppress interactive dialogs, useful for scripting but limited for a GUI application.

--update-at-startup
    Automatically refresh the package lists from repositories when Synaptic launches.

Synaptic is a graphical user interface (GUI) package management tool for Debian, Ubuntu, and other Debian-based Linux distributions. It provides a user-friendly interface to the Advanced Package Tool (APT) system, allowing users to easily install, remove, upgrade, and manage software packages.

It offers features like searching, filtering, and browsing packages by category, status, or origin. Synaptic helps visualize package dependencies, resolve conflicts, and apply system updates with a few clicks, making complex package management tasks accessible to users who prefer a graphical approach over the command line.

Synaptic requires root privileges (typically obtained via sudo) to perform most package management operations such as installing, removing, or upgrading software.

It is primarily a graphical application, and its command-line options are mainly used to control its initial state or view, rather than for performing headless package operations. It is designed specifically for Debian-based systems and is not compatible with other package management systems like RPM or Pacman.

Synaptic provides a complete graphical environment for managing software, offering visual cues, progress bars, and an easy-to-navigate layout that abstracts the complexities of command-line package management.

It automatically handles package dependencies, ensuring that all necessary libraries and components are installed when a new package is selected, and warning about potential conflicts.

Synaptic allows users to easily add, remove, and enable software repositories (sources of packages), providing access to a wider range of software or specific versions.

Users can 'mark' packages for installation, removal, or upgrade, and then apply all changes in one go, providing a clear overview of pending actions before execution.

Synaptic was developed by Alfredo Kojima and Michael Vogt. It emerged as a user-friendly graphical front-end for APT (Advanced Package Tool), the robust command-line package management system used by Debian and its derivatives. Its development aimed to provide an intuitive interface for users less comfortable with command-line operations, simplifying tasks like searching, installing, and removing software packages.

Synaptic quickly became a popular choice in Debian-based distributions, especially Ubuntu, where it served as the default graphical package manager for many years before the Ubuntu Software Center gained prominence. Despite newer alternatives, Synaptic remains a reliable and powerful tool, favored by many for its comprehensive features and control over the package system.

apt(8), apt-get(8), dpkg(8), aptitude(8), gdebi(1)