How to view all installed packages in terminal (Ubuntu)

Learn how to view all installed packages in terminal (ubuntu) with practical examples, diagrams, and best practices. Covers linux, ubuntu, terminal development techniques with visual explanations.
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How to View All Installed Packages in Ubuntu Terminal

Terminal window displaying a list of installed packages on Ubuntu

Learn various command-line methods to list and inspect all installed software packages on your Ubuntu system, using tools like apt, dpkg, and snap.

Managing software packages is a fundamental task for any Linux user. Whether you're troubleshooting, auditing your system, or simply curious about what's installed, knowing how to list all packages from the terminal is an essential skill. This article will guide you through several powerful command-line tools available in Ubuntu to achieve this, covering apt, dpkg, and snap.

Understanding Ubuntu's Package Management

Ubuntu primarily uses the Advanced Package Tool (APT) system, which relies on .deb packages. The dpkg command is the low-level tool that handles individual .deb packages, while apt (and its older counterpart apt-get) provides a higher-level interface for managing packages, including dependency resolution and repository interaction. Additionally, Ubuntu supports Snap packages, a universal packaging system that bundles applications and their dependencies.

flowchart TD
    A[User Request] --> B{Choose Package Manager}
    B --> C{APT (Debian Packages)}
    B --> D{DPKG (Individual .deb)}
    B --> E{Snap (Universal Packages)}
    C --> C1[apt list --installed]
    C --> C2[apt-cache pkgnames]
    D --> D1[dpkg -l]
    E --> E1[snap list]
    C1 --> F[Display List]
    C2 --> F
    D1 --> F
    E1 --> F

Flowchart of package listing methods in Ubuntu

Using apt to List Installed Packages

The apt command is the recommended tool for most package management operations in modern Ubuntu versions. It provides a user-friendly interface and combines functionalities from apt-get and apt-cache. To list all installed packages using apt, you can use the list --installed subcommand.

apt list --installed

List all installed packages using apt

This command will output a comprehensive list of all packages that are currently installed on your system, along with their versions. The output format is typically package-name/status version architecture.

Using dpkg for Detailed Package Information

The dpkg command is the foundational tool for managing Debian packages. While apt is higher-level, dpkg gives you direct control over individual .deb files and provides detailed information about installed packages. The -l (list) option is used to display all installed packages.

dpkg -l

List all installed packages using dpkg

The output of dpkg -l is more verbose than apt list --installed. It includes columns for desired action, package status, package name, version, architecture, and a short description. The first two characters indicate the status:

  • ii: installed (desired status is Install, current status is Installed)
  • rc: removed (desired status is Remove, but configuration files are still present)
  • un: not installed

This command is particularly useful for understanding the exact state of a package.

Listing Snap Packages

Snap is a universal packaging system developed by Canonical (the creators of Ubuntu). Snap packages are self-contained and work across various Linux distributions. If you have Snap applications installed, they won't appear in apt or dpkg lists. To view them, you need to use the snap command.

snap list

List all installed Snap packages

This command will display a table showing the name, version, revision, tracking channel, publisher, and notes for all installed Snap packages. This is crucial for a complete overview of all software on your system, especially if you use applications like Spotify, VS Code, or Slack, which are often distributed as Snaps.

Combining and Filtering Results

Often, you'll want to combine these methods or filter the results to find specific information. Using grep is invaluable for this. You can also redirect the output to a file for later review.

apt list --installed | grep 'gnome'
dpkg -l | grep 'apache'
snap list | grep 'code'

Examples of filtering package lists with grep

For a comprehensive list of all installed packages from all sources, you might need to run each command separately and combine their outputs, or write a small script to do so.