Apt and Snap Commands in Ubuntu with Examples + Cheat Sheet

Apt and snap are the two package tools you use most on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and Ubuntu 26.10. Apt installs .deb packages from the Ubuntu archive, while snap installs sandboxed apps from the Snap Store that update themselves in the background. This guide covers the everyday commands for both, with copy-ready examples and a free cheat sheet.

Also see Top 40 Linux commands for Ubuntu 26.04, Sudo command cheat sheet, Systemctl and journalctl commands in Ubuntu and Disk and partition commands in Ubuntu.

Apt basics: update, upgrade and install

apt is the friendly front end to the Ubuntu package system. You will still see apt-get in older guides. It works the same way and is the better choice inside scripts because its output format stays stable.

1. Update package lists

Downloads the latest package indexes from the sources in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu.sources. Run it before any install or upgrade.

sudo apt update

2. List available upgrades

Shows which installed packages have a newer version waiting, without changing anything.

apt list --upgradable

3. Upgrade installed packages

Installs newer versions of everything you already have. It never removes packages.

sudo apt upgrade

Add -y to skip the confirmation prompt in scripts.

4. Full upgrade

Like upgrade, but allowed to install or remove packages when dependencies change. Use it for large updates and new kernels.

sudo apt full-upgrade

5. Install packages

Installs one or more packages plus their dependencies from the Ubuntu archive.

sudo apt install htop
sudo apt install curl git

6. Install a local .deb file

The ./ prefix tells apt it is a file, so missing dependencies are still pulled from the archive.

sudo apt install ./package.deb

Prefer this over dpkg -i, which does not resolve dependencies.

7. Remove a package

Uninstalls the package but keeps its system-wide configuration files.

sudo apt remove htop

8. Purge a package and its config

Removes the package and its configuration in /etc. Your personal files in ~ are not touched.

sudo apt purge htop

9. Remove unused dependencies

Clears libraries and old kernels that nothing needs anymore.

sudo apt autoremove

10. Clean the download cache

Deletes downloaded .deb files from /var/cache/apt/archives. autoclean only removes versions that can no longer be downloaded.

sudo apt clean
sudo apt autoclean

Search and inspect packages

Check what a package is and where it comes from before you install it. These commands are read-only, so they do not need sudo.

11. Search for a package

Searches package names and descriptions.

apt search ripgrep

Pipe through grep or use apt list "*name*" for shorter output.

12. Show package details

Prints the version, size, dependencies and description.

apt show ripgrep

13. Check versions and origin

Shows the installed version, the candidate version and which repository each comes from. On Ubuntu the firefox deb is a transitional package that installs the snap.

apt policy firefox

14. List installed packages

Lists everything installed. Filter the long list with grep.

apt list --installed | grep -i python3

15. Find which package owns a file

dpkg -S searches installed packages for a path. dpkg -L lists every file a package installed.

dpkg -S /usr/bin/curl
dpkg -L curl

16. Hold a package at its version

Stops apt from upgrading a package until you release it.

sudo apt-mark hold linux-generic
apt-mark showhold
sudo apt-mark unhold linux-generic

Repositories and PPAs

Ubuntu 26.04 stores its sources in the deb822 format in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu.sources. Only add third-party sources you trust, because they can replace system packages.

17. Add a PPA

Adds a Launchpad PPA and its signing key, then refreshes the package lists.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:git-core/ppa
sudo apt update

18. Remove a PPA

Removes the source again. Run sudo apt update afterwards.

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:git-core/ppa

19. Modernize old source files

Apt 3 can convert leftover one-line .list files into the deb822 .sources format.

sudo apt modernize-sources

Snap basics: find, install and update

Snaps are self-contained packages from the Snap Store. snapd is preinstalled, and Firefox, Thunderbird and the App Center are snaps on a default Ubuntu desktop.

20. Find a snap

Searches the Snap Store by name and description.

snap find vlc

21. Show snap details and channels

Lists the publisher, description and every channel with its version.

snap info vlc

22. Install a snap

Installs from the latest/stable channel by default.

sudo snap install vlc

23. Install a classic snap

Classic snaps run without the sandbox. Code editors and SDKs often need this.

sudo snap install code --classic

24. List installed snaps

Shows version, revision, tracking channel and publisher for each snap.

snap list

25. Refresh snaps now

Updates all snaps immediately. –list only shows pending updates.

sudo snap refresh
snap refresh --list

26. Switch a snap to another channel

Moves a snap to a different channel, for example to test a beta, and back again.

sudo snap refresh firefox --channel=latest/beta
sudo snap refresh firefox --channel=latest/stable

27. Hold automatic refreshes

Pauses updates for one snap for a set time, or until you release the hold.

sudo snap refresh --hold=72h firefox
sudo snap refresh --unhold firefox

28. Revert to the previous revision

Rolls a snap back to the revision it had before the last refresh.

sudo snap revert firefox

29. Remove a snap

Uninstalls the snap. snapd keeps an automatic snapshot of its data unless you add –purge.

sudo snap remove vlc
sudo snap remove --purge vlc

30. Keep fewer old revisions

snapd keeps older revisions for rollback. Lower the number kept to save disk space (minimum 2).

snap list --all
sudo snap set system refresh.retain=2

31. Check snap permissions

Shows which interfaces (camera, home, network and so on) a snap is connected to.

snap connections firefox

Apt vs snap quick reference

Tips and best practices

Use apt for system tools, libraries and server software that should follow the Ubuntu release. Use snaps for desktop apps and tools where you want the newest upstream version, or where the deb is only a wrapper for the snap, as with Firefox.

Do not mix sources for the same app without a reason. Installing both the snap and a PPA build of one program can leave two copies with separate settings.

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