Debian's Next Generation Package Manager
Nala
The latest iteration of Debian's package manager makes it easier to manage packages from the command line with more readable feedback, parallel downloads, the ability to find the fastest mirrors, and an updated history list.
Debian's modern package manager got its start in 1994 when dpkg became the front end for libapt-pkg. Since then, it has evolved over several generations of front ends. Apt-get provides more detailed feedback than dpkg. The subsequent apt concentrates on apt-get's most common use cases, as well as the most often used apt utilities, and adds a progress bar to installations. Along with these changes, graphical installations have evolved from the original nearly impenetrable app to countless user-friendly tools. In the past three years, Nala [1] has become the next generation in this evolution, making package management from the command line even easier than before by reorganizing feedback and adding new features such as parallel downloads, selecting the fastest mirrors, and a history that can be used to repeat commands.
Named for a developer's cat named after a character in The Lion King, Nala is a work in progress. Currently, some of its features work only in distributions that use the standard Debian or Ubuntu package repositories, but that is likely to change as Nala gains popularity, as it almost certainly will. Moreover, the improvement in feedback alone is enough to make Nala a useful option.
Although Nala is a recent project, it can already be found in the repositories of many Debian derivatives. If it is not yet in yours, the project has a page with download instructions [2]. If you use Debian, the Nala project page advises that "Updates from this repo are slightly faster than the Debian repos, but usually only about a day sooner." In addition, Nala will not work on Ubuntu 18.04 or Debian 10 or earlier because they use earlier versions of Python. Users of these releases who want to use Nala can try installing Python 3 or else installing from source.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Fedora 41 Released with New Features
If you're a Fedora fan or just looking for a Linux distribution to help you migrate from Windows, Fedora 41 might be just the ticket.
-
AlmaLinux OS Kitten 10 Gives Power Users a Sneak Preview
If you're looking to kick the tires of AlmaLinux's upstream version, the developers have a purrfect solution.
-
Gnome 47.1 Released with a Few Fixes
The latest release of the Gnome desktop is all about fixing a few nagging issues and not about bringing new features into the mix.
-
System76 Unveils an Ampere-Powered Thelio Desktop
If you're looking for a new desktop system for developing autonomous driving and software-defined vehicle solutions. System76 has you covered.
-
VirtualBox 7.1.4 Includes Initial Support for Linux kernel 6.12
The latest version of VirtualBox has arrived and it not only adds initial support for kernel 6.12 but another feature that will make using the virtual machine tool much easier.
-
New Slimbook EVO with Raw AMD Ryzen Power
If you're looking for serious power in a 14" ultrabook that is powered by Linux, Slimbook has just the thing for you.
-
The Gnome Foundation Struggling to Stay Afloat
The foundation behind the Gnome desktop environment is having to go through some serious belt-tightening due to continued financial problems.
-
Thousands of Linux Servers Infected with Stealth Malware Since 2021
Perfctl is capable of remaining undetected, which makes it dangerous and hard to mitigate.
-
Halcyon Creates Anti-Ransomware Protection for Linux
As more Linux systems are targeted by ransomware, Halcyon is stepping up its protection.
-
Valve and Arch Linux Announce Collaboration
Valve and Arch have come together for two projects that will have a serious impact on the Linux distribution.