The Software Developer's Guide to Linux

9

Managing Installed Software

As you work in various Linux or Unix environments, you’ll need to add or remove software. This is usually done via package managers, although occasionally you’ll have to use other methods in a pinch.

You’re likely familiar with tools that manage libraries in your programming environment – npm, gem, pip, go get, maven, gradle, and so on. These package managers all operate on the same principles as the ones found in Linux and Unix.

Software package managers abstract away the many configuration and binary files that make up a piece of software and let you work with a single, neat “package” instead. This should feel familiar if you’re coming from Windows (.exe or .msi installers) or macOS (.dmg installers).

Additionally, ...