Re: used vs. unused packages installed
On Thu 30 Nov 2023 at 16:06:06 (-0600), Mike McClain wrote:
> Is there any way to determine which packages are used of the many
> that come with an install?
I don't know of one.
> My Raspberry Pi install of bookworm has some 1800 packages
> installed many of which I know I don't use, many others I suspect I
> don't use but don't know if some program I do use depends on them at
> some point in its life.
My principal bullseye has 2064, and has no DE, but includes
*TeX, LibreOffice, and a generous number of fonts. Without
knowing this sort of information, it's difficult to judge.
An obvious method is --no-install-recommends, but don't be surprised
when some packages lack functionality that you expect to be present.
> $ apropos editor | wc reports 23 hits
> Six of which are various versions of VI which I don't use but pico,
> nano, mcedit, mousepad and mu-editor are also included. I only use jed
> but don't know what would break if I purged the others and am loathe
> to break a working system.
Some of these are in the same package (bits of vim ± gui) or part
of another package (mc/mcedit), and some are too small to worry about
(nano/pico). Others are too specialised to be thought of as just
editors (editres, gparted, mid3v2), and the lack of some will break
your system (sed).
> There are 259 packages whose name starts with 'python', admittedly I
> could purge one a week and see if anything breaks, that would only take
> 5 years but I'm not quite that patient.
Only 58 here; what am I doing wrong? No, actually I thought you would
approve of the number, as it goes to show how much python has been
fragmented so that you only have to install the parts needed.
> Suggestions?
apt-get --purge autoremove
deborphan -Ps or orphaner
cruft-ng
debfoster
The last of these is, I think, like --no-install-recommends,
something you set up beforehand.
BTW are you seriously short of space, or just a tidy person?
(You don't have to answer.)
Cheers,
David.
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