If you’re a Linux user, chances are you are already familiar with the APT package manager, which is widely used in Debian-based distributions. However, for new users, using APT can be quite challenging.
It’s hard to understand what APT is trying to do when installing or upgrading packages, and the information it provides during installation is often insufficient.
Many users complain that APT is slow when downloading packages. Fortunately, there’s a solution to this problem: Nala. In this Post, we’ll explore what Nala is, how to install it, and how it can make APT better and faster.
What is Nala?
Nala is a front-end for apt-dpkg, the package management library used by APT. It’s designed to provide a more user-friendly interface to APT, with features that make it easier to use and faster.
| Key Features OF NALA |
|---|
| Parallel Downloads |
| Faster Download Speeds |
| Color Coded Text |
| Easy Installation, Removal or Upgrade |
| See History of Installed Packages |
Installing Nala
Installing Nala is straightforward. Open Terminal And Type the Below command:
sudo apt install nala -yUsage
Once Nala is installed, you can use it to update and upgrade the system, just like you would with APT.
sudo nala update && sudo nala upgradeHowever, to take an advantage of Nala’s faster download speeds, you’ll need to run the below command, which performs a scan operation and filters the fastest mirrors.
By default, Nala will filter the top 16 mirrors, out of which you can use the top 6 and add them to the source list.
sudo nala fetch
To install a package using Nala, you can run the “sudo Nala install” command followed by the package name. For example:
sudo nala install neofetchThe package information provided by Nala is very neat and easy to read, and it shows the dependency list and a clean structure of the text. You’ll also notice that the download speeds are much faster than with APT.
One of the most useful features of Nala is the ability to see the history of installed packages. To see the installed packages, you can say:
sudo nala history
Nala assigns a unique ID to each package you download, which makes it easy to uninstall a package using its ID.
To undo an installation, simply run the “sudo nala history undo” command followed by the package ID. For example , I want to remove clang
sudo nala history undo 1Conclusion
If you’re a new Linux user struggling with the APT package manager, Nala is definitely worth a try. With its faster download speeds, better package information, and user-friendly interface, Nala can make using APT much easier and more efficient. Give it a try and see how it can improve your Linux experience!
