apt-get#
apt-get, also known as Advanced Package Tool, is an application manager for Unix and Linux systems.
apt#
apt is a command-line utility for installing, updating, removing, and managing deb packages on Ubuntu, Debian, and related Linux distributions. You can think of apt as an upgraded version of apt-get.
Differences#
If you replace the apt-get command with apt, all commands except for the upgrade command remain the same. The old apt-get upgrade command updates all packages currently installed in the system, without installing or removing any existing packages.
However, the new apt upgrade command will install packages that are added as dependencies for upgradable packages. Similar to apt-get upgrade, it also does not remove previously installed packages.
The difference between apt and apt-get is not only in the commands themselves. The new apt command also adds another visual feature to make the end user more comfortable. When a package is being updated using apt upgrade, apt full-upgrade, or apt dist-upgrade, you will see a progress bar notifying you of the progress. It also appears when you use apt remove or apt purge to remove packages.
Why does apt exist?#
apt was created to overcome some design flaws in apt-get.