What is a package manager?
A package manager is a tool that installs, updates and removes software for you and keeps track of what depends on what.
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A package manager is an app store for the command line. Instead of hunting for installers on websites, you ask it for a program by name and it downloads the right version, installs everything it needs, and remembers it so it can be updated or removed cleanly later. It also checks signatures so you get the real software.
Operating systems have them: apt on Debian and Ubuntu, dnf on Fedora, brew on macOS, winget on Windows. Programming languages have their own: pip for Python, npm for JavaScript, cargo for Rust. A project lists what it needs in a file such as requirements.txt or package.json so anyone can install the same set in one command.
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- Runs with administrator rights. Make sure you understand every line.
sudo apt update && sudo apt install htop
pip install requestsSee also: What is a dependency? and What is a virtual environment?
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