Synaptic Package Manager

The Synaptic Package manager is the default graphical package manager for Bodhi. It is a very powerful tool for installing just about anything you might need on your system. Synaptic is a graphical front-end for Apt, the underlying package system common to Bodhi, Ubuntu, Debian, and some other Linux systems. This page covers basic use of Synaptic. Note that to install or upgrade any packages, you'll have to be connected to the Internet.

Installing packages through Synaptic is very simple and quite painless. Synaptic can be launched from the main menu by going to Applications→Preferences→Synaptic Package Manager.

After launch, Synaptic will require your password to gain administrative privileges.

This is Synaptic's main screen. Various categories of packages are available on the left, names and brief descriptions of packages are on the top right, and detailed descriptions of selected packages are on the bottom right.

It's always a good idea when you start Synaptic to click the “Reload” button, which will make Synaptic talk to the online software repositories and make sure that all of its package information is up-to-date.

A window will pop up as Synaptic talks to the repositories. In a couple of seconds, the window will close and your updated package list will be displayed.

Generally, if you're opening Synaptic, you know what package you want, and can use the program's powerful search function. Just type the name of the package or some keywords in the package's description, and Synaptic will find what you want.

Once you've found the package you need, click on the box to the left of the package, and select “Mark for Installation.”

If there are other packages that your selected package depends on, a dialogue box will come up and let you know what other packages need to be installed.

After confirming the additional changes, click the “Apply” button.

Another dialogue box will come up to confirm the changes you're making to your system. Once you're sure, click “Apply.”

Now just sit back and wait, and Synaptic download the software and take care of installing it for you. If you're curious as to what it's doing, feel free to click the “Details” button.

All done! You can now close Synaptic and enjoy your new program!

Uninstalling packages in Synaptic is as easy as installing them. Open up Synaptic and enter your password as before, and find the package that you want to remove. Click the box to the left of the package (it should now be filled in), and click “Mark for Removal.” If you want to remove not just the application but also all configuration files, you can hit “Mark for Complete Removal” instead.

Once the package has been marked for removal, click the “Apply” button.

A window will pop up to confirm the changes you're about to make. Once you're sure, click the “Apply” button.

Now just wait for Synaptic to remove the package for you.

All done. The package no longer exists on your system.

$ sudo apt-get autoremove

Synaptic has a wealth of other features and settings, many of which will not be covered here.

To view packages installed on your system, click the “Status” button in the bottom left hand panel, and click on “Installed” in the upper left hand panel.

To view packages on your system eligible for upgrades, click on the “Status” button in the bottom left hand panel, and click on “Installed (Upgradable)” in the top left hand panel. To upgrade a package, click the box to the left of the package name, and select “Mark for Upgrade.”

Afterwards, just click the “Apply” button as above, confirm the changes, and let Synaptic install the upgraded package for you.

Alternatively, if you want to upgrade all packages installed on your system, you can just click the “Mark All Upgrades” button in the upper left of the window. The usual dialogue box will come up to confirm the changes, and you just have to click “Apply,” confirm the changes again, and your system will be upgraded.