ap(1)

💅 ap(1) — like, the aports tree query tool, bestie

okay so real talk: this is ap from the General Commands Manual section, and honestly? she's that girl. she queries and analyzes an aports tree for you, no cap. 🌸

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✨ NAME ✨

ap — query and analyze an aports tree 🦋

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

ap [-h] [-d DIR] SUBCOMMAND [PKG...]

that's the whole vibe check. subcommand goes in the middle, packages go at the end, and the flags are optional but iconic. 💅

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✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

so what does ap actually do? bestie, she queries and analyzes an aports tree. that's it, that's the whole personality. 🎀

she's gonna give you info about packages, dependencies, and build requirements — the trio of things you're always asking her about at 2am anyway. literally main character energy for anyone poking around Alpine packaging. 👑

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✨ OPTIONS ✨

• -d, --dir=DIR — use DIR as the repository directory instead of the current directory. so if you're not in the aports tree, just point her at it, she's not gonna guess. 💖
• -h, --help — show help and exit. the classic "wait how does this work again" move, we've all been there. 🙈

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✨ SUBCOMMANDS ✨

so this is where the magic happens. pick your fighter:

• apk-list — list all apk files. all of them. every single one. ⭐
• build-list — list packages that can/should be rebuilt. yes "can/should" — she's not gonna make that decision for you, she's just gonna tell you who's up. 🧚
• builddirs PKG... — print the build directories for the specified packages in build order. so you get them in the right sequence, not just a pile. 🌈
• circular-aports [PKG ...] — find aports with circular build time dependencies. yes, the cursed ones. the ouroboros packages. 💀
• dump-json — dump all abuilds from the aports tree to JSON. for when you want the data machine-readable and not vibes-readable. 🖥️✨
• list — print all packages built from the aports tree. straightforward. slay. 💅
• recursive-deps PKG... — recursively print all make dependencies for the specified packages. all the way down, bestie. all the way. 😭
• recursive-revdeps PKG... — recursively print all reverse make dependencies for the specified packages. who depends on you, and who depends on them. the whole friend group. 🫶
• revdep PKG... — print reverse dependencies for the specified packages. just one layer, no recursion. quick lil check-in. 🍓
• sources PKG... — list sources for the specified packages. where does she even come from. 💜
• toplevel-aports — list top-level aports, meaning packages with no reverse dependencies. the ones nobody depends on. the independents. the CEOs. 👑

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✨ EXAMPLE ✨

here's a real one, look how cute she looks in context:

cd ~/aports/main/ && ap recursive-revdeps python3

cd into main, then ask who reverse-depends on python3. spoiler: it's everyone. it's always everyone. 😭🔥

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✨ CAVEATS ✨

listen. big one. ap(1) operates on a single repository and will not find (reverse) dependencies across repositories. so like — it will not find dependants in community for a package in main. she's not being lazy, she literally just can't see over there. don't blame her, blame the boundaries. 💀

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✨ SEE ALSO ✨

buildrepo(1), abuild(1), APKBUILD(5), apk(8) — the rest of the friend group, go say hi. 🦋

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✨ AUTHORS ✨

Natanael Copa <ncopa@alpinelinux.org> and other lua-aports authors. absolute icons, we stan. 👑💖

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okay that's the whole page, you're basically an aports expert now, no cap 🎀✨

this page dropped 2026-04-13, part of the ap(1) manual — go forth and query, bestie 💅🦋