nala-install(8)

📦
version 0.16.0 · 3 versions
, in debian trixie, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

💖 NAME 💖

nala-install — install packages. That's it, that's the vibe. (You're in the nala-install(8) page of the Nala User Manual, bestie 🫶)

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

nala install [--options] PKGS ...

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

Okay so, installing works basically the same way it does in apt. No cap.

nala takes multiple packages as arguments and installs all of them in one go. Iconic behaviour honestly.

Wanna install a specific version of a package? Use the = sign, like this:

nala install tmux=3.3a-3~bpo11+1

And nala can also install packages straight from a URL, which is giving very main character:

nala install https://example.org/path/to/pkg.deb

✨ OPTIONS ✨

  • --purge — Purge any packages that would be removed during the transaction. Like, gone gone. 💅
  • --debug — Prints helpful info for solving issues. If you're submitting a bug report, try running the command again with --debug and handing that output to the devs — it may be helpful. 🐛
  • --raw-dpkg — Forces nala not to format dpkg output.

This disables all formatting, so it looks exactly as if you were using apt.

A more in-depth explanation of what this switch does: nala will fork a tty instead of a pty for dpkg.

nala also won't display a progress bar for dpkg with this turned on. Additionally, the language of the output will not be forced into English in this mode.

  • -d, --download-only — Packages are only retrieved — not unpacked, not installed. Just vibes in a directory. 📦
  • -t, --target-release — Sets the release that Nala will install packages from.

Example — install neofetch from the testing repo:

nala install --target-release testing neofetch
  • --remove-essential — Allows the removal of essential packages.
This is very dangerous, but we thought you should have the option. 😭 Proceed at your own risk, bestie.
  • --assume-yes, --assume-no
    • -y, --assume-yes — Automatically selects yes for any prompts that may need your input.

If the configuration option assume_yes is true, this switch will set it back to default behavior.

  • -n, --assume-no — Automatically selects no for any prompts that may need your input.
  • --simple, --no-simple
    • --simple — Shows a more simple and condensed transaction summary.
    • --no-simple — Shows the standard table transaction summary with more information.

This variant is the default.

  • -o, --option — Sets options to pass through to apt, nala, or dpkg.

Example — force dpkg to install new config files without prompting:

nala install --option Dpkg::Options::="--force-confnew"

Disable scrolling text for nala:

nala install --option Nala::scrolling_text="false"

Allow nala to update unauthenticated repositories:

nala install --option* APT::Get::AllowUnauthenticated="true"
  • -v, --verbose — Disables scrolling text and prints extra information. 👀
  • -h, --help — Shows this man page. Hi bestie!! 🎀
  • --autoremove, --no-autoremove
    • --autoremove — Automatically removes any packages that are no longer needed.

This variant is the default.

  • --no-autoremove — Does NOT automatically remove any packages.
  • --update, --no-update
    • --update — Updates the package list before the requested operation.

Example:

nala install --update neofetch

is equivalent to

apt update && apt install neofetch

[Default for: upgrade]

  • --no-update — Does NOT update the package list before the requested operation.

[Default for: install, remove, purge, autoremove, autopurge]

  • --install-recommends, --no-install-recommends
    • --install-recommends — Recommended packages will be installed.

This variant is the default unless changed with the apt config.

  • --no-install-recommends — Recommended packages will NOT be installed.

If this option is selected, nala will display the recommended packages that will not be installed.

  • --install-suggests, --no-install-suggests
    • --install-suggests — Suggested packages will be installed.

This variant is the default.

  • --no-install-suggests — This variant is the default unless changed with the apt config.

If this option is selected, nala will display the suggested packages that will not be installed.

  • --fix-broken, --no-fix-broken
    • --fix-broken — Attempts to fix broken packages.

This variant is the default.

  • --no-fix-broken — Stops nala from performing extra checks.
This can result in a broken install! 💀

If you just want to fix broken packages:

nala install --fix-broken

Copyright (C) 2021, 2022 Blake Lee

okay that's the whole page bestie, go forth and install responsibly 💜✨ this was Nala User Manual, version 0.16.0, dated 21 Apr 2025 — mwah, slay, periodt 🎀🦋

📦 where this page comes from