Synaptic (software)

Synaptic is a GTK-based graphical user interface designed for the APT package manager used by the Debian Linux distribution and its derivatives.^[2] Synaptic is usually used on systems based on deb packages but can also be used on systems based on RPM packages. It can be used to install, remove and upgrade software packages and to add repositories.

Package Manager

Screenshot Synaptic on Debian Trixie
Original author(s)	Alfredo Kojima, Gustavo Niemeyer and Michael Vogt
Developer(s)	Canonical Ltd
Initial release	November 13, 2001; 23 years ago (2001-11-13)
Stable release	0.91.5 / January 26, 2025; 3 months ago (2025-01-26)
Repository	github.com/mvo5/synaptic
Written in	C, C++, Python
Operating system	Debian and derivatives
Available in	English
Type	Package manager
License	GNU GPLv2[1]
Website	github.com/mvo5/synaptic/wiki

Usage

The package manager enables the user to install, to upgrade or to remove software packages. To install or remove a package a user must search or navigate to the package, then mark it for installation or removal. Changes are not applied instantly; the user must first mark all changes and then apply them.

History

Synaptic development was funded by the Brazilian company Conectiva,^[3] which asked Alfredo Kojima, then an employee, to write a graphical front-end for APT, continuing the work initiated with the creation of the APT RPM back-end, apt-rpm.

See also

• Free and open-source software portal

• Aptitude (software), an ncurses interface for APT
• GNOME Software
• PackageKit