Synaptic (software)
GTK GUI front end for APT package manager
title: "Synaptic (software)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2001-software", "dpkg", "linux-package-management-related-software", "linux-pms-graphical-front-ends", "package-management-software-that-uses-gtk", "software-update-managers", "software-using-the-gnu-general-public-license"] description: "GTK GUI front end for APT package manager" topic_path: "technology/operating-systems" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaptic_(software)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary GTK GUI front end for APT package manager ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox software"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | mySynaptic |
| title | Package Manager |
| logo | File:Synaptic.png |
| screenshot | [[File:Synaptic Package Manager on Debian Trixie.png |
| caption | Synaptic on Debian Trixie |
| screenshot_size | 500px |
| screenshot_alt | yes |
| collapsible | yes |
| author | Alfredo Kojima, Gustavo Niemeyer and Michael Vogt |
| developer | Canonical Ltd |
| released | |
| latest release version | 0.91.5 |
| latest release date | |
| latest preview date | |
| programming language | C, C++, Python |
| operating system | Debian and derivatives |
| language | English |
| genre | Package manager |
| license | GNU GPLv2 |
| website | |
| :: |
| name = mySynaptic | title = Package Manager | logo = File:Synaptic.png | logo caption = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | screenshot = [[File:Synaptic Package Manager on Debian Trixie.png|200px|Synaptic Package Manager on Debian Trixie]] | caption = Synaptic on Debian Trixie | screenshot_size = 500px | screenshot_alt = yes | collapsible = yes | author = Alfredo Kojima, Gustavo Niemeyer and Michael Vogt | developer = Canonical Ltd | released = | discontinued = | latest release version = 0.91.5 | latest release date = | latest preview version = | latest preview date = | programming language = C, C++, Python | operating system = Debian and derivatives | platform = | size = | language = English | language count = | language footnote = | genre = Package manager | license = GNU GPLv2 | website =
Synaptic is a GTK-based graphical user interface designed for the APT package manager used by the Debian Linux distribution and its derivatives. 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.
Usage
Synaptic is a lightweight package manager that enables the user to install, upgrade or 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, 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.
References
References
- (3 February 2025). "The Linux tool you forgot about: How Synaptic makes software installation a breeze".
- (4 March 2024). "Using the Lightweight Package Manager Synaptic in Ubuntu Linux".
- (2 March 2023). "How to Graphically Manage Packages on a Chromebook With Synaptic".
- (17 October 2023). "How to Install Synaptic Package Manager on Ubuntu".
- (June 1991). "GNU General Public License, Version 2, June 1991". Free Software Foundation.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::