How to verify and install dependencies in Debian / Ubuntu

In many cases, it often happens that when you install a package in GNU / Linux with console, use the command returns a dependency error message. Probably more than one would have happened.

A unit, according to Wikipedia , is an application or a library required by another program to work properly. That is why we say that such a program depends on such application or library.

Given this clear, let us see how we can verify the dependency of a package using the text console.

On Debian and derivatives, we have an application that is called "Apt-rdepends", that allows to test what are the dependencies of a given package. Basically, what the command is recursively list package dependencies, either forwards or backwards.

Apt-rdepends is not installed by default in Debian or Ubuntu, so it is necessary to install it manually.

To install on Debian apt-rdepends, we typing the following in console:

# Su-c "apt-get install apt-rdepends"

To install apt-rdepends in Ubuntu, tipeamos following in console:

# Sudo apt-get install apt-rdepends

After you install this application, we can begin to request information about the dependencies of a package. For example:

# Apt-rdepends amarok

This will return a list like this:

Apt-rdepends, like any Linux command has many options for use, see some:

# Apt-rdepends-b package-name

the option-b (-build) shows the direct dependency of the selected package.

# Apt-rdepends-d package-name

the option-p (-print-state) output version of the package and its status

# Apt-rdepends-f package-name

the option-f (-follow = Depends) shows the dependencies and predependencias of a package.

If we have doubts with this command, you can consult the manual:

# Man apt-rdepends

Moreover, recognizing and knowing what are the necessary dependencies to install a particular package, we will see how to install them easily.

The command apt-get build-dep allows us to install the necessary dependencies for compiling a source package. Usage is very simple, we just type the command with the name of the package you want to install their dependencies.

# Apt-get build-dep package-name

As a practical example:

# Apt-get build-dep gmc

What we will return a message like the following:

Reading Package Lists ... Done
Done Building Dependency Tree ...
The Following NEW packages will be installed:
comerr-dev e2fslibs-dev gdk-Imlib Imlib-progs-dev libgnome-dev-dev libgnorba
libgpmg1-dev
0 packages upgraded, 7 newly installed, 0 to remove and 1 Not upgraded.
Need to get 1069kB of archives. After unpacking 3514kB be will used.
Do you want to continue? [Y / n]

Note that build-dep to not install the package requested, but its dependencies needed to run properly. To find the source package of the program to be compiled, you should use:

# Apt-get source package-name

With these tips, we will not have problems when compiling / installing packages. And the configure file does not bother us with messages of "dependency error"

Sources: Debian.org / Casidiablo.net

Author: Ezequiel
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How to verify and install dependencies in Debian / Ubuntu