Check APT Version on Linux

APT (Advanced Package Tool) is a core utility used in Debian-based Linux distributions like Ubuntu to manage software packages. Knowing the APT version can be helpful when troubleshooting or verifying compatibility with certain features. This tutorial demonstrates how to check APT version on Linux.

1. apt command

The easiest way to check the APT version is by running the apt command with the --version option.

apt --version

Example output:

apt 2.8.3 (amd64)

2. apt-cache command

Another way to check the installed APT version - and get a bit more context - is by using the apt-cache tool. This command provides detailed metadata about packages installed on the system.

apt-cache policy apt

Example output:

apt:
  Installed: 2.8.3
  Candidate: 2.8.3
  Version table:
 *** 2.8.3 100
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

The Installed section shows the version of APT currently installed on the system.