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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Cleaning up packages? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 month ago by brownmustardminion@lemmy.ml to c/linux@lemmy.ml

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I noticed while updating my system just how many packages I have installed that I don't recognize.

I tend to think that minimalism is better for security, so I'd like to remove any packages that I'm not using, but this is a bit of a scary task.

Does anybody have a safe method for reviewing and purging unused or bloat packages while obviously making sure not to accidentally remove important dependencies?

I'm on arch btw.

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[–] cravl@slrpnk.net 8 points 1 month ago (3 children)

For anyone reading this on a Debian-based system, you can get a good start without risking removing anything important like this:

Run apt-mark showmanual, and copy any package names you don't think you need into a list.
Run apt-mark auto <pkg1> <pkg2> ...
Run apt autoremove

[–] pathos@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Sorry, just to clarify, <pkg1> etc. will be the ones deleted or not deleted?

[–] greywolf0x1@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 month ago

Those will be deleted as they were picked with the second command

[–] cravl@slrpnk.net 1 points 1 month ago

Like @pathos said, that's the list from the previous step. Because you're autoremoving, it will only remove packages that aren't dependencies of any other packages still installed.