If you want to update Ubuntu repository list, you must know where to find repositories in Ubuntu Linux. This blog post explains how to list installed repositories in Ubuntu, Debian and Linux Mint Systems.
In general, repositories contain sets of packages and Ubuntu’s repository is divided into four categories or components – main, restricted, universe and multiverse.
- Main: The main Ubuntu’s repository contains applications that are free software and open-source applications which are included by default when you install Ubuntu.
- Restricted: Proprietary drivers for devices. Proprietary drivers are kept in the restricted component.
- Universe: Community-maintained free and open-source software. It contains the free, open-source softwares derived from a range of public sources and of which Canonical does not provide regular security updates.
- Multiverse: Software restricted by copyright or legal issues. It contains softwares which are not free (the software do not meet the Ubuntu main component licence policy). All such softwares are not supported and usually cannot be fixed or updated.
You can see these four main repositories in the “Ubuntu Software” tab which displays a list of repositories or “Channels”.
Ubuntu users can also enable Canonical Partner Repositories using the “Other Software” (Software and Updates) tab, where you can enable Canonical Partner Repositories. To enable a partner repository, tick it, enter your password, click “Close”, and then click “Reload”.
List Installed Repositories In Ubuntu
Every Ubuntu Linux users know that Ubuntu uses apt for package management. Apt stores a list of repositories or software channels in the file /etc/apt/sources.list. The sources.list is the list of configured APT data sources. It also uses any file with the suffix .list under the directory /etc/apt/sources.list.d/
Users can use the following command to list all the configured repositories on apt based system; which is to list installed repositories In Ubuntu:
sudo grep -rhE ^deb /etc/apt/sources.list*Alternatively, you can use apt-cache command to list all repositories.