Update Ubuntu using the Command line

Updating your Ubuntu Linux distribution using the command line is very simple two-step process. Using the package manager, you can easily update your system as it automatically finds newer versions of your installed software. To perform the update, you will need to:

• Refresh the apt system to ensure it contains all the newest information about packages
• Download then install any packages that have newer versions

Pretty simple isn't it? The details of updating are below.

Ubuntu Update from Command line

You need only two commands to update your Ubuntu system. You should run the following commands as the superuser (root).

First execute:

apt-get update

This refreshes the package management system and ensures that it has the latest information about the newest packages.

The final step is to execute:

apt-get upgrade

This checks the versions of packages on the system and compares them the latest information that we got when we ran the update. If there are newer versions, you will be prompted to install them. Just answer yes to the questions which follow and your system will be updated.

It is always a good idea to keep your software up to date. This is especially important on a production web server. You certainly do not want a vulnerable and unpatched server facing the internet; even if its running Linux. We hope this tutorial was helpful.