Release of APT 3.1.0 in Debian and Derivative Distributions
May 19, 2025 saw the release of a new version of APT tools apt 3.1.0, a key component of the package management system in Debian and its derivatives. The project, written in C++ and Shell, is distributed under the GPL license. This new release comes after the stable version of APT 3.0.0, which was introduced in April.
The 3.1.0 branch is currently in the experimental stage and has been accepted in the Debian Experimental repository. Once stabilized, a stable APT 3.2 release will be prepared. However, this branch will not be included in the upcoming Debian 13 release.
The latest version is now available on debian unstable. This update enhances functionality and improves the user experience in package management.
Some of the main changes in this release include:
- APT Why and Apt Why-Not commands to help users understand why a package is installed or not installed;
- Addition of Include and Exclude parameters to sources for filtering packages based on white and black lists;
- Dselect utility now supports HTTPS, enhancing security;
- Default use of a new Solver3 dependencies with Backtracking support, improving conflict resolution during software installation.
The complete list of changes can be found in the Changelog on the project’s Gitlab.