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linux add-apt-repository: Add a new apt repository

Jonas

Jonas

2 min read

Adding a new apt repository in Linux using the add-apt-repository command is a simple way to expand your software sources and access additional packages. This command is specifically designed for Debian-based distributions, such as Ubuntu.

To add a new apt repository, simply follow these steps:

  1. Open a terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.

  2. Type the following command to install the necessary utility, if it is not already installed:

sudo apt install software-properties-common
  1. Once the installation is complete, you can use the add-apt-repository command to add a repository. The basic syntax is as follows:
sudo add-apt-repository repository_url

Replace repository_url with the URL of the repository you wish to add.

Note: Some repositories may require additional steps, such as importing a GPG key. Please refer to the repository's documentation for specific instructions.

For example, if you wanted to add the popular Wine repository, you would use the following command:

sudo add-apt-repository 'deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ focal main'

After running the command, you will see output similar to the following:

Hit:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal InRelease
Get:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates InRelease [114 kB]
...
Hit:12 https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu focal InRelease
Reading package lists... Done

Once the repository is added, you can proceed to update the package lists by executing the following command:

sudo apt update

Tips:

  • Make sure you trust the repository you are adding, as it can potentially affect the stability and security of your system.
  • Always ensure you are using the correct repository URL for your Linux distribution version.
  • To remove a previously added repository, you can use the remove-apt-repository command. For example:
sudo remove-apt-repository repository_url

That's it! You can now explore and install packages from the newly added apt repository using the apt or apt-get commands. Happy exploring!