---
obj: application
---

# APK
APK is a package manager used on [Alpine Linux](../../../linux/Alpine%20Linux.md).

Software packages for [Alpine Linux](../../../linux/Alpine%20Linux.md) are digitally signed [tar.gz](../../cli/compression/tar.md) archives containing programs, configuration files, and dependency metadata. They have the extension `.apk`, and are often called "a-packs".

The packages are stored in one or more repositories. A repository is simply a directory with a collection of `*.apk` files. The directory must include a special index file, named `APKINDEX.tar.gz` to be considered a repository.

The apk utility can install packages from multiple repositories. The list of repositories to check is stored in `/etc/apk/repositories`, one repository per line.

## Usage

### `apk add`
Add packages to WORLD and commit changes
Usage: `apk add [<OPTIONS>...] PACKAGES...`

#### Options
| Option                   | Description                                                 |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-i, --interactive`      | Ask confirmation                                            |
| `-p, --root ROOT`        | Manage file system at `ROOT`                                |
| `-U, --update-cache`     | Update package cache                                        |
| `-X, --repository REPO`  | Specify additional package repository                       |
| `--allow-untrusted`      | Install packages with untrusted signature or no signature   |
| `--arch ARCH`            | Temporarily override architecture                           | 
| `--no-cache`             | Do not use any local cache path                             |
| `--no-check-certificate` | Do not validate the HTTPS server certificates               |
| `-s, --simulate`         | Simulate the requested operation without making any changes |

### `apk del`
Remove packages from WORLD and commit changes

#### Options
| Option                  | Description                           |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| `-i, --interactive`     | Ask confirmation                      |
| `-p, --root ROOT`       | Manage file system at `ROOT`          |
| `-X, --repository REPO` | Specify additional package repository |
| `--arch ARCH`           | Temporarily override architecture     |


### `apk update`
Update repository indexes

### `apk upgrade`
Install upgrades available from repositories

#### Options
| Option                   | Description                                                 |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-i, --interactive`      | Ask confirmation                                            |
| `-p, --root ROOT`        | Manage file system at `ROOT`                                |
| `-U, --update-cache`     | Update package cache                                        |
| `-X, --repository REPO`  | Specify additional package repository                       |
| `--allow-untrusted`      | Install packages with untrusted signature or no signature   |
| `--arch ARCH`            | Temporarily override architecture                           | 
| `--no-cache`             | Do not use any local cache path                             |
| `--no-check-certificate` | Do not validate the HTTPS server certificates               |
| `-s, --simulate`         | Simulate the requested operation without making any changes |

### `apk cache`
Manage local package cache by removing obsolete packages, or downloading missing or newer packages from the repositories.
Usage:
```shell
apk cache [<OPTIONS>...] clean
apk cache [<OPTIONS>...] download [DEPENDENCY...]
apk cache [<OPTIONS>...] purge
apk cache [<OPTIONS>...] sync [DEPENDENCY...]
```

### `apk info`
Give detailed information about packages or repositories

#### Options
| Option              | Description                                                                               |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-a, --all`         | List all information known about the package                                              |
| `-d, --description` | Print the package description                                                             |
| `-e, --installed`   | Check package installed status                                                            |
| `-L, --contents`    | List files included in the package                                                        |
| `-P, --provides`    | List what the package provides                                                            |
| `-r, --rdepends`    | List reverse dependencies of the package (all other packages which depend on the package) |
| `-R, --depends`     | List the dependencies of the package                                                      |
| `-s, --size`        | Print the package's installed size                                                        |
| `-w, --webpage`     | Print the [URL](../../../internet/URL.md) for the package's upstream webpage                 |

### `apk list`
List packages matching a pattern or other criteria
Usage: `apk list [<OPTIONS>...] PATTERN...`

#### Options
| Option                            | Description                       |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| `-I, --installed`                 | Consider only installed packages  |
| `-O, --orphaned`                  | Consider only orphaned packages   |
| `-a, --available`                 | Consider only available packages  |
| `-u, --upgradable, --upgradeable` | Consider only upgradable packages |
| `-o, --origin`                    | List packages by origin           |
| `-d, --depends`                   | List packages by dependency       |
| `-P, --providers`                 | List packages by provider         |

### `apk search`
Search for packages by name or description
Usage: `apk search [<OPTIONS>...] PATTERN...`

### `apk fetch`
apk fetch downloads the requested packages from the configured package repositories (see repositories) to a local directory. The current working directory is used as the destination directory unless `-o` is specified.

#### Options
| Option             | Description                                                         |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-l, --link`       | Create hard links if possible                                       |
| `-o, --output DIR` | Write the downloaded file(s) to DIR                                 |
| `-R, --recursive`  | Fetch packages and all of their dependencies                        |
| `-s, --stdout`     | Dump the .apk file(s) to stdout                                     |
| `-w, --world`      | Download packages needed to satisfy WORLD                           |
| `--simulate`       | Simulate the requested operation without making any changes         |
| `--url`            | Print the full [URL](../../../internet/URL.md) for downloaded packages |

### `apk manifest`
Show checksums of package contents

### `apk verify`
Verify package integrity and signature

### `apk audit`
Audit system for changes

### `apk stats`
Show statistics about repositories and installations