Debian and Ubuntu packages (apt)

The apt manager installs packages on Debian, Ubuntu, and other Debian-based distributions with apt-get. It checks installed state with dpkg-query and uses sudo when mise is not running as root.

[bootstrap.packages]
"apt:libssl-dev" = "latest"
"apt:curl" = "8.5.0-2ubuntu10" # version pin
"apt:gcc:arm64" = "latest"     # architecture qualifier

mise bootstrap packages apply --manager apt --dry-run
mise bootstrap packages apply --manager apt

Prerequisites

The manager is available on Linux when apt-get is on PATH. On other machines, its entries show as skipped.

mise sets DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive, so debconf questions take their defaults. A maintainer script that reads from the terminal directly can still prompt.

Package names

Use the package name as apt-get install takes it. Append :<arch> to select an architecture, as in gcc:arm64. The machine's dpkg architectures and apt sources must already provide that architecture; the declaration does not enable multiarch or add a repository.

Version pins

mise passes a pin to apt as name=version. Versions are specific to a distribution release, so the 8.5.0-2ubuntu10 pin above is only an example. Run apt-cache policy curl on the target to see the candidates, and pin one that its sources offer. mise cannot install a version your apt sources no longer carry.

Package lists

mise runs apt-get update before installing when /var/lib/apt/lists holds no package lists (fresh containers), or when a simulated install (apt-get --simulate, which needs no root) fails against the current lists, for example because of a package or pinned version the lists do not contain. If the simulation succeeds, mise installs without refreshing. To force a refresh anyway:

mise bootstrap packages apply --update

What mise runs

Operation	Command
Check installed state (no sudo)	dpkg-query -W <packages>
Install	apt-get install -y -- <packages>, after apt-get update when needed
apply --update	apt-get update first
Upgrade	apt-get update, then apt-get install -y --only-upgrade -- <packages>

upgrade acts only on configured packages that are installed. apt still installs any new dependencies the upgrades need.

Remove packages

mise does not remove apt packages. Deleting an entry leaves the package installed; run apt-get remove yourself.