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How to count the number of source packages

rated 0 times [ 2] [ 0] / answers: 1 / hits: 938 / 3 Years ago, mon, october 11, 2021, 11:26:01

I'm comparing Ubuntu to other distributions for a number of factors, and for one factor I need the number of source packages, which is probably a better indicator than the total number of packages a distribution has.

It looks like I could use apt-cache dumpavail and from each section get the package name or the source name, if there is one, then get a unique count from that. But, is there an easier, faster way?

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3 Years ago

answered 3 Years ago cklaceowne · Accepted Answer

You can grep the number of Package: lines in the files whose names end in _Sources in the directory /var/lib/apt/lists/:

grep '^Package: ' /var/lib/apt/lists/*_Sources | wc -l

On my Ubuntu 11.10 machine I get the number 17150.