{{short description|GTK GUI front end for APT package manager}} {{Distinguish|Symantec}} {{Infobox software | name = mySynaptic | title = Package Manager | logo = File:Synaptic.svg | logo caption = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | screenshot = 200px|Synaptic Package Manager on Debian Trixie | caption = Synaptic on Debian Trixie | screenshot_size = 500px | screenshot_alt = yes | collapsible = yes | author = Alfredo Kojima, Gustavo Niemeyer and Michael Vogt | developer = Canonical Ltd | released = {{Start date and age|2001|11|13}}<ref name="ZDNETJW">{{cite web |last1=Wallen |first1=Jack |title=The Linux tool you forgot about: How Synaptic makes software installation a breeze |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-linux-tool-you-forgot-about-how-synaptic-makes-software-installation-a-breeze/ |website=ZDNET |date=3 February 2025 |access-date=26 September 2025 |ref=ZDNETJW}}</ref> | discontinued = | latest release version = 0.91.7 | latest release date = {{Start date and age|2025|04|06}} | latest preview version = | latest preview date = <!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}} --> | programming language = C, C++, Python | operating system = Debian and derivatives | platform = | size = | language = English | language count = | language footnote = | genre = Package manager | license = GNU GPLv2<ref name = "License" /> | website = {{Official URL}} }}
'''Synaptic''' is a GTK-based graphical user interface designed for the APT package manager used by the Debian Linux distribution and its derivatives.<ref name = "Garcia, ubunlog, 2013" /> Synaptic is usually used on systems based on deb packages but can also be used on systems based on RPM packages. It can be used to install, remove and upgrade software packages and to add repositories.
==Usage== Synaptic is a lightweight package manager that enables the user to install, upgrade or remove software packages.<ref name="FOSSAP">{{cite web |last1=Prakash |first1=Abhishek |title=Using the Lightweight Package Manager Synaptic in Ubuntu Linux |url=https://itsfoss.com/synaptic-package-manager/ |website=It's Foss |date=4 March 2024 |access-date=26 September 2025 |ref=FOSSAP}}</ref> To install or remove a package a user must search or navigate to the package, then mark it for installation or removal. Changes are not applied instantly; the user must first mark all changes and then apply them.<ref name="MUODD">{{cite web |last1=Delony |first1=David |title=How to Graphically Manage Packages on a Chromebook With Synaptic |url=https://www.makeuseof.com/chromebook-manage-packages-graphically-with-synaptic/ |website=Make Use Of |date=2 March 2023 |access-date=26 September 2025 |ref=MUODD}}</ref><ref name="MUOSH">{{cite web |last1=Hameed |first1=Sharqa |title=How to Install Synaptic Package Manager on Ubuntu |url=https://www.makeuseof.com/install-synaptic-package-manager-on-ubuntu/ |website=Make Use Of |date=17 October 2023 |access-date=26 September 2025 |ref=MUOSH}}</ref>
==History== Synaptic development was funded by the Brazilian company Conectiva,<ref name = "Softpedia, 2007" /> which asked Alfredo Kojima, then an employee, to write a graphical front-end for APT, continuing the work initiated with the creation of the APT RPM back-end, apt-rpm.
==See also== {{Portal|Free and open-source software}} * Aptitude (software), an ncurses interface for APT * GNOME Software * PackageKit
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="License">{{cite web |url=https://bazaar.launchpad.net/~synaptic-developers/synaptic/trunk/view/head:/COPYING |title=GNU General Public License, Version 2, June 1991 |website=Bazaar Launchpad (archived) |publisher=Free Software Foundation |date=June 1991 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713205108/https://bazaar.launchpad.net/~synaptic-developers/synaptic/trunk/view/head:/COPYING |archive-date=13 July 2021 |url-status=dead}}</ref> <ref name = "Garcia, ubunlog, 2013">{{cite web | url = https://ubunlog.com/synaptic-un-gestor-debianita-en-ubuntu/ | title = Synaptic, un gestor debianita en Ubuntu | access-date = 6 August 2019 | first = Joaquín | last = García | date = 2013-03-17 | website = Ubunlog | language = es | trans-title = Synaptic, a debianic manager software for Ubuntu | quote = ¿Qué es Synaptic? Synaptic es un gestor de paquetes, de programas visual, es decir, que cuenta con una interfaz e instalamos a golpe de click en vez de escribir como hacemos en la terminal. | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130817193235/https://ubunlog.com/synaptic-un-gestor-debianita-en-ubuntu/ | archive-date = 2013-08-17 | df = dmy-all}}</ref> <ref name = "Softpedia, 2007" >{{cite web | title = Synaptic Package Manager Review | website = Softpedia | date = 24 May 2007 | url = https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/linux/Synaptic-Package-Manager-55512.shtml | quote = Based on this library, Conectiva company considered the development of a tool that should fuse the point-and-click simplicity of a graphical UI with the power of the apt-get command line.}}</ref> }}
==External links== {{Commons category|Synaptic}} * {{Official website}} * [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticHowto Synaptic in help.ubuntu.com, including the improvements] * [https://github.com/mvo5/synaptic Synaptic GitHub page]
{{Linux package management systems}} {{GNOME}}
Category:2001 software Category:Dpkg Category:Linux package management-related software Category:Linux PMS graphical front-ends Category:Package management software that uses GTK Category:Software update managers Category:Software using the GNU General Public License