Checking Package Dependencies with apt-rdepends on Debian and Ubuntu

This short guide shows how you can check the dependencies of a package with the tool apt-rdepends on Debian and Ubuntu systems. The great thing about apt- rdepends is that it resolves dependencies recursively, i.e., not only does it show the direct dependencies of a package, but also the dependencies' dependencies. This is great, for example, if you want to rebuild a package from the sources, etc.

Installing apt-rdepends

In order to install apt-rdepends, we simply run on Debian

apt-get install apt-rdepends

or this command on Ubuntu

sudo apt-get install apt-rdepends

Afterwards, we can use it to resolve dependencies. To learn more about its usage, take a look at

man apt-rdepends

Or use the --help commandline option.

root@server1:~# apt-rdepends --help
Usage:
apt-rdepends [options] [pkgs ...]

Options:
-b, --build-depends show build dependencies
-d, --dotty generates a dotty graph
-p, --print-state show the state of each dependency
-r, --reverse list packages that depend on the specified one
-f, --follow=DEPENDS only follow DEPENDS dependencies recursively
-s, --show=DEPENDS only show DEPENDS dependencies
--state-follow=STATES only follow STATES states recursively
--state-show=STATES only show STATES states
--help display this help and exit
--man display the man page and exit
--version output version information and exit

Using apt-rdepends

Usually, you just use it with a package name, e.g. apt-rdepends package. For example, to check the dependencies of the package libapache2-mod-php7.0, we run

apt-rdepends libapache2-mod-php7.0

Here's a sample output from a Debian 9 system:

root@server1:~# apt-rdepends libapache2-mod-php7.0
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
libapache2-mod-php7.0
Depends: apache2-api-20120211
Depends: apache2-bin (>= 2.4.16)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.15)
Depends: libmagic1
Depends: libpcre3 (>= 1:8.20)
Depends: libssl1.1 (>= 1.1.0)
Depends: libxml2 (>= 2.8.0)
Depends: mime-support
Depends: php7.0-cli
Depends: php7.0-common (= 7.0.27-0+deb9u1)
Depends: php7.0-json
Depends: php7.0-opcache
Depends: tzdata
Depends: ucf
Depends: zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
apache2-api-20120211
apache2-bin
Depends: libapr1 (>= 1.5.0)
Depends: libaprutil1 (>= 1.5.0)
Depends: libaprutil1-dbd-freetds
Depends: libaprutil1-dbd-mysql
Depends: libaprutil1-dbd-odbc
Depends: libaprutil1-dbd-pgsql
Depends: libaprutil1-dbd-sqlite3
Depends: libaprutil1-ldap
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libldap-2.4-2 (>= 2.4.7)
Depends: liblua5.2-0
Depends: libnghttp2-14 (>= 1.14.0)
Depends: libpcre3
Depends: libssl1.0.2 (>= 1.0.2d)
Depends: libxml2 (>= 2.7.4)
Depends: perl:any
Depends: zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
libapr1
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.15)
Depends: libuuid1 (>= 2.16)
libc6
Depends: libgcc1
libgcc1
Depends: gcc-6-base (= 6.3.0-18+deb9u1)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
gcc-6-base
libuuid1
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.4)
Depends: passwd
passwd
Depends: libaudit1 (>= 1:2.2.1)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libpam-modules
Depends: libpam0g (>= 0.99.7.1)
Depends: libselinux1 (>= 1.32)
Depends: libsemanage1 (>= 2.0.3)
libaudit1
Depends: libaudit-common (>= 1:2.6.7-2)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libcap-ng0
libaudit-common
libcap-ng0
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.8)
libpam-modules
PreDepends: debconf (>= 0.5)
PreDepends: debconf-2.0
PreDepends: libaudit1 (>= 1:2.2.1)
PreDepends: libc6 (>= 2.15)
PreDepends: libdb5.3
PreDepends: libpam-modules-bin (= 1.1.8-3.6)
PreDepends: libpam0g (>= 1.1.3-2)
PreDepends: libselinux1 (>= 2.1.9)
debconf
PreDepends: perl-base (>= 5.20.1-3~)
perl-base
PreDepends: dpkg (>= 1.17.17)
PreDepends: libc6 (>= 2.23)
dpkg
Depends: tar (>= 1.28-1)
PreDepends: libbz2-1.0
PreDepends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
PreDepends: liblzma5 (>= 5.2.2)
PreDepends: libselinux1 (>= 2.3)
PreDepends: zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
tar
PreDepends: libacl1 (>= 2.2.51-8)
PreDepends: libc6 (>= 2.17)
PreDepends: libselinux1 (>= 1.32)
libacl1
Depends: libattr1 (>= 1:2.4.46-8)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libattr1
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.4)
libselinux1
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libpcre3
libpcre3
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
PreDepends: multiarch-support
multiarch-support
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.3.6-2)
libbz2-1.0
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.4)
liblzma5
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.17)
zlib1g
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
debconf-2.0
libdb5.3
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.17)
libpam-modules-bin
Depends: libaudit1 (>= 1:2.2.1)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libpam0g (>= 0.99.7.1)
Depends: libselinux1 (>= 1.32)
libpam0g
Depends: debconf (>= 0.5)
Depends: debconf-2.0
Depends: libaudit1 (>= 1:2.2.1)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libsemanage1
Depends: libaudit1 (>= 1:2.2.1)
Depends: libbz2-1.0
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libselinux1 (>= 2.6)
Depends: libsemanage-common (= 2.6-2)
Depends: libsepol1 (>= 2.6)
Depends: libustr-1.0-1 (>= 1.0.4)
libsemanage-common
libsepol1
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libustr-1.0-1
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libaprutil1
Depends: libapr1 (>= 1.4.8-2~)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libdb5.3
Depends: libexpat1 (>= 2.0.1)
Depends: libgdbm3 (>= 1.8.3)
Depends: libssl1.1 (>= 1.1.0)
Depends: libuuid1 (>= 2.16)
libexpat1
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libgdbm3
Depends: dpkg (>= 1.15.4)
Depends: install-info
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
install-info
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
PreDepends: dpkg (>= 1.16.1)
libssl1.1
Depends: debconf (>= 0.5)
Depends: debconf-2.0
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libaprutil1-dbd-freetds
libaprutil1-dbd-mysql
Depends: libaprutil1 (= 1.5.4-3)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.4)
Depends: libmariadbclient18 (>= 5.5.36)
Depends: zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
libmariadbclient18
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.17)
Depends: libstdc++6 (>= 5)
Depends: mysql-common
Depends: zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
libstdc++6
Depends: gcc-6-base (= 6.3.0-18+deb9u1)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.18)
Depends: libgcc1 (>= 1:4.2)
mysql-common
libaprutil1-dbd-odbc
Depends: libaprutil1 (= 1.5.4-3)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libodbc1 (>= 2.3.1)
libodbc1
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libltdl7 (>= 2.4.6)
libltdl7
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libaprutil1-dbd-pgsql
Depends: libaprutil1 (= 1.5.4-3)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libpq5
libpq5
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libgssapi-krb5-2 (>= 1.14+dfsg)
Depends: libldap-2.4-2 (>= 2.4.7)
Depends: libssl1.1 (>= 1.1.0)
libgssapi-krb5-2
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libcomerr2 (>= 1.34)
Depends: libk5crypto3 (>= 1.8+dfsg)
Depends: libkeyutils1 (>= 1.4)
Depends: libkrb5-3 (= 1.15-1+deb9u1)
Depends: libkrb5support0 (>= 1.15~beta1)
libcomerr2
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.17)
libk5crypto3
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libkeyutils1 (>= 1.4)
Depends: libkrb5support0 (>= 1.15~beta1)
libkeyutils1
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libkrb5support0
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libkeyutils1 (>= 1.4)
libkrb5-3
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.16)
Depends: libcomerr2 (>= 1.34)
Depends: libk5crypto3 (>= 1.15~beta1)
Depends: libkeyutils1 (>= 1.5.9)
Depends: libkrb5support0 (= 1.15-1+deb9u1)
libldap-2.4-2
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libgnutls30 (>= 3.5.6)
Depends: libldap-common (>= 2.4.44+dfsg-5+deb9u1)
Depends: libsasl2-2
libgnutls30
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.22)
Depends: libgmp10 (>= 2:6)
Depends: libhogweed4
Depends: libidn11 (>= 1.13)
Depends: libnettle6
Depends: libp11-kit0 (>= 0.23.1)
Depends: libtasn1-6 (>= 4.9)
Depends: zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
libgmp10
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libhogweed4
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libgmp10 (>= 2:6.0.0)
Depends: libnettle6 (= 3.3-1+b2)
libnettle6
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libidn11
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libp11-kit0
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.16)
Depends: libffi6 (>= 3.0.4)
libffi6
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libtasn1-6
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libldap-common
libsasl2-2
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.15)
Depends: libsasl2-modules-db (>= 2.1.27~101-g0780600+dfsg-3)
libsasl2-modules-db
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libdb5.3
libaprutil1-dbd-sqlite3
Depends: libaprutil1 (= 1.5.4-3)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.4)
Depends: libsqlite3-0 (>= 3.5.9)
libsqlite3-0
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libaprutil1-ldap
Depends: libaprutil1 (= 1.5.4-3)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.4)
Depends: libldap-2.4-2 (>= 2.4.7)
liblua5.2-0
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libgcc1 (>= 1:3.0)
Depends: libstdc++6 (>= 4.1.1)
libnghttp2-14
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libssl1.0.2
Depends: debconf (>= 0.5)
Depends: debconf-2.0
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
libxml2
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.15)
Depends: libicu57 (>= 57.1-1~)
Depends: liblzma5 (>= 5.1.1alpha+20120614)
Depends: zlib1g (>= 1:1.2.3.3)
libicu57
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libgcc1 (>= 1:3.0)
Depends: libstdc++6 (>= 5.2)
perl:any
libmagic1
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.15)
Depends: libmagic-mgc (= 1:5.30-1+deb9u1)
Depends: zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
libmagic-mgc
mime-support
php7.0-cli
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.15)
Depends: libedit2 (>= 2.11-20080614-4)
Depends: libmagic1
Depends: libpcre3 (>= 1:8.20)
Depends: libssl1.1 (>= 1.1.0)
Depends: libxml2 (>= 2.8.0)
Depends: mime-support
Depends: php7.0-common (= 7.0.27-0+deb9u1)
Depends: php7.0-json
Depends: php7.0-opcache
Depends: php7.0-readline
Depends: tzdata
Depends: ucf
Depends: zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
libedit2
Depends: libbsd0 (>= 0.0)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.17)
Depends: libncurses5 (>= 6)
Depends: libtinfo5 (>= 6)
libbsd0
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.16)
libncurses5
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libtinfo5 (= 6.0+20161126-1+deb9u2)
libtinfo5
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.16)
php7.0-common
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.15)
Depends: libssl1.1 (>= 1.1.0)
Depends: php-common (>= 1:35)
Depends: ucf
php-common
Depends: init-system-helpers (>= 1.18~)
Depends: psmisc (>= 22.15-1~)
Depends: sed (>= 4.1.1-1)
init-system-helpers
Depends: perl-base (>= 5.20.1-3)
psmisc
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libselinux1 (>= 1.32)
Depends: libtinfo5 (>= 6)
sed
PreDepends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
PreDepends: libselinux1 (>= 1.32)
ucf
Depends: coreutils (>= 5.91)
Depends: debconf (>= 1.5.19)
coreutils
PreDepends: libacl1 (>= 2.2.51-8)
PreDepends: libattr1 (>= 1:2.4.46-8)
PreDepends: libc6 (>= 2.17)
PreDepends: libselinux1 (>= 2.1.13)
php7.0-json
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: php-common (>= 1:35)
Depends: php7.0-common (= 7.0.27-0+deb9u1)
Depends: ucf
php7.0-opcache
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: php-common (>= 1:35)
Depends: php7.0-common (= 7.0.27-0+deb9u1)
Depends: ucf
php7.0-readline
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.14)
Depends: libedit2 (>= 3.1-20130611)
Depends: libncurses5 (>= 6)
Depends: libtinfo5 (>= 6)
Depends: php-common (>= 1:35)
Depends: php7.0-common (= 7.0.27-0+deb9u1)
Depends: ucf
tzdata
Depends: debconf (>= 0.5)
Depends: debconf-2.0
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