Apt

Configure

sources.list

Here is the /etc/apt/sources.list for a Debian Jessie distribution.

The file is referencing versions names instead of the stable and testing aliases. The reason is that we don't want a massive uncontrolled upgrade on the day of the release of the next stable.

deb http://httpredir.debian.org/debian jessie main contrib non-free
deb-src http://httpredir.debian.org/debian jessie main contrib non-free

deb http://security.debian.org/ jessie/updates main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ jessie/updates main

deb http://httpredir.debian.org/debian jessie-updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://httpredir.debian.org/debian jessie-updates main contrib non-free

deb http://httpredir.debian.org/debian jessie-backports main contrib non-free
deb-src http://httpredir.debian.org/debian jessie-backports main contrib non-free

# testing
deb http://httpredir.debian.org/debian stretch main contrib non-free
deb-src http://httpredir.debian.org/debian stretch main contrib non-free

apt.conf

The file /etc/apt/apt.conf stores settings of apt. You can create the file if it doesn't exist.

APT::Default-Release "jessie";

APT::Cache-Limit "100000000";

aptitude "";
aptitude::Keep-Unused-Pattern ""; 
aptitude::Delete-Unused-Pattern ""; 
aptitude::UI ""; 
aptitude::UI::Menubar-Autohide "true";
aptitude::UI::Minibuf-Download-Bar "false";
aptitude::UI::InfoAreaTabs "true";
aptitude::UI::Package-Header-Format "%N %n #%B %u %o";
aptitude::UI::Package-Status-Format "%d #%D %I";
aptitude::UI::Package-Display-Format "%c%a%M%S %p #%t %Z %r %D %v %V";

Tools

needrestart

After a successful upgrade, needrestart will check if any daemon need to be restarted. If so, it will show a dialog where you can choose which ones should be restarted automatically.

It will also warn you in case the system need to be restarted.

# apt install needrestart

reboot-notifier

Sends you a daily email in case your server need to be restarted

Important: Your server needs be able to send Emails before you install this.

# apt install  reboot-notifier

You can configure the destination email address in /etc/default/reboot-notifier.

apt-listchanges

Parse changelogs when you upgrade a package and display it. It will also send a copy by email so you can have a look latter in case you missed something.

# apt install apt-listchanges

apticron

Apticron will check for updates and send you emails with changelogs

Important: Your server needs be able to send Emails before you install this.

# apt install apticron

To configure apticron, edit /etc/apticron/apticron.conf and changes the following settings

EMAIL="youremail@example.org"
NOTIFY_HOLDS="0"
NOTIFY_NEW="0"