Axi-Cache: A Novel Search Tool For Debian Packages

Debian has no shortage of tools when it comes to searching for packages. Revered oldtimers include apt-cache, apt, together with apt-file. axi-cache is the novel modest fry on the block. This post explains what is novel most axi-cache together with how to utilisation it.

First, axi-cache needs to last installed together with initialized every bit follows:

# apt-get install apt-xapian-index
# update-apt-xapian-index
The index /var/lib/apt-xapian-index is upwards to date

The basic axi-cache search is syntactically real similar amongst the aforementioned search commands:

$ axi-cache search browser
930 results found.
Results 1-20:
100% chromium-driver - spider web browser - WebDriver support
99% chromium - spider web browser
99% ruby-browser - browser detection for Ruby
97% libwwwbrowser-perl - Platform independent agency to get-go a World Wide Web browser
96% libhtml-display-perl - module for displaying HTML locally inwards a browser
96% gcu-plugin - GNOME chemical scientific discipline utils (browser plugin)
96% python-zope.browser - Shared Zope Toolkit browser components
96% python3-zope.browser - Shared Zope Toolkit browser components
96% chromedriver - spider web browser - WebDriver back upwards transitional package
96% mythbrowser - Small spider web browser module for MythTV
96% chromium-widevine - spider web browser - widevine content decryption support
96% swfdec-mozilla - dummy packet for transition to browser-plugin-gnash
95% python-livereload - automatic browser refresher
95% mozilla-plugin-gnash - dummy packet for renaming to browser-plugin-gnash
95% python3-livereload - automatic browser refresher (Python 3)
95% qupzilla - lightweight spider web browser based on libqtwebkit
95% python-livereload-doc - automatic browser refresher (documentation)
95% firefox-esr - Mozilla Firefox spider web browser - Extended Support Release (ESR)
95% ipig - integrating PSMs into genome browser visualisations
94% epiphany-browser-data - Data files for the GNOME spider web browser
More terms: refresher livereload safer stable refresh browsing webdriver
More tags: field::religion culture::dutch uitoolkit::gtk field::chemistry use::browsing web::browser interface::x11
`axi-cache more' volition give to a greater extent than results

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 similar search using apt-cache returns 962 results amongst the occur twenty results being:

389-admin - 389 Directory Administration Server
libds-admin-serv0 - Libraries for the 389 Directory Administration Server
xul-ext-adblock-plus - promotion blocking extension for spider web browsers
ajaxterm - Web based final written inwards Python
alevt - X11 Teletext/Videotext browser
alice - Web browser (WebKit or Gecko) based IRC client
xul-ext-all-in-one-sidebar - sidebar extension for Firefox
node-almond - minimal AMD API implementation for utilisation inwards optimized browser builds
airplane pilot - Simple file browser from Alpine, a text-based electronic mail client
ams - Realtime modular synthesizer for ALSA
amule-gnome-support - ed2k links treatment back upwards for GNOME spider web browsers
libjs-angularjs - lets you lot write client-side spider web applications every bit if you lot had a smarter browser
libjs-animate.css - cross-browser library of CSS animations
libapache2-mod-upload-progress - upload progress back upwards for the Apache spider web server
apachedex - Compute APDEX from Apache-style logs
xfonts-kapl - APL fonts for A+ development
artemis - genome browser together with notation tool
libjs-asciimathml - Library to homecoming high character mathematical formulas inwards a browser
aspectj - aspect-oriented extension for Java - tools
auctex - integrated document editing surroundings for TeX etc.


Note that, dissimilar apt-cache, axi-cache returns, yesteryear default, exclusively the occur twenty hits. You tin run into the entire effect gear upwards yesteryear specifying the --all alternative (e.g., axi-cache --all search browser). Alternatively, you lot tin page through the results yesteryear running the next ascendancy afterwards the initial search.

$ axi-cache more

In general, axi-cache returns to a greater extent than relevant results than apt-cache. The latter implements a rudimentary grep-like search yesteryear matching regular-expression text patterns against the packet call together with description of a package. Unless you lot accept only about thought of the package's name, an apt-cache search ofttimes returns many irrelevant results, every bit indicated yesteryear the higher upwards example. In contrast, axi-cache tin rank the search results yesteryear relevance amongst the assistance of the Apt Xapian Index(axi). This index is a database of packet meta-data which includes much to a greater extent than than only a package's call together with description. To examine what is indexed, run the next command:

$ axi-cache info
...<snipped>...
Plugin status:
aliases enabled, upwards to appointment (430 days, 15:47:18.356149 older than index)
app-install disabled
apttags enabled, needs indexing (6 days, 23:59:10.729973 newer than index)
cataloged_time enabled, needs indexing (6 days, 23:59:10.729973 newer than index)
debtags disabled
descriptions enabled, needs indexing (6 days, 23:59:10.729973 newer than index)
relations enabled, needs indexing (6 days, 23:59:10.729973 newer than index)
sections enabled, needs indexing (6 days, 23:59:10.729973 newer than index)
sizes enabled, needs indexing (6 days, 23:59:10.729973 newer than index)
template enabled, upwards to date
translated-desc enabled, needs indexing (1 day, 10:56:58.643851 newer than index)
...<snipped>...

As an aside, you lot tin update the Apt Xapian Index yesteryear executing the next ascendancy every bit root:

# update-apt-xapian-index

The most distinctive characteristic of the index is its utilisation of tags (apttags). These tags categorize a packet yesteryear predefined facets such every bit role, protocol, suite, culture, use, works-with, etc.

Suppose you lot are multi-lingual together with you lot are looking for packages that install, say, Chinese fonts. You tin chop-chop position the packages you lot demand using the next command.

$ axi-cache search x11::font together with culture::chinese together with role::data
xiii results found.
Results 1-13:
100% fonts-arphic-bkai00mp - "AR PL KaitiM Big5" Chinese TrueType font yesteryear Arphic Technology
100% fonts-arphic-bsmi00lp - "AR PL Mingti2L Big5" Chinese TrueType font yesteryear Arphic Technology
100% fonts-arphic-gbsn00lp - "AR PL SungtiL GB" Chinese TrueType font yesteryear Arphic Technology
100% fonts-arphic-gkai00mp - "AR PL KaitiM GB" Chinese TrueType font yesteryear Arphic Technology
100% fonts-cwtex-fs - TrueType Font from cwTeX - FangSong
100% fonts-cwtex-heib - TrueType Font from cwTeX - HeiBold
100% fonts-cwtex-kai - TrueType Font from cwTeX - Kai
100% fonts-cwtex-ming - TrueType Font from cwTeX - Ming
100% fonts-cwtex-yen - TrueType Font from cwTeX - Yen
100% ttf-wqy-zenhei - transitional dummy package
100% xfonts-intl-chinese - international fonts for X - Chinese
100% xfonts-intl-chinese-big - international fonts for X - large Chinese
100% xfonts-unifont - PCF (bitmap) version of GNU Unifont
More terms: chinese fonts truetype cwtex font koanughi cwttf
More tags: made-of::font culture::taiwanese role::dummy role::app-data culture::greek culture::korean culture::russian

Note that axi-cache supports logical operations such every bit AND, OR, together with NOT.

The next tabular array compiles a non-exhaustive listing of mutual facets together with instance values. For a consummate list, delight click here. To brand a tag, bring together the facet together with the value using 2 colons, e.g., role::program.

Facet	Values
admin	filesystem, forensics, monitoring, power-management, virtualization
culture	chinese, latvian, russian
field	arts, astronomy, finance, mathematics, medicine, statistics
game	arcade, board, card, fps, mud, puzzle, rpg, sport, toys, typing
implemented-in	c, php
interface	3d, commandline, graphical, shell, x11
network	client, configuration, server, service, vpn
office	finance, groupware, presentation, spreadsheet
protocol	ip, ipv6, smtp, webdav
role	app-data, data, debug-symbols, devel-lib, documentation, kernel, metapackage, plugin, program, shared-lib, source
security	antivirus, authentication, cryptography, log-analyzer
suite	bsd, debian, eclipse, emacs, gnome, gnu, kde, mozilla, mysql, openoffice, openstack, postgresql, xfce, xmms2
system	cloud, embedded, laptop, mobile, server, virtual
uitoolkit	gtk, motif, ncurses, qt, sdl, tk, xlib
use	analysing, browsing, calculating, chatting, checking, compressing, configuring, converting, downloading, driver, editing, entertaining, filtering, gameplaying, learning, login, measuring, monitor, organizing, playing, printing, routing, scanning, searching, simulating, storing, synchronizing, transmission, typesetting, viewing
works-with	archive, audio, calendar, db, file, font, image, logfile, mail, network-traffic, spreadsheet, text, unicode, video
x11	font, screensaver, theme, window-manager

In closing, axi-cache is a expert search tool for Debian packages because it ordinarily gives you lot to a greater extent than relevant results. One caveat is warranted, however. Not all Debian packages accept tags defined, which is specially truthful for packages that are downloaded from third-party non-standard repositories.

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