Windows
Linux
Package Management
Windows winget source update equivalent in Linux
Downloads the latest package lists and repository metadata without necessarily installing updates.
Windows
→
winget source update
Linux equivalents
sudo apt update
sudo dnf makecache --refresh
sudo pacman -Syu
Overview
What this command does
Downloads the latest package lists and repository metadata without necessarily installing updates.
Migration tip: Refreshing metadata only checks what is available. Run the appropriate upgrade command afterward to install updates.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Refresh repository metadata
Downloads the latest package lists and repository metadata without necessarily installing updates.
sudo apt update
Refresh Debian package lists
sudo pacman -Sy
Refresh Arch databases
sudo dnf makecache
Refresh Fedora metadata
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
sudo apt update
sudo pacman -Sy
sudo dnf makecache
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
sudo apt update # refresh Debian or Ubuntu metadata
sudo pacman -Sy # refresh Arch package databases
sudo dnf makecache # refresh Fedora metadataReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
sudo apt update | Refresh Debian package lists |
sudo pacman -Sy | Refresh Arch databases |
sudo dnf makecache | Refresh Fedora metadata |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
This workflow changes mostly by Linux distribution package manager: Debian/Ubuntu uses apt, Fedora uses dnf, and Arch uses pacman.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | apt | sudo apt update |
Refreshes local package metadata only; does not install upgrades. |
| Fedora | dnf | sudo dnf makecache --refresh |
Forces DNF metadata refresh. |
| Arch | pacman | sudo pacman -Syu |
Safer than pacman -Sy alone because Arch discourages partial upgrades. |
Important
What to watch out for
On Arch Linux, do not install packages after pacman -Sy without completing a full pacman -Syu upgrade.
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