7

From man apt-get:

Note that quiet level 2 implies -y; you should never use -qq without a no-action modifier such as -d, --print-uris or -s as APT may decide to do something you did not expect.

Those options all, as suggested, don't actually install anything. What's wrong with using -qq as a quieter alternative to -y ?

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
8

When you use apt-get without a no-action modifier, it means you are going to perform some actual operation with packages like install, remove, upgrade etc.

Single -q means quiet. It produces output suitable for logging, omitting progress indicators. But when you use -qq which is quiet level 2, it implies quit with -y (--assume-yes). In this case no output will be produces except error.

Now why it is considered as dangerous?

Sometime apt-get removes some packages to satisfy the dependency. Using -qq in such condition may remove some package which is important for you or for the system without informing you.

So it is not considered as safe because such operation can make your system unstable.

Improve this answer
2
  • Are there any other situations where it's a problem? That seems like a pretty obscure case - I don't recall ever seeing such a situation (or at least, being well enough informed that a message like that would have been at all useful).
    – Steve Bennett
    Feb 2, 2015 at 11:39
  • 1
    @SteveBennett, man page of apt-get does not tell anything except ` APT may decided to do something you did not expect`. This is the one situation which came into my mind. I think, for an experienced user it may not matter a lot , but for a new user it may be dangerous. I will do a bit more research on it and will update my answer if something comes across.
    – g_p
    Feb 2, 2015 at 11:58

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .