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Asked: 2020-04-25 09:10:51 +0800 CST

How to purge an application via Ubuntu-Software-Center with all its dependencies?

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As far as I now, if you install an app with sudo apt install app you can then remove it via sudo apt remove app or sudo apt purge app. I think the difference is that the second method will also remove all application dependencies, like application settings. If I install an application, let's say visual studio code via Ubuntu-Software-Center, save some settings within vscode and then uninstall it via Ubuntu-Software, the settings are stored. I can see that when I reinstall it via Ubuntu-Software-Center, but I definitely don't want that! If I remove an application it shall be gone and free all the memory that it took. I don't see an option to really purge installed applications - How can I remove applications that I installed via Ubuntu-Software-Center, including all dependencies?

software-center purge

1 Answers

  1. The Ubuntu Software Center does not currently have functionality equivalent to apt purge <package name>. To completely remove the application and configuration files from your computer you will need to use the command line and complete some manual cleanup.

    From the man pages for apt man apt:

    Removing a package removes all packaged data, but leaves usually small (modified)user configuration files behind, in case the remove was an accident. Just issuing an installation request for the accidentally removed package will restore its function as before in that case. On the other hand you can get rid of these leftovers by calling purge even on already removed packages. Note that this does not affect any data or configuration stored in your home directory.

    This indicates running apt purge <package name>twice may be necessary as well as manually deleting files left behind in the user's home directory ~ and (likely) ~./.config.

    Though posted a while back, you may find this reference useful (What is the correct way to completely remove an application?)

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