If you started out using an RPM-based distro before advancements like “yum” or “apt-rpm”, you’re loving the magic of “apt-get” on Ubuntu and Debian. But when it comes to installing large sets of software, which may have either dozens (if not hundreds) of packages, or those that require a good deal of integration, sometimes “apt-get” can feel like the old rpm -i guessing game. Fortunately, there’s a “tasksel” – think of it as “apt-get for apt-get”.

To install tasksel, simply run the command below:

$ sudo apt-get install tasksel

After installing Tasksel, it enables you to install one or more predefined group of packages. User need to run it from the command line with a few arguments, it provides a graphical user interface as well where one can select software to install.

$ sudo tasksel install task_name

$ sudo tasksel remove task_name

$ sudo tasksel command_line_options

$ sudo tasksel –list-tasks

$ sudo tasksel install openssh-server

$ sudo tasksel

You may ask yourself why you’d want to use tasksel versus the traditional apt-get command to install software, especially when there’s an equivalent meta-package. It’s easiest to think of it like this:

On one hand, apt-get installs software as individual packages, even if those packages require others. In other words, it will install each package and respect dependencies, but otherwise assume all of them are separate.

In contrast, tasksel assumes you’re trying to install software towards a singular end-goal, such as a web server. It will take all the steps necessary to achieve that goal, including installing software as well as doing other configuration once the install is done. Getting a web server running is a good example… you might need to install apache, mysql, php, and a number of modules and add-on’s for each in order to get a proper LAMP stack running. Or you could just issue the following command:

$ sudo tasksel install lamp-server

Installed Ubuntu, but want to try out the latest KDE Software Collection? Just use this:

$ sudo tasksel install kubuntu-desktop

$ sudo tasksel install mythbuntu-frontend

$ sudo tasksel install lubuntu-core