update-alternatives(1) dpkg suite update-alternatives(1) (NAME) update-alternatives - (SYNOPSIS) update-alternatives [...] (DESCRIPTION) update-alternatives . . . . . (generic name) . . ed(1) nvi(1) /usr/bin/editor /usr/bin/nvi . /usr/bin/ed . . /etc : (FHS) . update-alternatives . update-alternatives : postinst () prerm postrm () . : ( ) update-alternatives upgrade disappear (manual) . vi(1) /usr/share/man/man1/vi.1 /usr/bin/vi . update-alternatives (master) (slave) . (link group) . : (automatic) (manual). . ( ). . update-alternatives . (priority) . . --config update-alternatives name . <<*>> . . (auto) . --auto ( --config ). --set ( ). (cooperatively) . update-alternatives . update-alternatives . (TERMINOLOGY) update-alternatives . ( ) /usr/bin/editor . (alternative name) . ( ) . (alternatives directory) /etc/alternatives . (administrative directory) /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives update-alternatives . (link group) . (master link) . (slave link) . (automatic mode) . (manual mode) . (COMMANDS) --install link name path priority [--slave link name path]... . link name path . --slave . --slave . . ( ). --force . . . . --set name path path name . --config . --remove name path . name path name . name path name ( ) . . path . --remove-all name . name . --all --config . --skip-auto . . : yes '' | update-alternatives --force --all. --auto name name . . --display name . ( ) ( ) . --get-selections ( ) ( 1.15.0). ( ). ( auto manual) (: ). --set-selections --get-selections ( 1.15.0). --query name --display ( 1.15.0 << (QUERY FORMAT)>> ). --list name . --config name . . --help . --version . (OPTIONS) --altdir . <> . --admindir . DPKG_ADMINDIR <> . --instdir ( 1.20.1). DPKG_ROOT <> . --root ( 1.20.1). . DPKG_ROOT <> . --log (/var/log/alternatives.log) ( 1.15.0). --force . --skip-auto . --config --all . --quiet . --verbose . --debug ( ) ( 1.19.3). (EXIT STATUS) 0 . 2 . (ENVIRONMENT) DPKG_ROOT --instdir --root . DPKG_ADMINDIR --admindir . (FILES) /etc/alternatives/ . --altdir . /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/ . --admindir . (QUERY FORMAT) --query RFC822 . n + 1 (stanza) n . : Name: name . Link: link . Slaves: list-of-slaves . . . Status: status ( auto manual). Best: best-choice . . Value: currently-selected-alternative . none . : Alternative: path-of-this-alternative . Priority: priority-value . Slaves: list-of-slaves . . . (EXAMPLE) $ update-alternatives --query editor Name: editor Link: /usr/bin/editor Slaves: editor.1.gz /usr/share/man/man1/editor.1.gz editor.fr.1.gz /usr/share/man/fr/man1/editor.1.gz editor.it.1.gz /usr/share/man/it/man1/editor.1.gz editor.pl.1.gz /usr/share/man/pl/man1/editor.1.gz editor.ru.1.gz /usr/share/man/ru/man1/editor.1.gz Status: auto Best: /usr/bin/vim.basic Value: /usr/bin/vim.basic Alternative: /bin/ed Priority: -100 Slaves: editor.1.gz /usr/share/man/man1/ed.1.gz Alternative: /usr/bin/vim.basic Priority: 50 Slaves: editor.1.gz /usr/share/man/man1/vim.1.gz editor.fr.1.gz /usr/share/man/fr/man1/vim.1.gz editor.it.1.gz /usr/share/man/it/man1/vim.1.gz editor.pl.1.gz /usr/share/man/pl/man1/vim.1.gz editor.ru.1.gz /usr/share/man/ru/man1/vim.1.gz (DIAGNOSTICS) --verbose update-alternatives . update-alternatives . . (EXAMPLES) vi nvi vim. vi . vi --display : update-alternatives --display vi vi : update-alternatives --config vi vi : update-alternatives --auto vi (SEE ALSO) ln(1) FHS ( ). 1.23.7-dirty 2026-03-06 update-alternatives(1)