What is nala?

Nala is a package manager for Debian-based Linux distributions, like Ubuntu and Linux Mint. It acts as a frontend for the Advanced Package Tool (APT), aiming to provide a more user-friendly and feature-rich experience. Some key aspects of Nala include:

• Parallel Downloads: Nala downloads packages in parallel, significantly speeding up the update and installation process compared to APT's default sequential downloads.

• Improved Output: Nala provides more readable and informative output during package operations, making it easier to understand what's happening and troubleshoot issues.

• History: Nala keeps a history of package transactions, allowing users to easily undo changes or review past installations/removals.

• Package Recommendations: Nala can provide smarter package recommendations based on user needs and system configuration.

• Fetch Retry: Nala automatically retries failed downloads due to network issues, improving the reliability of package operations.

• Purge Command: Nala offers a purge command, similar to apt purge, to remove packages along with their configuration files.

Essentially, Nala is designed to be a faster, more informative, and generally more pleasant alternative to using APT directly. It doesn't replace APT but rather works on top of it. You still need to have APT installed to use Nala.