How to check the version before installing a package using apt-get?

Question

I\'m thinking to install hylafax+ version 5.5.4 which was release last month on my Debian PC.

I checked dpkg -l | grep "hylafax" and found

Answer 1

apt policy <package>

for short

Answer 2

on debian :

apt list --upgradable

gives the list with package, version to be upgraded, and actual version of the package.

result :

base-files/stable 8+deb8u8 amd64 [upgradable from: 8+deb8u7]
bind9-host/stable 1:9.9.5.dfsg-9+deb8u11 amd64 [upgradable from: 1:9.9.5.dfsg-9+deb8u9]
ca-certificates/stable 20141019+deb8u3 all [upgradable from: 20141019+deb8u2]
certbot/jessie-backports 0.10.2-1~bpo8+1 all [upgradable from: 0.8.1-2~bpo8+1]
dnsutils/stable 1:9.9.5.dfsg-9+deb8u11 amd64 [upgradable from: 1:9.9.5.dfsg-9+deb8u9]

Answer 3

Also, the apt-show-versions package (installed separately) parses dpkg information about what is installed and tells you if packages are up to date.

Example..

$ sudo apt-show-versions --regex chrome
google-chrome-stable/stable upgradeable from 32.0.1700.102-1 to 35.0.1916.114-1
xserver-xorg-video-openchrome/quantal-security uptodate 1:0.3.1-0ubuntu1.12.10.1
$

Answer 4

OK, I found it.

apt-cache policy <package name> will show the version details.

It also shows which version is currently installed and which versions are available to install.

For example, apt-cache policy hylafax+

Answer 5

Also, according to the man page:

apt-cache showpkg <package_name>

can also be used to:

...display information about the packages listed on the command line. Remaining arguments are package names. The available versions and reverse dependencies of each package listed are listed, as well as forward dependencies for each version. Forward (normal) dependencies are those packages upon which the package in question depends; reverse dependencies are those packages that depend upon the package in question. Thus, forward dependencies must be satisfied for a package, but reverse dependencies need not be.

Ex:

apt-cache policy conky

conky:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 1.10.3-1
  Version table:
     1.10.3-1 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu yakkety/universe amd64 Packages
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu yakkety/universe i386 Packages

Answer 6

The following might work well enough:

aptitude versions ^hylafax+

See more in aptitude(8)