# Getting info about Packages

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## Finding packages -- apt-cache search

That is how you tell apt to search the packages you've downloaded, using REGEX

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NOTE -- **apt-cache** only knows about the package descriptions you've already downloaded. To search among ALL known Debian packages just browse to **http://packages.debian.org/PACKAGESUBSTRING** to see what's available. For example: http://packages.debian.org/vnc That would get you a listing of packages that contain the term "vnc" somewhere in the title."
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## Describing packages -- apt-cache show

That displays what the package is designed to do, version info and so forth.

## Listing packages -- dpkg --list

Which packages are installed? Do any packages need configuring?
