How do software updates work?

Posted by Jonas on Ask Ubuntu See other posts from Ask Ubuntu or by Jonas
Published on 2010-10-25T11:03:09Z Indexed on 2011/02/24 15:33 UTC
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server

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apt-get

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updates

I would like to know how software updates work for my Ubuntu Server 10.10.

I have been recommended to use apt-get install for installing new software and apt-get update for updating software for a Ubuntu Server in production use. Because these packages are tested for Ubuntu in contrast to download source code and compile the software on the box.

But on my Ubuntu Server 10.10, I don't get the latest stable version of PostgreSQL (9) or the latest stable version of Nginx (8) using apt-get install. So how is this working, will these software be updated when I later run apt-get update or do I have to later run apt-get install again, or do I have to wait for the next release of Ubuntu to get them?

And are patches and security updates managed in the same way? Or can they be updated automatically? If there is such a setting, how do I check what my system is using?

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