Use awk to parse apt history log and filter it.
Python is better suited for this task, but the following awk code will help you get started.
#!/bin/bash
# Parse apt history log - shorter version
# https://sleeplessbeastie.eu/2021/06/18/how-to-parse-apt-history-log/
cat /var/log/apt/history.log | awk -v PACKAGE=$1 '
BEGIN {
RS="\n\n"
FS="\n"
printf "%20s %10s %50s %60s\n", \
"Datetime", "Action", "Package", "Version"
}
{
# Sample entry for reference
#
# Start-Date: 2021-04-24 13:53:19
# Commandline: apt install vim
# Requested-By: vagrant (1000)
# Install: vim:amd64 (2:8.2.2434-3), libgpm2:amd64 (1.20.7-8, automatic), vim-runtime:amd64 (2:8.2.2434-3, automatic)
# End-Date: 2021-04-24 13:53:20
# Create an object using key, value pairs
for(field = 1; field <= NF; field++) {
separator_index = index($field, ":")
key = substr($field, 0, separator_index - 1)
value = substr($field, separator_index + 2)
switch(key) {
case "Start-Date":
case "End-Date":
case "Commandline":
case "Requested-By":
object[key] = value
break
case "Remove":
case "Purge":
case "Install":
case "Reinstall":
case "Upgrade":
case "Downgrade":
object["Action"] = key
object["Packages"] = value
break
}
}
# Filter by package name
split(object["Packages"], packages, /), /)
# Referential elements:
# vim:amd64 (2:8.2.2434-3
# libgpm2:amd64 (1.20.7-8, automatic
# vim-runtime:amd64 (2:8.2.2434-3, automatic)
for(package_index in packages) {
split(packages[package_index], package_entry_array,/ \(/)
gsub(/\)/,"", package_entry_array[2])
split(package_entry_array[1], package_with_arch_array, ":")
if(package_with_arch_array[1] ~ PACKAGE || PACKAGE == "") {
printf "%20s %10s %50s %60s\n", \
object["Start-Date"],
tolower(object["Action"]),
package_with_arch_array[1],
package_entry_array[2]
}
}
}
'
Display apt history.
$ inspect_apt_history
Datetime Action Package Version 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install libtimedate-perl 2.3300-2, automatic 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install libhtml-tagset-perl 3.20-4, automatic 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install mariadb-server 1:10.5.9-1 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install libdbi-perl 1.643-3+b1, automatic [...] 2021-04-24 06:54:20 upgrade apt-listchanges 3.23, 3.24 2021-04-24 06:54:23 upgrade sysvinit-utils 2.96-6, 2.96-7 2021-04-24 06:54:25 upgrade dpkg 1.20.7.1, 1.20.9 2021-04-24 13:53:19 install vim 2:8.2.2434-3 2021-04-24 13:53:19 install libgpm2 1.20.7-8, automatic 2021-04-24 13:53:19 install vim-runtime 2:8.2.2434-3, automatic
Display apt history related to vim package.
$ inspect_apt_history vim
Datetime Action Package Version 2021-04-21 21:23:27 upgrade vim-common 2:8.2.2434-1, 2:8.2.2434-3 2021-04-21 21:23:27 upgrade vim-tiny 2:8.2.2434-1, 2:8.2.2434-3 2021-04-24 13:53:19 install vim 2:8.2.2434-3 2021-04-24 13:53:19 install vim-runtime 2:8.2.2434-3, automatic
Display apt history related to mariadb package.
$ inspect_apt_history mariadb
Datetime Action Package Version 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install mariadb-server 1:10.5.9-1 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install libdbd-mariadb-perl 1.21-3, automatic 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install mariadb-server-core-10.5 1:10.5.9-1, automatic 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install mariadb-client-10.5 1:10.5.9-1, automatic 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install mariadb-common 1:10.5.9-1, automatic 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install libmariadb3 1:10.5.9-1, automatic 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install mariadb-client 1:10.5.9-1 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install mariadb-server-10.5 1:10.5.9-1, automatic 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install mariadb-client-core-10.5 1:10.5.9-1, automatic
Display apt history related to the exact mariadb package.
$ inspect_apt_history ^mariadb$
Datetime Action Package Version 2021-04-19 19:24:18 install mariadb-server 1:10.5.9-1
Modify this script to display more information from apt history.
$ inspect_apt_history linux-image
Datetime Action Package Version and command
2021-04-21 21:22:40 upgrade linux-image-amd64 5.10.13-1, 5.10.28-1
/usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
There are several limitations, but now you should be able to create your own solution or extend this script.