> Does it? For Bookworm (12) and Trixie (13) it is listed as "optional":
>
> user@debian:~$ apt show busybox
> Package: busybox
> Version: 1:1.37.0-6+b9
> Priority: optional
>
Yes, it does. First thing I did after new installation was
$apt list --installed >> apt/apt_mini.txt
At that point I didn't install any package, not even DE or anything. and when
we search busybox in this file we get
$grep -i busybox apt/apt_mini.txt
busybox/stable,now 1:1.37.0-6+b9 amd64 [installed]
If it was dependence we would see result similar to this,
$grep -i grub2 apt/apt_mini.txt
grub2-common/stable,now 2.12-9+deb13u2 amd64 [installed,automatic]
Notice missing "automatic" part.
And according to logs (/var/log/apt/history.log) It is second package apt
installed just after locales.
> > And any lose is functionality if I remove it?
>
> Just try :-)
>
> No, seriously: you can, for example, do an "apt-get -s purge busybox" to see
> what packages would go away with it. May be it was installed as a dependency
> of a package you would like to keep...
>
> (Option -s means "simulate", so nothing bad happens).
$apt purge --dry-run busybox
NOTE: This is only a simulation!
apt needs root privileges for real execution.
Keep also in mind that locking is deactivated,
so don't depend on the relevance to the real current situation!
REMOVING:
busybox*
Summary:
Upgrading: 0, Installing: 0, Removing: 1, Not Upgrading: 0
Purg busybox [1:1.37.0-6+b9]
See not installed by any dependency. Hence the original question why ship it by
default?
Thanks.
