Hola! I've installed Zorin on a computer that is not important. I want to fiddle around under the hood of Zorin so I can learn more about how Linux and Zorin works. I know how to use "apt-get upgrade", but that command only updates installed packages. It doesn't download and install updates for the operating system. Anybody knows which commands will do what the Software Updater does?
For that type sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
Thanks for your response. In my experience that won't be sufficient. Using "apt upgrade" will not update the operating system. You will not be able to download and install security updates, driver updates, etc, with that command. I may be wrong, but I've tried the "apt update && apt upgrade" command several times and after running it, it will say all packages are up to date. But if I run the Software Updater afterwards I will get a list of updates that are not available with the "apt update && apt upgrade" command.
There may an issue of pending or held packages awaiting decencies. If this is the case, a listing of the packages normally appears in the terminal output, but they will not be updated. I use synaptic and have seen this occasionally where up-gradable packages are listed,but not upgraded.
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For all APT packages, the sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade command is the same exact action as the Software Updater as well as both relying on the same Sources.
However, the software updater may find upgrades for packages that are installed under alternative formats like Flatpak or Snap.
To upgrade the Operating System itself, you would use a do-release-upgrade command; however, I do not think that upgrading the release is what you are actually asking about.
I only talk for Flatpaks because I don't have Snap: I only get that over the Gnome Software Center. In the Software Updater I didn't get that ever.
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Yes, I have that from Time to Time too - even in the Software Updater. Then I can see the Entries but there are not marked or markable. I have made the Experience that simply wait a little bit (a couple Days) helps. And when it doesn't want to work (or I have no Patience) I install it manually with a sudo apt install [Package Name].
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Thank you for the answers. Like I wrote, I'm just looking for the commands that will do the same as Software Updater. For instance, I'll run it and there will be a list that goes something like this: language packs updates for LibreOffice, security updates for Chrome, security updates for Zorin and driver updates for Nvidia. If I wanted to do the same in terminal, "apt upgrade" will take care of the first two items on the list, but what commands would you use to install security updates for Zorin and driver updates for Nvidia?
I can't speak for the Nvidia Drivers but the Zorin Security Updates come over the Terminal too. The Terminal-Command search in the same Sources. The Difference is that You have in the Software Updater a Description from the Stuff that is updated with a Changelog. In the Terminal You simply have the Package-Names that will be updated.
The apt upgrade command will address the Zorin Security Updates and driver updates the same exact way as the Software Updater users the same commands and same method to retrieve them. The only difference is that the Software Updater runs then behind a GUI window.
Thank you for your reply 
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I see. One last question: will apt upgrade also address a firmware update?
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For Firmware you need to use the Firmware Update Manager:
fwupdmgr update
You can list your available devices:
fwupdmgr get-devices
Then update as noted above.
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Very helpful. Thank you!
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