How can I enable --verbose-versions for apt-get and apt by default?

Solution 1:

Put ...

APT::Get::Show-Versions "true";

in /etc/apt/apt.conf. That file probably does not exist yet.

Man page shows that as the "configuration option".

/etc/apt/apt.conf

APT configuration file. Configuration Item: Dir::Etc::Main.

You probably can also use ...

/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/

APT configuration file fragments. Configuration Item: Dir::Etc::Parts.

and create a "file fragment" for this option.