What APT command removes a package but keeps its configuration files?

The command that removes a package while retaining its configuration files is the "remove" command within the APT (Advanced Package Tool) suite. When you execute this command, it will uninstall the specified package from the system but will not delete the configuration files associated with that package. This is particularly useful if you plan to reinstall the package later and want to preserve your settings.

In contrast, the "purge" command is specifically designed to remove both the package and its associated configuration files, making it the appropriate choice when you want to clean up completely. Meanwhile, "delete" is not a recognized APT command for removing packages, and "uninstall" is commonly used in various contexts but is not a valid APT command. Therefore, "remove" is the best choice when the goal is to keep the configuration files while uninstalling the package itself.