Debian/Ubuntu Package management Using dpkg

Dpkg is the Debian package manager dpkg is a tool to install, build, remove and manage Debian packages.

Now we will see all the available commands for dpkg with some examples

1)Install a package

Syntax

dpkg -i <.deb file name>

Example

dpkg -i courier-pop-ssl_0.61.2-1ubuntu2_amd64.deb

2)Install all packages recursively from a directory

Syntax

dpkg -R

Example

dpkg -R /usr/local/src

3)Unpack the package, but don’t configure it.

Syntax

dpkg --unpack package_file

If you use -R option is specified, package_file must refer to a directory instead.

Example

dpkg --unpack courier-pop-ssl_0.61.2-1ubuntu2_amd64.deb

4)Reconfigure an unpacked package

Syntax

dpkg --configure package

If -a is given instead of package, all unpacked but unconfigured packages are configured.

Example

dpkg --configure courier-pop-ssl_0.61.2-1ubuntu2_amd64.deb

5)Remove an installed package except configuration files

Syntax

dpkg -r

Example

dpkg -r courier-pop-ssl_0.61.2-1ubuntu2_amd64.deb

6)Remove an installed package including configuration files

Syntax

dpkg -P

If you use -a is given instead of a package name, then all packages unpacked, but marked to be removed or purged in file /var/lib/dpkg/status, are removed or purged, respectively.

Example

dpkg -P courier-pop-ssl

7)Replace available packages info

Syntax

dpkg --update-avail

With this option old information is replaced with the information in the Packages-file.

8)Merge with info from file

Syntax

dpkg --merge-avail

With this option old information is combined with information from Packages file.

The Packages file distributed with Debian is simply named Packages.dpkg keeps its record of available packages in /var/lib/dpkg/available.

9)Update dpkg and dselect’s idea of which packages are available with information from the package pack-age_file.

Syntax

dpkg -A package_file

10)Forget about uninstalled unavailable packages.

Syntax

dpkg --forget-old-unavail

11)Erase the existing information about what packages are available.

Syntax

dpkg --clear-avail

12)Searches for packages that have been installed only partially on your system.

Syntax

dpkg -C

13)Compare Package versions version numbers

Syntax

dpkg --compare-versions ver1 op ver2

14)Display a brief help message.

Syntax

dpkg --help

15)Display dpkg licence.

Syntax

dpkg --licence (or) dpkg --license

16)Display dpkg version information.

Syntax

dpkg --version

17)Build a deb package.

Syntax

dpkg -b directory [filename]

18)List contents of a deb package.

Syntax

dpkg -c filename

19)Show information about a package.

Syntax

dpkg -I filename [control-file]

20)List packages matching given pattern.

Syntax

dpkg -l package-name-pattern

Example

dpkg -l postfix

21)List all installed packages, along with package version and short description

Syntax

dpkg -l

22)Report status of specified package.

Syntax

dpkg -s package-name

Example

dpkg -s openssh-server

23)List files installed to your system from package.

Syntax

dpkg -L package-Name

Example

dpkg -L postfix

24)Search for a filename from installed packages.

Syntax

dpkg -S filename-search-pattern

Example

dpkg -S /usr/bin/cut

25)Display details about package

Syntax

dpkg -p package-name

Example

dpkg -p openssh-server

If you want more information about dpkg check “man dpkg”

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