dpkg

Additional Notes

dpkg is the low-level Debian package tool. It installs, removes, lists, and inspects .deb packages, but it does not automatically resolve dependencies from repositories the way apt and apt-get do.

Use dpkg when you already have a local .deb file, need to inspect package contents, or need to ask which package owns a file. For normal package installation from repositories, use apt or apt-get instead.

Syntax

dpkg [options] action [package-or-file]

Parameters

• action: Operation such as -i, -r, -l, -L, -S, or -s.
• package: Installed package name such as bash or coreutils.
• file: Local .deb file or filesystem path.

Common Options

• -i FILE.deb: Install a local Debian package file.
• -r PACKAGE: Remove an installed package but keep configuration files.
• -P PACKAGE: Purge a package and its configuration files.
• -l [PATTERN]: List installed packages.
• -s PACKAGE: Show package status and metadata.
• -L PACKAGE: List files installed by a package.
• -S PATH: Find which installed package owns a path.
• --configure PACKAGE: Configure an unpacked package.

Examples

sudo dpkg -i ./package.deb

Install a local package file.

dpkg -l | less

Browse installed packages.

dpkg -L bash

Show files installed by the bash package.

dpkg -S /bin/ls

Find the package that owns /bin/ls.

sudo dpkg --configure -a

Continue configuring packages after an interrupted install.

Practical Notes

• dpkg -i can leave dependency problems. Repair them with sudo apt-get install -f.
• Use dpkg -S for installed files only. It cannot search packages that are not installed.
• Prefer apt remove or apt purge unless you specifically need low-level package control.