Deb (file format)

Infobox file format
name = Debian package
icon =



caption = The icon for .deb files on ubuntu
extension = .deb
mime = application/x-deb
type code =
uniform type =
magic =
owner = Debian
released =
latest release version =
latest release date =
genre = Package management system
container for = Software package
contained by =
extended from =
extended to =
standard =
url =

deb is the extension of the Debian software package format and the most often used name for such binary packages. Like the "Deb" part of the term "Debian", it originates from the name of Debra, then girlfriend and now ex-wife of Debian's founder Ian Murdock.

Debian packages are also used in distributions based on Debian.

Debian packages are standard Unix ar archives that include two gzipped or bzipped tar archives: one that holds the control information and another that contains the data.

The canonical program for handling these packages is dpkg, most commonly via apt/aptitude.

deb packages can be converted into other packages and vice versa using Alien.

Some core Debian packages are available as udebs (“micro debs”), and are typically used only for bootstrapping a Debian installation. Although these files use the “udeb” filename extension, they adhere to the same structure specification as ordinary "deb" files. However, unlike their "deb" counterparts, "udeb" packages contain only essential functional files. In particular, documentation files are normally omitted. "udeb" packages are not installable on a standard Debian system.

Implementation

Since Debian 0.93, a deb file is implemented as an ar archive. Canonical contents of this archive are three files:
* debian-binary: deb format version number. This is "2.0" for current versions of Debian
* control.tar.gz: all package metainformation
* data.tar or data.tar.gz or data.tar.bz2 or data.tar.lzma: the actual installable files

See also

*List of archive formats
*Debian
*Getdeb
*dpkg
*RPM Package Manager
*CheckInstall
*Debian Package Maker
*Deb Creator

External links

* [http://www.debian.org/doc/FAQ/ch-pkg_basics Debian FAQ: Basics of the Debian package management system]
* [http://www.newlinuxuser.com/?p=107 Article on what to do with .deb files]
* [http://vafer.org/projects/jdeb JDeb] Cross platform Ant task and Maven plugin to build Debian packages.
* [http://thedarkmaster.wordpress.com/2008/05/24/how-to-create-manipulate-a-deb-file-of-a-compiled-application/ How to create / manipulate a .deb file of a compiled application]