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This portal is about information relevant to developers wishing to package software for Debian. If you were looking for information on installing and removing packages from your Debian system, see the package management page.

Debian packages are maintained by a community of Debian Developers and volunteers.

Introduction to Debian Packaging

To get a good grounding in Debian packaging:

• first read the excellent introduction to Debian Packaging to build a package from scratch,

• you can also look at the building tutorial to apply changes to an existing package.

• if you are new to debian, then setting up debian unstable system can help you setup a development environment.

Now that you have seen the basics, it is highly recommended that you read some real stuff:

• Guide for Debian Maintainers describes the building of a Debian package with many examples (This replaces outdated the Debian New Maintainers' Guide )

• the Debian Policy includes technical requirements that each package must satisfy.

• More than anything, please also check the source code of existing recently updated packages of similar kinds.

Then, if you are looking for answers, you can come back here or read:

• the interesting pdf file included in the package packaging-tutorial or you can read it here.

• The Developers Reference provides an overview of the recommended procedures and the available resources for Debian developers.

What not to do:

• There are no shortcuts to learning good packaging practices. Avoid equivs which is only useful for building trivial metapackages and does not teach you anything about packaging.

Packaging Procedures

Types / Formats

• AndroidTools - Android tools

• Fonts/PackagingPolicy - Fonts

• https://go-team.pages.debian.net/packaging.html - Golang libraries and applications

• Teams/DebianHaskellGroup - Haskell environment and libraries

• Java/Packaging - Java libraries and applications

• Javascript/Policy - ?JavaScript libraries and applications

• https://salsa.debian.org/lua-team - Lua modules

• Teams/DebianMonoGroup/NewPackage - Mono libraries and applications

• Teams/DebianMozExtTeam - Mozilla extensions

• Teams/OCamlTaskForce - OCaml libraries

• Python/Packaging - Python modules and applications

• Teams/Ruby/Packaging - Ruby modules and applications

• Teams/RustPackaging - Rust crates and applications

• RPM - repackaging RPM packages as .deb packages

Tools

• UsingQuilt - Patch management

• PackagingWithDarcs - Darcs version control

• PackagingWithGit - Git version control

• Packaging/sbuild - sbuild clean build tool

• Packaging/debspawn - debspawn clean build tool

• PbuilderTricks - Pbuilder clean build tool

• SecurePbuilder - Secure Pbuilder builder tool

• Packaging/ruby-team-meta-build - build scripts used by ruby team, helps testing reverse dependencies easily

Tools suggestion to create an environment to packaging

To create a packaging environment, you will need to study and install the following tools:

* Packaging/sbuild to clean build to install apt install sbuild.

The sbuild is used in the Debian build service (buildd).

* UsingQuilt to patches management to install apt install quilt.

* PackagingWithGit to Git management packaging to install apt install git-buildpackage.

* piuparts to .deb package installation, upgrading, and removal testing tool to install apt install piuparts.

* Lintian to comprehensive package checker for Debian packages to install apt install lintian.

* Devscripts - scripts to make the life of a Debian Package maintainer easier to install apt install devscripts.

* Autopkgtest - to executes tests found in Debian source packages to install apt install autopkgtest.

* blhc - search for missing hardening flags to install apt install blhc. See Debian: how to use blhc to solve hardening issues when packaging.

* dh-make to converts source archives into Debian package source to install apt install dh-make.

Okay, now you have an environment ready to go to start the packaging Debian studies!

Advanced Procedures

• AdvancedBuildingTips - Advanced building tips

• Courses2005/BuildingWithoutHelper - How to make a Debian package without using a helper

• /HackingDependencies - hacking dependencies

• /ComplexWebApps - Create debian packages for complex web applications

Useful Pages

• PackagingFAQ - Packaging FAQ

• Mentors - sponsors/mentors for packages in specific areas of Debian

• Renaming_a_Package - Renaming a Package

• PackageTransition - Package Transition

• DpkgDiversions

• BzrBuildpackage/DesignIdeas

• ?PkgSplit - How to split a package into smaller packages

• Repackage_srcrpm - creating a proper Debian source package while referencing the src.rpm package

• DebugPackage - Debug Package

• PackageArchitectureAlmostAny - Creating package without some particular architectures for easy porting

• ConfigPackages - Config Package

• DpkgConffileHandling - Gracefully Handling conffiles

• EditingBinaryPackageMetadata - Editing Binary Package Metadata

• SoftwarePackaging - Software Packaging

• SponsorChecklist - Sponsor Checklist

• HowToPackageForDebian - How to package for Debian

• AutomaticPackagingTools - Automatic Packaging Tools

• DEX - improving Debian and its derivatives through cross-community teamwork

• Repacking - Collecting information about repacking

• AutomakeTransition

• PackageConfigUpgrade - propose a new way to smoothly handle configuration upgrades during package upgrades

• DataPackages

• Diagrams - packaging related diagrams and sketches

• WNPP - Work-Needing and Prospective Packages list packages that have been requested for packaging, or need a new maintainer

• Salsa - collaborative development server for Debian based on the GitLab software

• CheckInstall - Build binary .deb packages from installation scripts (make install...)

• SimpleBackportCreation - Backport a DebianUnstable package to DebianStable

Training Sessions

From Debian Women

DebianWomen organise training sessions.

External links

• https://feeding.cloud.geek.nz/posts/whats-in-a-debian-directory/ - What's in a debian/ directory

• https://github.com/dod38fr/config-model/wiki/Managing-Debian-packages-with-cme - Managing Debian package files with cme

• https://packaging.ubuntu.com/ - Ubuntu Packaging Guide

• https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/apt-howto/ - APT HOWTO (Obsolete Documentation)

• https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/other-formats/html_single/Debian-Binary-Package-Building-HOWTO.html Debian Binary Package Building HOWTO (2005)

• How to build and deploy a Debian Package with GitLab CI

• fpm can build .deb packages from various other package formats (rubygems, pip, pear, tar, npm, pacman...)

• Packaging - Ubuntu Wiki

• Debian build tools - Russ's Debian Notes

• Packaging Scripts for Debian - Russ's Debian Notes

See also:

• Debian adminstration - Rolling your own Debian packages (part 1)

• Autobuilding non-free packages

• A Debian packaging howto (2010)

• Avoid a newbie packager mistake: don’t build your Debian packages with dpkg -b

Wiki pages

All pages related to packaging in Debian:

CategoryPackaging | CategoryPortal