DEB (Debian package)
Also known as: deb file, debian package, .deb install
A DEB is the software package format used by Debian, Ubuntu, and related Linux distributions. It is an archive holding a program’s files plus install scripts and metadata, installed through a package manager like apt or dpkg.
- Software package format for Debian and Ubuntu
- Bundles files, metadata, and install scripts
- Installed with apt or dpkg
What is in a DEB
A `.deb` file is an archive that bundles the program’s files, the paths where they belong, and control metadata listing the package name, version, and dependencies. It also carries optional scripts that run before and after installation.
Package managers use that metadata to resolve dependencies automatically, so installing one DEB can pull in the other libraries it needs rather than failing or leaving a broken install.
How DEBs are installed
On Debian and Ubuntu, you typically install software with apt, which downloads DEBs from a repository and handles dependencies for you. A standalone `.deb` can also be installed directly with dpkg or a graphical installer.
DEB is the Debian-family counterpart to RPM on Red Hat-based systems; the two formats are not interchangeable.