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dpkg
Original author(s) Ian Murdock
Developer(s) The Debian Project
Initial release January 1994; 31 years ago (1994-01)
Stable release
1.22.18 Edit this on Wikidata / 9 March 2025
Preview release
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Written in C, C++, Perl
Operating system Unix-like
Available in 42 languages
Type Package manager
License GPLv2

dpkg is a special computer program. It helps manage software on computers that use the Debian operating system. Debian is a type of free operating system. Many other operating systems are based on Debian.

dpkg helps you install, remove, or get information about software. This software comes in special files called .deb packages. Think of a .deb package like a box containing a new game or app.

dpkg is a basic tool. It works directly with the software packages. Most people use a smarter tool called APT (Advanced Package Tool). APT can download packages from the internet. It also handles complex connections between different software pieces. For example, it makes sure all needed parts are installed.

There are even friendlier programs that work with APT. These include aptitude and synaptic. They have easy-to-use screens to help you manage your software.

The main "dpkg" software package includes the dpkg program itself. It also has other important programs. These help the package system work. Some examples are dpkg-deb, dpkg-query, and update-alternatives. Another package, "dpkg-dev," has tools for creating software packages.

How dpkg Started

The idea for a software management system on Linux computers began a long time ago. A program called StopAlop might have been the first. It gave people ideas for creating dpkg.

Ian Murdock first created dpkg in January 1994. It was a simple script at first. Later, Matt Welsh, Carl Streeter, and Ian Murdock rewrote it. They used a programming language called Perl. Then, in 1994, Ian Jackson rewrote the main part in C.

The name dpkg originally meant "Debian package." But over time, the meaning changed. Now, dpkg is the software that manages packages. It works with the .deb package format. It also follows the Debian Policy Manual. This manual explains how Debian packages should work.

Tools for Developers

The "dpkg-dev" package has many tools. These tools help people create and prepare Debian software packages. Here are some of them:

  • dpkg-source helps pack and unpack the original files of a Debian package.
  • dpkg-gencontrol reads information from an unpacked package. It then creates a special control file for the package.
  • dpkg-shlibdeps figures out what other software libraries a program needs to run.
  • dpkg-genchanges reads information from an unpacked package. It then creates a file that lists all the changes made.
  • dpkg-buildpackage is a script that helps build the entire software package automatically.
  • dpkg-parsechangelog reads the "changelog" file. This file lists all the updates and changes in a package. It then shows this information in an easy-to-read way.

dselect Program

The dpkg software also includes a program called dselect. This program is another way to manage your software packages. It provides a menu-driven interface.

install-info Program

The install-info program used to be part of dpkg. But now, it is a separate program. It is developed and shared as part of GNU Texinfo.

wpkg Program

wpkg was created to be like dpkg. It was designed to work on Microsoft Windows computers. It could also use the .deb file format. Over time, wpkg gained more features. It became similar to parts of the APT system. It also improved how it managed software collections. wpkg was later made to work on Linux and other similar systems. The last update for wpkg was in 2015.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Dpkg para niños