🖥️dpkg

➡️This is a command-line reference manual for commands and command combinations that you don’t use often enough to remember it. This cheatsheet explains the dpkg command with important options and switches using examples.

5 minute read

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# Install the package or upgrade it
dpkg -i test.deb

# Remove a package including configuration files
dpkg -P test.deb

# List all installed packages with versions and details
dpkg -I

# Find out if a Debian package is installed or not
dpkg -s test.deb | grep Status

#==============================#
# CMD dpkg Packetverwaltung
#==============================##==============================#
dpkg -l '*linux*' | grep '^ii'
# Get a list of debian packages with linux in their name and only list the ones that are fully installed.

dpkg -l '*3.19.0-2[56]*' | cat
# List packages with specific version and make sure the name column is visible by piping the output into cat.

dpkg -L packagename
#  Matching files and packages in Debian/Ubuntu - To find out what files a package generated during installation.

dpkg -S /path/to/file
# We can also check the other way and find out what package a file belongs to

dpkg -S ls
# For the second command we need to use the full path as 'dpkg -S' just matches the string you supply it, so dpkg -S ls matches any package that has a file with 'ls' anywhere in the filename.

dpkg -S $( which notify-send )
# Find which Debian package the notify-send program is included with -> libnotify-bin

dpkg -l '*4.10.0*' | cat 
# Sometimes in cases where columns are truncated, you can make them visible by passing output through cat.

# To organize the list in pages and columns ready for printing, issue the following command.
dpkg -l | pr --columns 3 -l 20  
	2017-01-06 13:19                                                  Page 1
	Desired=Unknown/Install ii  adduser		ii  apg
	| Status=Not/Inst/Conf- ii  adwaita-icon-theme	ii  app-install-data
	|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-r ii  adwaita-icon-theme- ii  apparmor
	||/ Name		ii  alsa-base		ii  apt
	+++-=================== ii  alsa-utils		ii  apt-clone
	ii  accountsservice	ii  anacron		ii  apt-transport-https
	ii  acl			ii  apache2		ii  apt-utils
	ii  acpi-support	ii  apache2-bin		ii  apt-xapian-index
	ii  acpid		ii  apache2-data	ii  aptdaemon
	ii  add-apt-key		ii  apache2-utils	ii  aptdaemon-data
	2017-01-06 13:19                                                  Page 2
	ii  aptitude		ii  avahi-daemon	ii  bind9-host
	ii  aptitude-common	ii  avahi-utils		ii  binfmt-support
	ii  apturl		ii  aview		ii  binutils
	ii  apturl-common	ii  banshee		ii  bison
	ii  archdetect-deb	ii  baobab		ii  blt
	ii  aspell		ii  base-files		ii  blueberry
	ii  aspell-en		ii  base-passwd		ii  bluetooth
	ii  at-spi2-core	ii  bash		ii  bluez
	ii  attr		ii  bash-completion	ii  bluez-cups
	ii  avahi-autoipd	ii  bc			ii  bluez-obexd
.....

# Install profiling versions of all libghc dpkg packages
dpkg -l | grep libghc | grep "\-dev" | cut -d " " -f 3 | tr '\n' ' ' | sed -e 's/\-dev/\-prof/g' | xargs sudo apt-get install --yes
# Explanation: 
        # dpkg -l lists all installed system packages.
        # grep libghc filters out all haskell packages
        # grep "\-dev" filters out the actual source packages, where -dev can be replaced with -prof to get the name of the profiling package
        # cut -d " " -f 3 converts lines from ii libghc-packagename-dev 0.1.3.3-7 amd64 description to libghc-packagename-dev
        # tr '\n' ' ' Replaces newlines with spaces, merging it all into one line
        # sed -e 's/\-dev/\-prof/g' Replaces -dev with -prof
        # xargs sudo apt-get install --yes Passes the string (now looking like libghc-a-prof libghc-b-prof libghc-c-prof) as arguments to sudo apt-get install --yes which installs all package names it receives as arguments, and does not ask for confirmation.
# Limitations: Only works with apt (standard in ubuntu)

# List packages manually installed with process currently running - Sometimes we install programs, we forget about them, and they stay there wasting RAM. This one-liner try to find them.
ps -eo cmd | awk '{print $1}'| sort -u | grep "^/" | xargs dpkg -S 2>/dev/null | awk -F: '{print $1}' | sort -u | xargs apt-mark showmanual
# Sample output
	    # atom
	    # virtualbox
	    # bluez
	    # mosquitto
	    # teamviewer

# List the binaries installed by a Debian package - GNU grep's perl-compatible regular expression(PCRE).
function dpkgbinaries () { dpkg -L "$1" | grep -Po '.*/bin/\K.*'; }

# List the binaries installed by a Debian package - This shell function displays a list of binaries contained in an installed package; works on Debian based Linux distributions.
function dpgk-binaries () { for f in $(dpkg -L "$1" | grep "/bin/"); do basename "$f"; done; }
    # Sample output
	    # $ binaries findutils
	     # find
	     # xargs

# List all ubuntu installed packages in a single line - Use xargs command to make one line.
dpkg --get-selections | grep -Evw 'deinstall$' | cut -f1 | sort -u | xargs

# List all ubuntu installed packages in a single line - This command lists all currently installed packages in ubuntu in a single line, for example to use later with apt install.
dpkg --get-selections | grep -v deinstall | sort -u | cut -f 1 | tr '\r\n' ' ' | sed '$s/ $/\n/'
	# Sample output
	    # accountsservice acl acpid acpi-support adduser adwaita-icon-theme aisleriot alsa-base alsa-utils amd64-microcode anacron apg apparmor app-install-data-partner apport-gtk apport apport-symptoms appstream apt-clone apt-config-icons aptdaemon-data aptdaemon apt apturl-common apturl ... xserver-xorg-video-vesa xserver-xorg-video-vmware xul-ext-ubufox xwayland xxd xz-utils yaru-theme-gnome-shell yaru-theme-gtk yaru-theme-icon yaru-theme-sound yelp yelp-xsl zenity-common zenity zerofree zip zlib1g:amd64

#==============================##==============================#
# CMD dpkg						       #
#==============================##==============================#

Cheatsheets are an excellent complement to other information sources like Linux man-pages, Linux help, or How-To’s and tutorials, as they provide compact and easily accessible information. While man-pages and detailed tutorials often contain comprehensive explanations and extensive guides, cheatsheets summarize the most important options forthe command dpkg in a clear format. This allows users to quickly access the needed information for dpkg without having to sift through lengthy texts. Especially in stressful situations or for recurring tasks, cheatsheets for dpkg are a valuable resource to work efficiently and purposefully.

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