dpkg Command Reference: Flags, Usage & CI Examples

dpkg installs and queries individual Debian .deb packages.

dpkg is the low-level Debian package tool that apt-get builds on. It installs a local .deb directly, queries installed packages, and lists which package owns a file.

Common flags and usage

• -i <file.deb>: install a local package
• -r / -P <pkg>: remove / purge a package
• -l [pattern]: list installed packages
• -L <pkg>: list files a package installed
• -S <path>: find which package owns a file
• --configure -a: finish configuring unpacked packages

Example

dpkg -i ./mytool_1.2.3_amd64.deb || apt-get install -f -y

In CI

dpkg -i does not resolve dependencies; a missing dependency leaves the package unconfigured, so follow it with apt-get install -f -y to pull the rest in. Use dpkg -S to debug "which package provides this binary" in an image.

Key takeaways

• dpkg -i installs a local .deb but does not resolve dependencies.
• Run apt-get install -f -y afterward to fix missing dependencies.
• dpkg -L and -S map packages to and from files.

Related guides