A guide to using the dpkg command on Linux

There are a large number of Linux-based servers to choose from, as well as a large number of tasks that require administration from time to time. One of these tasks is package management, as it is one of the most important tasks for administrators and users. The dpkg command is a powerful tool for working with packages in Debian-based distributions such as Ubuntu and its derivatives. In this guide, we will cover the basics of using the dpkg command to help you effectively manage software on your AlexHost servers.

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What does the dpkg configure command mean

The dpkg (Debian Package) is a low-level tool for installing, removing, and managing packages on Debian-based systems. Unlike higher-level package managers such as apt, the dpkg command works directly with .deb files that contain packages and their dependencies. This makes dpkg an important tool for administrators who need to manage packages in a more granular manner.

Installing packages with dpkg

The installation process is very simple. You first need to upload the package file (.deb) to the server. For example, if you want to install the example.deb package, run the following command:

sudo dpkg -i my_test.deb

Checking and fixing dependencies

After installing a package, dpkg may report missing dependencies. To fix these problems, run the command:

sudo apt-get install -f

This dpkg command will automatically install missing dependencies and fix conflicts.

_{* -f: This flag means “fix broken”. It tells apt-get to try to fix broken dependencies. If there are packages on the system that were not installed correctly or have missing dependencies, the apt-get install -f command will try to fix these problems.}

List of installed packages

If you as a VPS user want to list all installed packages on your server, run the command:

dpkg -l

This will list all packages installed on the system, including their versions and statuses.

Removing packages

Installation is simple. As for removing packages, there are two stages: the usual removal of installed packages and removal of installed packages together with the dpkg configuration file. In the first case, use the following command:

sudo dpkg -r my_test package

If you want to completely remove a package, including its configuration files, use:

sudo dpkg -P my_test package

Getting information about a package

There may be a specific need to get detailed information about a specific package. To do this, simply use the following command:

dpkg -s my_test package

This will show information about the version, dependency, size, and description of the package.