┌─ FILE ANALYSIS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┐
│ DEVELOPER : Debian Project
│ CATEGORY : Executable
│ MIME TYPE : application/vnd.debian.binary-package
│ MAGIC BYTES : 213C617263683E
└ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┘
What is a DEB file?
DEB is the software package format used by Debian and its derivatives (Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Pop!_OS). A DEB file is an ar archive containing two tar archives: one with package metadata (control information) and one with the installable files. The dpkg package manager handles DEB installation and dependency resolution.
How to open DEB files
- dpkg (Linux) —
sudo dpkg -i package.deb - apt (Linux) —
sudo apt install ./package.deb - GDebi (Linux) — GUI installer with dependency resolution
- 7-Zip (Windows) — Extract and inspect contents
Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | ar archive |
| Contents | control.tar.gz + data.tar.xz |
| Metadata | control file (name, version, deps) |
| Scripts | preinst, postinst, prerm, postrm |
| Package Manager | dpkg, apt |
Common use cases
- Software installation: Installing applications on Ubuntu/Debian.
- System updates: OS and security updates via apt.
- Custom packaging: Distributing internal software.
- Third-party apps: Chrome, VS Code, Slack Linux packages.