---
id: deb-pkg-tools
version: "8.4"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# deb-pkg-tools — Debian packaging tools

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 101.4K/mo

## What it is and what it does

deb-pkg-tools is a Python library and CLI for automating Debian binary package operations. It wraps lower-level Debian tools (dpkg, fakeroot, lintian, apt-ftparchive) to provide higher-level functions for building packages, inspecting metadata, validating packages, managing repositories, and collecting dependencies. The package exposes functionality both as a Python API for programmatic use and as shell-friendly command-line commands, making it useful in build automation and package management scripts.

The package enforces opinionated defaults about how Debian packages should be built but provides environment variables and function arguments to override most behaviors. It was tested on CPython 2.7, 3.5+, and PyPy at the time of its last release. The codebase claims around 90% test coverage, though the package has not been actively maintained since March 2021.

Use it for:

- Automate building Debian binary packages in CI/CD pipelines without manual dpkg-deb invocations.
- Inspect and validate .deb archive metadata and dependencies programmatically before deployment.
- Create and manage trivial Debian package repositories for internal or testing purposes.
- Collect a package and all its dependencies into a single directory for offline installation.
- Perform static analysis on package archives to catch common packaging errors early.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Builds, inspects, and manages Debian binary packages and repositories via Python API and command-line tools.

No. The package is abandoned (last release 2021-03-09) with no active maintenance or security updates. While it has low install friction and permissive licensing, the lack of maintenance means it will not receive bug fixes, security patches, or compatibility updates for modern Python versions or Debian systems. Use only if you are maintaining legacy systems already running this package and cannot migrate to actively maintained alternatives.

## Install

pip install deb-pkg-tools
uv add deb-pkg-tools
poetry add deb-pkg-tools

## Installing deb-pkg-tools

Before you install: Low install friction with five runtime dependencies. However, the package is abandoned—last release was 2021-03-09, over 1984 days ago. No active maintenance or security updates.

License in practice: MIT license (permissive) allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart:

pip install deb-pkg-tools

from deb_pkg_tools.package import inspect_package
metadata = inspect_package('/path/to/package.deb')

Requires external Debian tools: dpkg-dev, fakeroot, and lintian must be installed via system package manager (e.g., apt-get). Package is abandoned and may not work with modern Python or Debian versions.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package still works correctly with current Debian/Ubuntu systems and modern Python versions beyond those tested at release.
- Compatibility status with Python 3.9+ given the last release predates these versions.
- Whether external Debian tools (dpkg-dev, fakeroot, lintian) remain compatible with the package's expectations.

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 101.4K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

debian package building, deb archive inspection, debian repository management, dpkg automation, debian packaging tools, build debian packages, package metadata extraction, debian-packaging, abandoned

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/deb-pkg-tools) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/deb-pkg-tools/)