How to Install dpkg Command in Linux?

In Linux, dpkg command is a powerful tool for managing packages on Debian-based Linux distributions like Debian itself, Ubuntu, and Linux Mint.

dpkg is used for installing, configuring, and removing software packages. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of installing the dpkg command on your Linux system.

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What is dpkg?

dpkg or Debian Package is the low-level package management tool for Debian-based systems that allows us to install, upgrade, configure, and remove software packages.

But to note that it doesn’t resolve package dependencies like more high-level package managers such as apt, dnf, or yum, but it is required for working with individual package .deb files directly.

Installing dpkg on Debian-based Systems

Follow these quick steps to install dpkg very easily:

1. Open a Terminal: First open the terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or by searching for “Terminal” in the system’s applications.

2. Update Package Lists: Make sure to update the package lists before installing any new software to ensure you are going to install the latest version of dpkg. Run the following command to update:

sudo apt update

You may need to enter your password to authorize and proceed the installation.

3. Install dpkg: Once the package lists are updated, install dpkg by running the following command:

sudo apt install dpkg

It will download and install dpkg or any other required dependencies. Thereafter confirm by typing “Y” when prompted.

4. Verify the Installation: After the installation is complete, we can verify that dpkg is installed by checking its version:

dpkg --version

Thats It! You’ve successfully installed dpkg on your Debian-based Linux system.

How to Use dpkg?

After installation is completed, let’s see how to use dpkg:

Install a package

To install a package using dpkg, we need to use the following command, replacing <package-name> with the name of the .deb package file:

sudo dpkg -i <package-name>.deb

Remove a package

To remove a package installed via dpkg, use:

sudo dpkg -r <package-name>

List installed packages

To list all installed packages, you can use:

dpkg -l

This will display a long list of installed packages, so you may want to pipe the output to a pager like less for more comfortable viewing:

dpkg -l | less

Search for a package

To search for a package, use:

dpkg -l | grep <package-name>