What's changed: Initial version (topic 1.04, subtopics 1.04.1–1.04.4)
4.2Debian Package Management
Learn direct handling of deb packages without a repository: install/upgrade/remove with dpkg, listing installed packages (-l), listing a package's files (-L), reverse lookup (-S), and re-configuration with dpkg-reconfigure.
Beneath apt works dpkg. When a vendor hands you a .deb file, or when you inspect installed packages, you use dpkg directly. dpkg does not resolve dependencies—the decisive difference from apt.
4.2.1Core dpkg operations
- Install/upgrade with
dpkg -i package.deb(upgrades if already present); remove withdpkg -r(keeps config) ordpkg -P(purge—config too). - Query with
dpkg -l(installed list),dpkg -L pkg(files the package owns),dpkg -S file(file → owning package, installed only). - dpkg-reconfigure re-runs a package's install-time dialog (
dpkg-reconfigure tzdatafor time zone is the classic example).
Staples: dpkg -i resolves no dependencies (on errors, use apt instead), -L = package→files, -S = file→package, redo configuration = dpkg-reconfigure. Swapping -L and -S is the most common trap.
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