dpkg tips

dpkg is package manager for Debian, and found in most of its derivatives. Programs such as apt and aptitude are front-ends to dpkg. Following are some handy to know dpkg commands.

Package Listing

To display all currently installed packages (including version numbers) or a specfic package:

dpkg -l [package_name]

Package Querying

To show details about a specific package:

dpkg -p {package_name}

To find out which files are installed by a package:

dpkg -L {package_name}

To find out which package installs a particular file:

dpkg -S {/path/to/file | part_of_filename}

Package Removal

To remove a package but retain the configuration files:

dpkg -r {package_name}

To remove a package including the configuration files:

dpkg -P {package_name}