DEB File Format (.deb)
A DEB file is a Debian package: an ar archive containing a debian-binary version marker, a control.tar of package metadata and maintainer scripts, and a data.tar of the files to install.
DEB at a glance#
| Full name | Debian package |
|---|---|
| File extension | .deb |
| Category | Archives |
| Developer | Debian |
| MIME types | application/vnd.debian.binary-packageapplication/x-debian-package |
| Other extensions | .udeb |
| Compression | Lossless |
| Specification | Debian Policy Manual |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads this format but does not write it |
What a .deb file can hold#
These are the things a DEB file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Lossless compression | Yes |
|---|---|
| Embedded metadata | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of DEB#
What DEB does well
- The ar wrapper is simple enough that any ar-aware tool can pull a .deb apart, no Debian-specific library required
- Maintainer scripts inside control.tar run at install and removal time, which is how packages configure services or migrate old config files
- dpkg tracks every file a .deb installs, which is what makes clean removal possible later
Where DEB falls short
- Installing a .deb by hand with dpkg does not resolve dependencies, unlike apt, so dpkg -i often needs a follow-up apt --fix-broken install
- Built specifically for Debian-family systems, so it is not readable by RPM-based distributions without a conversion tool like alien
- Extracting a .deb's files does not run its maintainer scripts, so an extracted package is not the same as an installed one
A .deb is the format to build or inspect when packaging software for Debian, Ubuntu or another Debian-derived distribution.
Convert or extract a .deb when only the files inside are needed, such as pulling a binary out without registering it in the package database, or when the target system uses RPM instead.
How to open a .deb file#
A .deb file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts DEB into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.
| Platform | Programs that open it |
|---|---|
| Windows | 7-Zip |
| Linux | dpkg-deb (command line), ar (binutils), GNOME Archive Manager, apt/dpkg (to install) |
| Web | FileFlip |
DEB questions people ask#
How do I open a .deb file without installing it?
Running dpkg-deb --extract on a .deb file unpacks its data.tar contents to a folder without touching the package database, and dpkg-deb --control does the same for the metadata in control.tar. Both stop short of actually installing anything.
What's inside a .deb package?
A .deb file is an ar archive holding three parts: a debian-binary text file with the format version, a control.tar archive of package metadata and any install or remove scripts, and a data.tar archive of the actual files the package installs.
How do I install a .deb file?
sudo dpkg -i package.deb installs it directly, though dpkg does not resolve dependencies on its own, so a missing dependency needs a follow-up sudo apt --fix-broken install. Running sudo apt install ./package.deb instead handles both steps in one command.
Can I open a .deb file on Windows or macOS?
7-Zip on Windows can open a .deb because the format is just an ar archive underneath, letting you browse into its control.tar and data.tar. There is no equivalent built-in support on macOS, and installing the package itself only makes sense on a Debian-based Linux system regardless of platform.
What's the difference between a .deb and an RPM package?
A .deb is an ar archive of two tarballs, used by Debian, Ubuntu and their derivatives, while an RPM is a custom binary header followed by a compressed cpio archive, used by Fedora, openSUSE, RHEL and similar distributions. The two are not interchangeable, though tools like alien can convert between them with mixed reliability.
Converting DEB files#
Convert DEB to another format
FileFlip does not write .deb files, so nothing on the site converts into this format. It works as a source only.
Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.