This is a beginner’s guide shows how to install a package with .deb extension in Debian, Ubuntu, and derivatives, e.g., Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, Elementary OS.
Deb is the native software package format for Debian and derivatives. As software that is either not included in system repositories or your Linux distribution only provide an old version, some developers (e.g., Google, LWKS, and more) offer their official .deb binary packages available to download directly from their websites.
Once you get the .deb package, you can install it via following ways.
1. Double-click deb to install via default package installer:
Just double-click on the .deb package should bring up system default package installer, allows you to install the package via single click.
For Ubuntu, it will open deb file with Ubuntu Software by default. It sucks however and does not work often! At the moment of writing this tutorial, it stuck at loading …
2. Install deb package via Gdebi:
Gdebi is a tiny little utility to install / uninstall deb files as well as handling dependencies. It’s pre-installed and used as default installer in Linux Mint.
The software will tell missing dependencies if any or all dependencies satisfied, with buttons to install / uninstall the opened package.
If you don’t have Gdebi, install it by running command in terminal:
sudo apt install gdebi3. Install deb via dpkg command:
Working on Linux server or you just prefer running a few commands? dpkg the command line package manager for Debian can do the job.
After downloading a deb file from the web, simply run command will install it:
sudo dpkg -i /PATH/TO/DEBIf you were downloading via web browser using default options, the command is usually:
sudo dpkg -i ~/Downloads/FILE_NAME.debTip: while typing the file name, just type a few letters at the beginning and press TAB key to use auto-complete function.
The downside using dpkg is that it does not handle dependencies. If any, you need to run one more command to fix it:
sudo apt -f installThe command will either install missing dependencies and configure the package, or remove the package if not all dependencies satisfied.
4. Install local deb via apt command:
In recent Linux distributions, the apt command supports for installing local deb file as well as handling dependencies!
If you stored the deb file in Downloads folder, run following command will install it:
sudo apt install ./Downloads/FILE_NAME.deb
Conclusion:
While there are a few ways to install local .deb file, the Ubuntu Software sucks and does not work often. Gdebi package installer is recommended for those prefer a graphical interface. And apt is the recommended command line tool as it also handles dependencies.