deb-conffiles - Linux

Overview

deb-conffiles is a powerful Linux command designed to manage configuration files for Debian and Ubuntu packages. It provides the ability to list, purge, and install configuration files, making it a highly useful tool for system administrators and package managers.

Syntax

deb-conffiles [-h] [-v] [-p|--purge] [-i|--install] [-s|--save] [-f|--file FILE]

Options/Flags

| Flag | Description | Default |
|—|—|—|
| -h, –help | Display help message | N/A |
| -v, –verbose | Enable verbose output | N/A |
| -p, –purge | Purge all configuration files for a package | N/A |
| -i, –install | Install configuration files for a package | N/A |
| -s, –save | Save configuration files to a specified file | N/A |
| -f, –file FILE | Specify the file to save or purge configuration files | N/A |

Examples

Listing all configuration files for a package:

deb-conffiles -v nginx

Purging all configuration files for a package:

deb-conffiles -p nginx

Installing all configuration files for a package:

deb-conffiles -i nginx

Saving all configuration files for a package to a file:

deb-conffiles -s nginx /tmp/nginx-conffiles.txt

Purging all configuration files for packages starting with "nano":

deb-conffiles -p `dpkg -l | grep 'nano' | awk '{print $2}'`

Common Issues

  • Permission errors: Ensure you have sufficient permissions to access and modify configuration files.
  • Invalid file path: Make sure the specified file path is correct when using the -f flag.
  • Package not installed: The package specified must be installed before you can manage its configuration files.

Integration

Combine with dpkg to manage packages:

dpkg -l | grep nginx | awk '{print $2}' | xargs deb-conffiles -p

Use with apt to install and purge packages with configuration files:

apt install nginx ; deb-conffiles -i nginx
apt purge nginx ; deb-conffiles -p nginx

Related Commands

  • dpkg: Package management tool
  • apt: Advanced package manager
  • dpkg-query: Query package information