deb-split - Linux

Overview

deb-split is a command-line utility for splitting Debian software packages into smaller chunks. It can be used to create separate packages for different parts of an application, or to reduce the overall size of a package.

Syntax

deb-split [options] package.deb

Options/Flags

  • -a: Analyze the package and print a summary of its contents.
  • -d: Split the package into separate directories.
  • -e: Extract the package to a single directory.
  • -f: Force splitting, even if the package is not a Debian package.
  • -h: Print help and exit.
  • -l: List the files in the package.
  • -m: Split the package into multiple files.
  • -o: Specify an output directory.
  • -p: Preserve the original package name.
  • -q: Quiet mode.
  • -r: Remove the original package after splitting.
  • -s: Spit the package into smaller chunks.
  • -t: Create a tarball of the package.
  • -v: Verbose mode.
  • -z: Compress the resulting files.

Examples

Splitting a package into separate directories

deb-split -d package.deb

This will create a directory for each component of the package, such as /usr/bin, /usr/lib, and /usr/share.

Extracting a package to a single directory

deb-split -e package.deb

This will create a single directory containing all of the files from the package.

Splitting a package into multiple files

deb-split -m package.deb

This will create a set of files, one for each component of the package. The files will be named according to the component they contain, such as usr-bin.tar.gz, usr-lib.tar.gz, and usr-share.tar.gz.

Common Issues

The package is not a Debian package

If the package is not a Debian package, you will need to use the -f option to force splitting.

The package is too large

If the package is too large to split, you can use the -s option to specify a smaller chunk size.

Integration

deb-split can be used with other Linux commands to perform more complex tasks. For example, you can use deb-split to create a set of tarballs that can be used to install a package on multiple systems.

Related Commands

  • dpkg: The Debian package manager.
  • rpm: The Red Hat Package Manager.
  • apt-get: A package manager for Debian and Ubuntu systems.
  • yum: A package manager for Red Hat and CentOS systems.