3. Binary packages

The Debian distribution is based on the Debian package management system, called dpkg. Thus, all packages in the Debian distribution must be provided in the .deb file format.

A .deb package contains two sets of files: a set of files to install on the system when the package is installed, and a set of files that provide additional metadata about the package or which are executed when the package is installed or removed. This second set of files is called control information files. Among those files are the package maintainer scripts and control, the binary package control file that contains the control fields for the package. Other control information files include symbols or shlibs used to store shared library dependency information and the conffiles file that lists the package’s configuration files (described in Configuration files).

There is unfortunately a collision of terminology here between control information files and files in the Debian control file format. Throughout this document, a control file refers to a file in the Debian control file format. These files are documented in Control files and their fields. Only files referred to specifically as control information files are the files included in the control information file member of the .deb file format used by binary packages. Most control information files are not in the Debian control file format.