GDebi package manager

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Article from Issue 302/2026
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A simple yet powerful tool for installing .deb packages with dependency resolution.

Installing software on Debian-based distributions is usually straightforward thanks to package managers such as APT. However, when dealing with standalone Debian (.deb) files, things can get tricky, especially when dependencies are involved. This is where GDebi comes in.

GDebi is a lightweight package installer designed to handle .deb files efficiently, ensuring all required dependencies are resolved before installation. Unlike dpkg, which simply installs a package without checking for missing dependencies, GDebi fetches and installs them automatically, making the process smoother and more reliable.

In this article, I will explore what makes GDebi a useful tool, how it works, and why it remains a handy utility for Debian and Ubuntu users, even in the age of APT and graphical software centers.

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