Build Debian packages and offer them in PPAs
Wrapped with a Bow on Top
© Lead Image © belchonock, 123RF.com
Is the current package for your favorite Ubuntu program woefully behind the times? No problem: Just a few steps creates an updated Debian package that you can then share with others in a PPA.
Although your favorite Debian distro comes with many thousands of packages, some updated tools are still occasionally missing. Eventually, the maintainers might offer the corresponding packages themselves, but packaging these tools in a timely manner for each release of a distribution can be difficult.
If you want to use a new version of a program that is not yet included in your current distribution, you can create a solution yourself without any expertise in building Debian packages. If the package sources for the old version are available, constructing packages from them for the new version is usually pretty easy to do. A positive side effect is that you have the opportunity to do something good for the open source community: Provide your packages to Launchpad [1] via a PPA (Personal Package Archive) and share the results of your work with other users.
In this article, I describe an example of how to build a new, updated Debian package from old sources for the KDE backup software Kup. Most of your work will be in the terminal, because you'll be working in a chroot environment, which only makes sense from the command line. Basic knowledge of the command line's general functionality is therefore required, and you should be familiar with the important commands. The first step involves creating a suitable environment for constructing the package.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
Comprehensive measures adopted by the European Commission aim to reduce dependency on non-EU countries.
-
Linux Foundation Report Indicates AI Driving Tech Hiring
Within growing security and skills gaps, AI has been found to be a positive driving force behind tech hiring trends in Europe.
-
United Nations Open Source Portal Goes Live
A new open source portal seeks to coordinate and scale open source efforts across the United Nations system.
-
KDE Linux Drops AUR
KDE Linux developers have dropped the Arch User Repository from the build pipeline due to security concerns; other distributions should consider doing the same.
-
California May Exempt Linux from Its Age-Verification Law
After backlash from the Linux community, California may be backing off on its promise to force all operating systems to verify age, but one platform may still have to comply.
-
Another Logic Bug Found in Linux Kernel
Qualys has discovered a vulnerability in the Linux kernel that can be used to elevate standard user privileges.
-
Ubuntu Core 26 Offers Game-Changing Enterprise Features
Ubuntu Core 26 could be a game-changer for organizations looking for increased security and reliability.
-
AI Flooding the Linux Kernel Security Mailing List
AI is giving Linus Torvalds a headache, but not in the way you might think.
-
Top Priorities for Open Source Pros Seeking a New Job
Professional fulfillment tops the list, according to LPI report.
-
Container-Based Fedora Hummingbird Designed for Agent-First Builders
Fedora Hummingbird brings the same approach to the host OS as it does to containers to level up security.