dpkg is package manager for Debian Linux which is use to install/manage individual packages. Here is quick cheat sheet you will find handy while using dpkg at shell prompt:
| Syntax | Description | Example |
| dpkg -i {.deb package} | Install the package | dpkg -i zip_2.31-3_i386.deb |
| dpkg -i {.deb package} | Upgrade package if it is installed else install a fresh copy of package | dpkg -i zip_2.31-3_i386.deb |
| dpkg -R {Directory-name} | Install all packages recursively from directory | dpkg -R /tmp/downloads |
| dpkg -r {package} | Remove/Delete an installed package except configuration files | dpkg -r zip |
| dpkg -P {package} | Remove/Delete everything including configuration files | dpkg -P apache-perl |
| dpkg -l | List all installed packages, along with package version and short description | dpkg -l dokg -l | less dpkg -l '*apache*' dpkg -l | grep -i 'sudo' |
| dpkg -l {package} | List individual installed packages, along with package version and short description | dpkg -l apache-perl |
| dpkg -L {package} | Find out files are provided by the installed package i.e. list where files were installed | dpkg -L apache-perl dpkg -L perl |
| dpkg -c {.Deb package} | List files provided (or owned) by the package i.e. List all files inside debian .deb package file, very useful to find where files would be installed | dpkg -c dc_1.06-19_i386.deb |
| dpkg -S {/path/to/file} | Find what package owns the file i.e. find out what package does file belong | dpkg -S /bin/netstat dpkg -S /sbin/ippool |
| dpkg -p {package} | Display details about package package group, version, maintainer, Architecture, display depends packages, description etc | dpkg -p lsof |
| dpkg -s {package} | grep Status | Find out if Debian package is installed or not (status) | dpkg -s lsof | grep Status |
{package} - Replace with actual package name