deb-postrm(5) dpkg suite deb-postrm(5)

# [NAME](#NAME)

deb-postrm - package post-removal maintainer script

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**DEBIAN/postrm**

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

A package can perform several post-removal actions via maintainer scripts, by including an executable *postrm* file in its control archive (i.e. *DEBIAN/postrm* during package creation).

The script can be called in the following ways:

[*postrm* **remove**](#postrm)

After the package was removed.

[*postrm* **purge**](#postrm~2)

After the package was purged.

[*old-postrm* **upgrade** *new-version*](#old)

After the package was upgraded.

[*new-postrm* **failed-upgrade** *old-version* *new-version*](#new)

If the above **upgrade** call fails.

Support for *new-version* since dpkg 1.18.5.

[*postrm* **disappear** *overwriter-package* *overwriter-version*](#postrm~3)

After all of the packages files have been replaced.

[*new-postrm* **abort-install**](#new~2)

If *preinst* fails during **install**.

[*new-postrm* **abort-install** *old-version* *new-version*](#new~3)

If *preinst* fails during **install** for an upgrade of a removed package.

Support for *new-version* since dpkg 1.18.5.

[*new-postrm* **abort-upgrade** *old-version* *new-version*](#new~4)

If *preinst* fails during **upgrade**.

Support for *new-version* since dpkg 1.18.5.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**dpkg**(1)](/man/os/dpkg/dpkg.1).

2026-09-09 1.23.11-dirty

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Document: deb-postrm(5) from dpkg 1.23.11-r1 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.dpkg.org/git/dpkg/dpkg.git