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deb-preinst(5)

deb-preinst - package pre-installation maintainer script

deb-preinst(5) dpkg suite deb-preinst(5)

deb-preinst - package pre-installation maintainer script

DEBIAN/preinst

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

The script can be called in the following ways:

Before the package is installed.
Before a removed package is upgraded.

Support for new-version since dpkg 1.18.5.

Before the package is upgraded.

Support for new-version since dpkg 1.18.5.

If postrm fails during upgrade or fails on failed upgrade.

dpkg(1).

2026-09-09 1.23.11-dirty

dpkg 1.23.11-r1 · os · ingested 2026-10-11