deb-extra-override(5) dpkg suite deb-extra-override(5)

# [NAME](#NAME)

deb-extra-override - Debian archive extra override file

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**override**

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

While most information about a binary/source package can be found in the control/.dsc file, all of it can be overridden when it's exported to Packages/Sources files. The extra override file contains those overrides.

The extra override file has a simple whitespace-delimited format. Comments are allowed (denoted with a **#**).

*package* *field-name* *value*

*package* is the name of the binary/source package.

*field-name* is the name of the field that is overridden.

*value* is the value to put in the field. It can contain spaces as the line is split in no more than 3 columns when it's parsed.

The extra override files used to make the official Packages lists may be found in the *indices* directory on any Debian mirror.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**dpkg-scanpackages**(1)](/man/os/dpkg/dpkg-scanpackages.1), [**dpkg-scansources**(1)](/man/os/dpkg/dpkg-scansources.1), [**apt-ftparchive**(1)](/man/os/dpkg/apt-ftparchive.1).

2026-09-09 1.23.11-dirty

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Document: deb-extra-override(5) from dpkg 1.23.11-r2 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.dpkg.org/git/dpkg/dpkg.git