dpkg-query is a command-line tool in Linux used to query information about installed packages on a Debian-based system. It is part of the dpkg package management system, which is the default package management system for Debian and its derivatives, such as Ubuntu.
The dpkg-query command can be used to perform a variety of tasks related to installed packages, including:
- Listing all installed packages on the system.
- Checking the status of a specific package.
- Displaying information about a specific package such as version and description.
- Searching for a package by name or by other attributes.
If you encounter the below error while running the command dpkg-query:
dpkg-query: command not found
you may try installing the below package as per your choice of distribution:
| Distribution | Command |
|---|---|
| Debian | apt-get install dpkg |
| Ubuntu | apt-get install dpkg |
| Alpine | apk add dpkg |
| Kali Linux | apt-get install dpkg |
| Fedora | dnf install dpkg |
| OS X | brew install dpkg |
| Raspbian | apt-get install dpkg |
dpkg-query Command Examples
1. List all installed packages:
# dpkg-query --list
2. List installed packages matching a pattern:
# dpkg-query --list 'libc6*'
3. List all files installed by a package:
# dpkg-query --listfiles libc6
4. Show information about a package:
# dpkg-query --status libc6
5. Search for packages that own files matching a pattern:
# dpkg-query --search /etc/ld.so.conf.d