install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install debianutils

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install debianutils

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/debianutils/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install debianutils

Debian stable package indexes · debianutils · source: deb.debian.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#debianutils

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/de/debianutils/package.nix · source: api.github.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install debianutils

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · debianutils · source: download.opensuse.org

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add run-parts

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · run-parts · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S run-parts

Arch Linux sync databases · run-parts · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

overview

Package summary

Miscellaneous utilities specific to Debian

Project links

Commands and aliases

ischroot
run-parts
tempfile

history

Project history and usage

debianutils is a Debian-native source package for small utilities used primarily by Debian package installation scripts, while still being directly useful to users. Its current control file marks the binary package Essential and lists tools such as add-shell, installkernel, ischroot, remove-shell, run-parts, savelog, update-shells, and which.

Project history

The Debian changelog records debianutils 1.1-1 as an initial release on April 18, 1996 by Guy Maor, with early work around mkboot and run-parts. Over the following decades the package absorbed, retired, restored, or moved utilities as Debian policy, init conventions, merged-/usr work, shell handling, and package-maintainer workflows changed.

Adoption history

Debian Sources lists debianutils across historic Debian releases from hamm and slink through current stable, testing, and unstable suites. The package tracker shows the package in Debian's main archive, and Ubuntu tracks it as a source package as well, reflecting its role as part of Debian-family base-system plumbing rather than a standalone upstream app.

How it is used

The package's most package-nerd-famous command is `run-parts`, which executes matching scripts in a directory in lexical order and under Debian-specific filename rules. `ischroot` reports chroot status by exit code, while the other commands handle shell registration, kernel install hooks, log saving, and related maintainer-script chores.

Why package nerds care

debianutils matters because it is one of those small base packages that exposes Debian policy decisions as executable behavior. Its changelog reads like a compact history of Debian packaging maintenance: usrmerge, alternatives, deprecating and restoring tools, maintainer-script needs, translations, reproducible-build details, and small utilities being kept compatible for decades.

Timeline

1996: 1.1-1 initial release of debianutils.
1998: Debian Sources lists 1.9 in the hamm release.
2021: 5.x series changed handling around which, tempfile, update-shells, and merged-/usr decisions.
2025: 5.23.x series updated run-parts and installkernel behavior.

Related projects

Related Debian-family base packages include sensible-utils, dpkg, debhelper, sysvinit/cron consumers of run-parts conventions, and alternative implementations of individual tools such as GNU which or FreeBSD which.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 8 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 5 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`ischroot`	cli	global executable
`run-parts`	cli	global executable
`tempfile`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version5.23.2

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/debianutils

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/debianutilsnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:debianutils
Version	5.23.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/debianutils
Homepage	https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/debianutils
Repository	https://salsa.debian.org/debian/debianutils
Upstream docs	https://packages.debian.org/source/sid/debianutils
License	GPL-2.0-or-later
Source archive	https://deb.debian.org/debian/pool/main/d/debianutils/debianutils_5.23.2.tar.xz
Build dependencies	autoconf, automake, gettext, libtool, po4a
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	debianutils
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

debianutils 5.23.2

Miscellaneous utilities specific to Debian

sudo apt install debianutils

Section: utils
Architecture: amd64
normalized package name match
Matched by: Debianutils

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: debianutils from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix95%

debianutils

nix profile install nixpkgs#debianutils

normalized package name match
Matched by: Debianutils

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/de/debianutils/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Ubuntu apt95%

debianutils 5.17build1

Miscellaneous utilities specific to Debian

sudo apt install debianutils

Section: utils
Architecture: amd64
normalized package name match
Matched by: Debianutils

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: debianutils from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

zypper95%

debianutils 5.4-2.9

Miscellaneous utilities specific to Debian

https://packages.debian.org/debianutils

sudo zypper install debianutils

License: GPL-2.0-only
Category: System/Shells
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: debianutils
2 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Debianutils

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: debianutils from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

MacPorts95%

debianutils

sudo port install debianutils

normalized package name match
Matched by: Debianutils

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/debianutils/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

apk92%

run-parts 5.23.2-r1

run-parts from the debianutils package

https://packages.qa.debian.org/d/debianutils.html

sudo apk add run-parts

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: run-parts
1 dependencies
1 provides
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Run Parts

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: run-parts from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk92%

run-parts-doc 5.23.2-r1

run-parts from the debianutils package (documentation)

https://packages.qa.debian.org/d/debianutils.html

sudo apk add run-parts-doc

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: run-parts
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Run Parts

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: run-parts-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

pacman92%

run-parts 5.23.2-1

run scripts or programs in a directory

https://packages.qa.debian.org/d/debianutils.html

sudo pacman -S run-parts

License: GPL
Architecture: x86_64
1 dependencies
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Run Parts

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: run-parts from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/debianutils.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install debianutils with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix, zypper, apk, pacman

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

Package summary

Project links

Commands and aliases

Project history and usage

Project history

Adoption history

How it is used

Why package nerds care

Timeline

Related projects

Sources

Risk level: green

Risk classifier

Why

Signals

Install behavior

Recommended review

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

Related tools

Same workflow

Agent security guides

Generated from repository data

Combined YAML source

Used sources