How to convert DEB to RPM?

So today we are going to learn something very interesting today. What is it? as you can see the title! its how to convert DEB to RPM and vice versa.What we need for that? ofcource a PC running with Debian or Ubuntu or any other Debian based OS, Internet connection for one time only, a little bit terminal knowledge and a deb package or rpm package to convert that's all.

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So here's the deal if you have multiple Linux distro installed and wanna install a rpm package in Debian or a deb package in Fedora. You can use this method to convert deb to rpm and vice versa. So let's get started.

• Open the terminal in your Debian or Ubuntu or any other Debian based OS and we need to install alien first. so type in the below command.

# sudo apt-get install alien

• Once you done installing alien you are all set to convert your files. Now let's put a deb package in home folder and type below command in terminal

# sudo alien -r filename.deb after entering this command you will get result

filename.rpm generated

example -

# sudo alien -r curlew_0.1.20.3.deb

Warning: Skipping conversion of scripts in package curlew: postinst postrm
Warning: Use the --scripts parameter to include the scripts.
curlew-0.1.20.3.noarch.rpm generated

• Now let's see how to convert rpm to a deb package. Open terminal and type in following command

# Sudo alien filename.rpm press enter and you will get result.

filename.deb genetared

example -

# sudo alien curlew-0.1.20.3.noarch.rpm
curlew_0.1.20.3.deb generated

• You can also use alien for converting deb and rpm to slackware packages or slp packages, etc. you will get all the command lines related to alien by typing this command in terminal.

# sudo alien -h

Example :
h30@H3O:~$ sudo alien -h
[sudo] password for h30:
Usage: alien [options] file [...]
  file [...]                              Package file or files to convert.
  -d, --to-deb                         Generate a Debian deb package (default).
     Enables these options:
       --patch=<patch>          Specify patch file to use instead of automatically
                                           looking for patch in /var/lib/alien.
       --nopatch                      Do not use patches.
       --anypatch                    Use even old version os patches.
       -s, --single                    Like --generate, but do not create .orig
                                           directory.
       --fixperms                     Munge/fix permissions and owners.
       --test                            Test generated packages with lintian.
  -r, --to-rpm                         Generate a Red Hat rpm package.
      --to-slp                          Generate a Stampede slp package.
  -l, --to-lsb                          Generate a LSB package.
  -t, --to-tgz                          Generate a Slackware tgz package.
     Enables these options:
       --description=<desc>   Specify package description.
       --version=<version>     Specify package version.
  -p, --to-pkg                         Generate a Solaris pkg package.
  -i, --install                          Install generated package.
  -g, --generate                     Generate build tree, but do not build package.
  -c, --scripts                        Include scripts in package.
      --target=<arch>            Set architecture of the generated package.
  -v, --verbose                       Display each command alien runs.
      --veryverbose            Be verbose, and also display output of run commands.
  -k, --keep-version          Do not change version of generated package.
      --bump=number             Increment package version by this number.
  -h, --help                            Display this help message.
  -V, --version                        Display alien's version number.

            We hope This was helpful to all of you. We will back with more interesting information and tricks from the Linux world till then stay tuned with us and subscribe to our feeds to keep updated. Ciao.