How to get source code of package using the apt command on Debian or Ubuntu
Tutorial requirements
Requirements
Ubuntu or Debian Linux
Root privileges
Yes
Difficulty
Easy
Est. reading time
5m
Table of contents
How to get source code of package using the apt-get/apt command
The procedure to download source code is as follows for Ubuntu Linux.
Please note that apt-get does support third-party closed-source applications. You can only download the source code of open-source software.
Step 1 – Enable source code repo
Sources are normally not installed. Hence, you can only install them if you know the package name and when you enable them. Therefore, edit the /etc/apt/sources.list file, run: $ sudo vi /etc/apt/sources.list Make sure the deb-src type references an Ubuntu distribution’s source code as follows: # Sources specification for the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS distro # deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security main restricted universe multiverse Where,
deb-src : Indicate that you need source code for .DEB files.
http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu : URL to fetch index and .deb files source code.
focal : Ubuntu Linux 20.04 LTS code name
main restricted universe multiverse : State component name for repo such as main, restricted, universe, and multiverse
Step 2 – Update index
Run the following command to resynchronize the package index files from their sources as defined by the deb-src keyword in /etc/apt/sources.list for Ubuntu Linux $ sudo apt-get update # OR # $ sudo apt update
Step 3 – Download Ubuntu package’s source code
Let us download source code for bash shell, run: $ sudo apt-get source $ sudo apt-get source bash
You may see the following error if you forgot to set up deb-src as explained in step # 1:
E: You must put some ‘source’ URIs in your sources.list
Let us run the ls command to see source code: $ ls -l
By default, the source code is extracted into bash-5.0 directory: $ cd bash-5.0 $ ls The upstream bash source tarball with .tar.xz ending is stored in bash_5.0.orig.tar.xz file. A description file with .dsc ending contains the name of the package, both, in its filename as well as content (after the Source: keyword). A tarball, with any changes made to upstream source, plus all the files created for the Debian package stored in bash_5.0-6ubuntu1.1.debian.tar.xz file. If the —download-only option passed to the apt-get command, then the source package will not be unpacked: $ sudo apt-get —download-only source source bash When downloaded, we can extract the source files for bash as follows: $ dpkg-source -x /path/to/pkg.dsc $ dpkg-source -x bash_5.0-6ubuntu1.1.dsc It is also possible to build packages: $ sudo apt-get —build source $ sudo apt-get —build source bash Another option is to make changes in debian/rules files $ vi bash-5.0/debian/rules Next we can build out custom bash package as follows: $ export EDITOR=vim $ dch -n Make sure we satisfy the build dependencies for a source package and to avoid errors install those libs and tools: $ sudo apt-get -y build-dep bash Finally, build a Debian package: $ debuild Verify new packages: $ cd .. $ ls *.deb Install them: $ sudo dpkg -i bash_*.deb
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How to download Debian package’s source code
The procedure is the same as Ubuntu distro but URL syntax changes as follows: $ sudo vi /etc/apt/sources.list Edit/update as follows: # source repo for Debian 10 buster # deb-src deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster main Save and close the file in vim, and then run the following command: $ sudo apt-get update Let us download source code for the Apache web server: $ apt-get source apache2
Conclusion
We explained how to enable Ubuntu/Debian source repo and download source code for the package by name. The apt-get source command is useful when you want to study packaging or a specific Debian package. Also useful to know which compile-time options enabled for a particular package. And finally, we can rebuild packages to add or remove components. See Debian guide wiki page for more information and read the following man pages by typing the man command: $ man apt $ man apt-get $ man 5 sources.list $ man debuild $ man dch
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Источник
Arch Linux
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#1 2017-05-29 12:35:49
How to download the source code of a package?
Hi, all! I want to understand how to download source code from the arch repositories. Like `apt-get source
`. I know about yaourt, pacman, etc. but I was required to manually change some code lines of a package and rebuild it.
So, the first thing I did is:
To my surprise, there is no such a package. As I understand abs was suppressed over using svn instead. Arch wiki suggest the following instructions:
It seems like it works but on the requested openvpn package — I didn’t find anything useful:
So how to do things the right way in order to download_souce-build-install a package in the Arch environment? I do not use svn on my day-to-day basis, so if there are any options to use git instead — please, give the instructions how to use it!
Last edited by timfayz (2017-05-29 12:36:44)
#2 2017-05-29 12:43:08
Re: How to download the source code of a package?
There are also tools that you can use such as pbget. There should be others on the wiki.
#3 2017-05-29 12:46:07
Re: How to download the source code of a package?
You need to look in the source array in the PKGBUILD file.
No, it didn’t «fix» anything. It just shifted the brokeness one space to the right. — jasonwryan Closing — for deletion; Banning — for muppetry. — jasonwryan
#4 2017-05-29 12:53:59
Re: How to download the source code of a package?
slithery, I think the OP is a step behind that. Once one has the PKGBUILD it’s as simple as `makepkg -o`. But the reference to ABS an SVN show that the OP is still trying to get the PKGBUILD (and associated build files).
timfayz, abs was the right answer for this until quite recently. I’m not familiar with the above-mentioned pbget, but asp is (also) a good substitute for abs.
«UNIX is simple and coherent. » — Dennis Ritchie, «GNU’s Not UNIX» — Richard Stallman
#5 2017-05-29 18:48:47
Re: How to download the source code of a package?
asp is not just a substitute for abs, it is the official replacement.
Managing AUR repos The Right Way — aurpublish (now a standalone tool)
#6 2017-05-30 05:58:36
Re: How to download the source code of a package?
asp is not just a substitute for abs, it is the official replacement.
I’m glad I checked here, I haven’t checked the news site for a while, and would be confused about the abs if I needed it haha
#7 2017-05-30 06:08:51
Re: How to download the source code of a package?
asp is not just a substitute for abs, it is the official replacement.
Registered Linux User #482438
#8 2017-05-30 07:25:20
Re: How to download the source code of a package?
Thank you for the explanation regarding abs and asp. It’s much clearer now. However, I didn’t get the idea how to use this staff to build «pacman-compatible» package from the source. After a long searching, I’ve ended up with getting sources from github (https://github.com/OpenVPN/openvpn) and build it according to docs. But the question is how can I, later on, do somethings like this:
So the point is I want to install it like an ordinary package to be able to remove it later using pacman.
Last edited by timfayz (2017-05-30 07:48:48)
#9 2017-05-30 07:33:38
Re: How to download the source code of a package?
Not sure why you want this but. use makepkg once you get the PKGBUILD and related files. Just add an exit command after the make setup and manually tar up the srcdir.
#10 2017-05-30 07:57:11
Re: How to download the source code of a package?
I might get killed for this, but usually I do:
Last edited by smirky (2017-05-30 07:57:26)
Personal spot :: https://www.smirky.net/ :: Try not to get lost!
#11 2017-05-30 08:07:11
Re: How to download the source code of a package?
I might get killed for this [. ]
Nah, we’ll just throw you in a lake. With some weights.
`? It uses an unsupported tool, and last time I checked, it didn’t bring the history with it.
—edit— I just realised that the `git clone` approach was never posted in this thread. I apologise. I must’ve confused it with another, similar, active thread.
—edit2— And I also just realised that this is about official packages, too, so:
Scripting this is recommened. And I note to myself: should always get some coffeine before posting here in the morning. I apologise.
Last edited by ayekat (2017-05-30 08:18:47)
#12 2017-05-30 08:14:26
Re: How to download the source code of a package?
Thank you for the explanation regarding abs and asp. It’s much clearer now. However, I didn’t get the idea how to use this staff to build «pacman-compatible» package from the source. After a long searching, I’ve ended up with getting sources from github (https://github.com/OpenVPN/openvpn) and build it according to docs. But the question is how can I, later on, do somethings like this:
So the point is I want to install it like an ordinary package to be able to remove it later using pacman.
You need to use a PKGBUILD and makepkg. The PKGBUILD contains the build instructions and necessary metadata. It’s really just a Bash script that runs the build commands (e.g. configure, make) and installs the files to a local directory along with some metadata. The resulting package is just an archive of that directory, but it’s not the same as archiving the output of «make» yourself, as in your example above.
Basically, whatever commands you need to build the package on the command-line go in the PKGBUILD, which is just a Bash script with a fixed format. If you want to create a custom package, edit the PKGBUILD and add the commands that you would run on the command-line. Makepkg will then download the source files, modify them according to your commands, and build the package.
Источник
Packaging
SourcePackage
Presentation
The definition of a source package
Source packages provide you with all of the necessary files to compile or otherwise, build the desired piece of software.
It consists, in its simplest form, of three files:
The upstream tarball with .tar.gz ending
A description file with .dsc ending. It contains the name of the package, both, in its filename as well as content (after the Source: keyword). A tarball, with any changes made to upstream source, plus all the files created for the Debian package.
This has a .debian.tar.gz (source format : 3.0)
or a .diff.gz ending (source format : 1.0)
Why looking at a source package ?
If you want to study packaging, or a specific DebianPackage.
If you want to know which compile-time options are enabled for a specific package (DebianPackageConfiguration).
Why bother with source package if there is a binary package ?
Some build systems (e.g. cmake) and ad-hoc scripts provide a convenient way to produce Binary packages (i.e. .deb files for Debian, .rpm for RedHat, etc) in a uniform fashion. Although such approach sounds appealing at first, it is not only insufficient for upload into Debian proper, where source package is required, but might be inferior.
does not even provide a unified way to obtain the sources of a corresponding software (as it is now with «apt-get source package»)
makes it difficult (if not impossible at all) for a user/contributor to rebuild .deb package due to lack of standardization in build procedures and description of build-dependencies. It is often mitigated by upstream authors with detailed descriptions in README, but instructions would vary from package to package. They are not guarantee to be complete; thus altogether making rebuilding not straightforward and fragile. So it is of no surprise why Debian policy demands source packages with standardized build procedures — Debian needs to rebuild architecture-agnostic software for all (>12) supported platforms.
manually composes «Depends:» for a generated .deb and those quite often would not be correct across Debian suites/releases, thus complicating installation procedures. Quick and dirty solution is often to build statically thus losing benefits of modularity in Debian, making the software less robust and secure.
How to Download a source package
Sources are normally not installed. You can only install them if you know the package name.
How to find the name of the source package
A source package could generate many .debs. To know the source package name, see the Source: field in the output of
Sometimes the SOURCE: field is not present, then you can check using:
With apt-get source
One way to obtain source packages is with
You need a deb-src entry in your /etc/apt/sources.list file, like :
A source package is downloaded in the current directory and is not installed (it will not appear in the installed package list), so you need not be root to use apt-get source.
From debian.org
When you are on the page of the package, choose a distribution, and you will have a link to the three files which make the source package.
Working with a source package
How to build the Debian package
You need root privileges or fakeroot to build the .deb. To automatically build the DebianPackage after download, you can also use
If you want to make optimized packages from source to your machine in order to possibly get faster operation, install and use apt-build (which in order uses apt-get source -b . )
How to extract the source files
Assuming the files of the source package are present in the same directory, to unpack a source package, you can typically use :
All the files will be unpacked into a directory : package-version.
