The file with the .deb extension is the package for the Debian-based systems. You can install Debian packages directly with apt repositories (PPA). It also allows installing locally downloaded deb packages via the command line.
The Ubuntu and other Debian based systems provides dpkg (Debian Package Management System) for directly installing .deb files. Another apt command is a powerful command-line tool, which works with Ubuntu’s Advanced Packaging Tool, and helps in managing Debian packages.
This tutorial will help you to install deb files on Ubuntu and other Debian-based systems.
How to Install .deb file with dpkg
dpkg is a command-line tool to install, build, remove and manage Debian packages. Before installation, download or copy the deb file in the local drive. Then use dpkg command to install locally downloaded deb file.
For example, I have downloaded the Google Chrome Debian file in the local system. Then issue the following command to install google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb file.
sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
The above command will install the defined package on the command line. In case the installation failed with dependencies, issue the next command to complete the installation process.
sudo apt install -f
This tells the Apt package manager to complete the unfinished installations. Apt package management is capable to resolve dependencies and download from network repositories.
How to Install .deb file using Apt-get
The latest operating systems uses apt instead of apt-get for the packages installation. So issue the following apt command to install a locally downloaded debian package.
sudo apt install -f google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
The above command will also download and install the required dependencies.
If you are using an older version of Ubuntu and Debian, use apt-get to install deb file.
sudo apt-get install -f google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
Conclusion
Installing .deb files in Ubuntu and Debian is a straightforward process that can be done using the Ubuntu Software Center or Debian Software Center, the dpkg command, or the apt-get command. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily install software packages in Ubuntu and Debian using .deb files.