Upgrading checklist
===================
About the checklist
-------------------
The checklist below has been created to simplify the upgrading process
of old packages. This list is not official or normative. It only
provides an indication of what has changed and whether you are likely to
need to make changes to your package in light of this. If you have
doubts about a certain topic, if you need more details, or if you think
some other package does not comply with policy, please refer to the
Policy Manual itself.
All of the changes from version 3.0.0 onwards indicate which section of
the Policy Manual discusses the issue. The section numbering should
still be accurate for changes back to the 2.5.0 release. Before that
point, the sections listed here probably no longer correspond to
sections in the modern Policy Manual.
Here is how the check list works: Check which policy version your
package was checked against last (indicated in the ``Standards-Version``
field of the source package). Then move upwards until the top and check
which of the items on the list might concern your package. Note which
sections of policy discuss this, and then check out the Policy Manual
for details. Once you've made all necessary changes to match the current
rules, update the value of ``Standards-Version`` to the current Policy
Manual version.
If an item in the list is followed by the name of a Lintian tag in
square brackets, it indicates that the policy requirement is covered
by that Lintian tag. The lack of such an annotation does not mean
that no Lintian tag exists to cover the requirement. Our coverage of
these annotations is quite incomplete, and patches to this checklist
are very welcome.
The sections in this checklist match the values for the
``Standards-Version`` control field in omitting the minor patch version,
except in the two anomalous historical cases where normative
requirements were changed in a minor patch release.
Version 4.7.2
-------------
Released February, 2025.
10.1
A change made the previous release of Policy is relaxed:
Packages that already install programs to /usr/games, where another
package installs a program of the same with different functionality to a
different directory on the default PATH, may continue to do so.
Packages must not install any newly conflicting programs to /usr/games,
and packages already doing so are encouraged to move these programs to
non-conflicting names.
Version 4.7.1
-------------
Released February, 2025.
10.1
Two different packages must not install programs with different
functionality to the same filenames, even names under different
directories, when the directories are on the default PATH.
10.1
Packages must not install files to directories like /bin, /lib, /lib*
and /sbin which are now symbolic links to corresponding directories under
/usr. Packages may assume that /bin, /lib and /sbin are always symlinks,
and that files under /usr/bin, /usr/lib and /usr/sbin are accessible via
these aliases.
10.9
Packages should not require the existence of any files under
/usr/share/locale in order to function in a C or C.UTF-8 locale.
12.1
Packages (other than manpage readers) must not require the existence of
any files under /usr/share/man.
12.2
Packages (other than info readers) must not require the existence of any
files in /usr/share/info.
Version 4.7.0
-------------
Released April, 2024.
2.2.1
Document that source packages in the *main* archive area may build
binary packages in the *contrib* archive area, although this is
discouraged unless the source package is inconvenient to split. This
does not relax the requirement that source packages in *main* must not
have build dependencies outside of *main*.
2.2.2
The ``non-free-firmware`` archive area has been added.
3.9
Maintainer scripts should use native overriding mechanisms instead of
dpkg-divert, wherever possible. Maintainer scripts must not divert
configuration files used by systemd components.
Maintainer scripts must not use the alternatives system for systemd
configuration files.
4.8
Hard links are permitted in source packages.
4.9
For packages in contrib, and for packages in non-free with ``Autobuild:
yes``, required targets in d/rules are no longer permitted to attempt
network access. Previously, only packages in main had this restriction.
5.6.13
The ``Description`` field is not present in ``.changes`` files if no
binary packages are being uploaded.
5.6.19
The ``Binary`` field is not present in ``.changes`` files if no binary
packages are being uploaded.
6.3
Packages that automatically start or stop system services must include
``systemd`` units unless the service is only intended for use on
systems running alternative init systems. Previously, ``systemd``
also supported init scripts, but that support is being removed.
Version 4.6.2
-------------
Released December, 2022.
3.8
Essential packages are only required to provide their core
functionality when unconfigured if they had previously been configured
at least once.
6.5 & 6.6
The new package version is provided as an additional argument
following the old package version to several ``preinst``, ``prerm``,
and ``postrm`` maintainer script actions.
11.8.4
When computing the priority for alternatives for
``/usr/bin/x-window-manager``, start with a priority of 40, not 20, and
don't increase the priority based on support for the (obsolete) Debian
menu system.
Version 4.6.1
-------------
Released May, 2022.
9.1.1
Restore permission for packages for non-64-bit architectures to install
files to ``/usr/lib64/``.
9.7.2 & 9.7.3
The text of these sections has been updated to reflect the package split
of bin:mime-support into bin:media-types and bin:mailcap.
Version 4.6.0
-------------
Released August, 2021.
9.1.1
No package is allowed to install files in ``/usr/lib64/``. Previously,
this prohibition only applied to packages for 64-bit architectures.
12.1
Manual pages may be included in dependencies, not only in the packages
containing the things they document.
Version 4.5.1
-------------
Released November, 2020.
2.3, 4.5 & 12.5
The copyright information for files in a package must be copied
verbatim into ``/usr/share/doc/PACKAGE/copyright`` when all of the
following hold:
#. the distribution license for those files requires that
copyright information be included in all copies and/or binary
distributions;
#. the files are shipped in the binary package, either in source
or compiled form; and
#. the form in which the files are present in the binary package
does not include a plain text version of their copyright
notices.
Note that there is no change to the requirement to copy all
licensing information into ``/usr/share/doc/PACKAGE/copyright``.
(Previously, it was always required for all copyright information
to be copied into ``/usr/share/doc/PACKAGE/copyright``.)
4.17
Packages must not contain a non-default series file. That is,
dpkg's vendor-specific patch series feature must not be used for
packages in the Debian archive.
(previously a "should not")
Version 4.5.0
-------------
Released January, 2020.
9.2.1
When maintainers choose a new hardcoded or dynamically generated
username for packages to use, they should start this username with
an underscore.
9.3.1
Packages that include system services should include ``systemd``
service units to start or stop those services.
Including an init script is encouraged if there is no systemd
unit, and optional if there is (previously, it was recommended).
In the common case that a package includes a single system
service, the service unit should have the same name as the package
plus the ".service" extension. If an init script is included, it
should have the same name as the systemd unit.
9.3.2
It is encouraged for init scripts to support the ``status``
argument (previously, it was recommended).
9.3.3
Use of update-rc.d is required if the package includes an init
script (previously, Policy said in one place that it was required,
and in another said that it was recommended).
Version 4.4.1
-------------
Released September, 2019.
5.6.26
A package control file must not have more than one ``Vcs-<type>``
field.
If the package is maintained in multiple version control systems,
the maintainer should specify the one that they would prefer other
people to use as the basis for proposing changes to the package.
9.10 & 11.5
doc-base registration is now optional, from being recommended.
9.12
Document ``/run/reboot-required`` mechanism.
copyright-format
State some syntactical restrictions on the ``Files:`` field.
Wildcards are required to match the contents of directories, and
the space character separates patterns and cannot be escaped.
Version 4.4.0
-------------
Released July, 2019.
4.9
The recommended way to implement the build process of a Debian
package, in the absence of a good reason to use a different
approach, is the ``dh`` tool. This recommendation includes the
contents of the ``debian/rules`` building script.
Some examples of good reasons to use a different approach are
given. The recommendation to use ``dh`` does not always apply,
and use of ``dh`` is not required.
5.6.26
Permit ``-b`` in Vcs-Hg as well as Vcs-Git.
7.5
Document versioned Provides.
virtual
New ``logind`` and ``default-logind`` virtual packages for a package
providing logind API (via D-Bus and :manpage:`sd-login(3)`), and for
Debian's preferred implementation, respectively.
Version 4.3.0
-------------
Released December, 2018.
2.3 & 4.5
In cases where a package's distribution license explicitly permits
its copyright information to be excluded from distributions of
binaries built from the source, a verbatim copy of the package's
copyright information should normally still be included in the
copyright file, but it need not be if creating and maintaining a
copy of that information involves significant time and effort.
4.9
Required targets must not write outside of the unpacked source
package tree, except for TMPDIR, /tmp and /var/tmp.
4.17
Packages should not contain a non-default series file. That is,
dpkg's vendor-specific patch series feature should not be used for
packages in the Debian archive.
10.1
Binaries should be stripped using
``strip --strip-unneeded --remove-section=.comment --remove-section=.note``
(as dh_strip already does).
10.1
It is no longer suggested nor recommended to use ``install -s`` to
strip binaries, because it gets several things wrong.
10.2
When stripping shared libraries with :manpage:`strip(1)`, you should
additionally pass ``--remove-section=.comment --remove-section=.note``
(as dh_strip already does).
virtual
New ``dbus-session-bus`` and ``default-dbus-session-bus`` virtual
packages for a package providing the D-Bus session bus, and for
Debian's preferred D-Bus implementation, respectively.
Version 4.2.1
-------------
Released August, 2018.
10.4 & perl
The requirement that the shebang at the top of Perl command
scripts be ``#!/usr/bin/perl`` is relaxed from a 'must' to a
'should'.
Version 4.2.0
-------------
Released August, 2018.
4.9
The package build should be as verbose as reasonably possible.
This means that ``debian/rules`` should pass to the commands it
invokes options that cause them to produce verbose output.
4.9
Required targets may attempt network access, via the loopback
interface, to services on the build host that have been started by
the build.
4.9.1
New ``terse`` tag that can appear in ``DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS`` to make
a package build less verbose.
5.2 & 5.4
The Standards-Version field is now mandatory, not just
recommended.
12.7
Upstream release notes, when available, should be installed as
``/usr/share/doc/package/NEWS.gz``. Upstream changelogs may be
made available as ``/usr/share/doc/package/changelog.gz``.
This is a relaxation of older Policy which said that the upstream
changelog should be made accessible at this path. Now it is up to
maintainer discretion whether it is useful to install it.
The practice of installing the upstream release notes as
``/usr/share/doc/package/changelog.gz`` is permitted but
deprecated.
Version 4.1.5
-------------
Released July, 2018.
4.9.2
Document how ``debian/rules`` and the ``Rules-Requires-Root``
field interact.
5.6.12
You should not change a package's epoch, even in experimental,
without getting consensus on debian-devel first.
5.6.12.1
Epochs should not be used for the purpose of rolling back the
version of a package. Use the +really convention.
5.6.31
Document the ``Rules-Requires-Root`` field.
9.1.1
Update Debian's version of the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard from
2.3 to 3.0, and update the list of exceptions. Only a tiny
minority of packages, if any, should be made buggy by this change.
9.3.2 & 10.4
Update version of POSIX standard for shell scripts from SUSv3 to
POSIX.1-2017 (also known as SUSv4 in some contexts).
Version 4.1.4
-------------
Released April, 2018.
3.2.2
The part of the version number after the epoch must not be reused
for a version of the package with different contents, even after
the version of the package previously using that part of the
version number is no longer present in any archive suites.
3.2.2
For non-native packages, the upstream version must not be reused
for different upstream source code, so that for each source
package name and upstream version number there exists exactly one
original source archive contents.
4.9
The ``get-orig-source`` rules target has been removed. Packages
should transition to ``debian/watch`` and use uscan where possible.
9.1.2
If ``/etc/staff-group-for-usr-local`` does not exist,
``/usr/local`` and all subdirectories created by packages should
have permissions 0755 and be owned by ``root:root``. If the file
exists, the old permissions of 2775 and ownership of root:staff
should remain.
Version 4.1.3
-------------
Released December, 2017.
5.6.26
URLs given in ``VCS-*`` headers should use a scheme that provides
confidentiality (``https``, for example) if the VCS repository
supports it. ``[vcs-field-uses-insecure-uri]``
7.8
``Built-Using`` should be used exactly when there are license or
DFSG requirements to retain full source code in the archive.
Previously, the description of the field implied it was needed in
other cases too.
9.1.1
``libc`` may also install files in ``/lib64``.
9.3.3.1
If a package's daemon should not be autostarted unless the local
administrator has explicitly requested it, the package's
``postinst`` should use the new ``defaults-disabled`` option of
``update-rc.d``.
The old method of including ``DISABLED=yes`` in the package's
``/etc/default`` file should not be used.
11.4
Clarify that programs may invoke either ``/usr/bin/editor`` and
``/usr/bin/pager`` directly, or use ``editor`` and ``pager`` and rely
on PATH.
12.5
The Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal license (CC0-1.0) is now
included in ``/usr/share/common-licenses`` and does not need to be
copied verbatim in the package ``copyright`` file.
Version 4.1.2
-------------
Released November, 2017.
3.1.1
Binary packages that have potentially offensive content should
have the suffix ``-offensive``. This replaces an older convention
to use ``-off``. As before, whether the contents of a package
needs this content warning is a matter of maintainer discretion.
10.2
Private shared object files should be installed in subdirectories
of ``/usr/lib`` or ``/usr/lib/triplet``. This change permits
private shared object files to take advantage of multiarch, and
also removes the implication that it is permissible to install
private shared object files directly into ``/usr/lib/triplet``.
10.4
The shebang at the top of Perl command scripts must be
``#!/usr/bin/perl``. (Previously, this was a 'should' rather than
a 'must'.)
Version 4.1.1
-------------
Released September, 2017.
4.4
debian/changelog must exist in source packages.
9.2.3
The canonical non-existent home directory is ``/nonexistent``.
Version 4.1.0
-------------
Released August, 2017.
2.2.1
Non-default alternative dependencies on non-free packages are
permitted for packages in main.
4.11
If upstream provides OpenPGP signatures, including the upstream
signing key as ``debian/upstream/signing-key.asc`` in the source
package and using the ``pgpsigurlmangle`` option in
``debian/watch`` configuration to indicate how to find the upstream
signature for new releases is recommended.
4.15
Packages should build reproducibly when certain factors are held
constant; see 4.15 for the list.
4.15
Packages are recommended to build reproducibly even when build
paths and most environment variables are allowed to vary.
9.1.1
Only the dynamic linker may install files to ``/lib64/``.
No package for a 64 bit architecture may install files to
``/usr/lib64/`` or any subdirectory.
11.8.3
The required behaviour of ``x-terminal-emulator -e`` has been
clarified, and updated to replace a false claim about the
behaviour of ``xterm``.
Programs must support ``-e command`` where ``command`` may include
multiple arguments, which must be executed as if the arguments
were passed to ``execvp`` directly, bypassing the shell.
If this execution fails and ``-e`` has a single argument,
``xterm``'s fallback behaviour of passing ``command`` to the shell
is permitted but not required.
Version 4.0.1
-------------
Released August, 2017.
2.5
Priorities are now used only for controlling which packages are part
of a minimal or standard Debian installation and should be selected
based on functionality provided directly to users (so nearly all
shared libraries should have a priority of ``optional``). Packages
may now depend on packages with a lower priority.
The ``extra`` priority has been deprecated and should be treated as
equivalent to ``optional``. All ``extra`` priorities should be
changed to ``optional``. Packages with a priority of ``optional``
may conflict with each other (but packages that both have a priority
of ``standard`` or higher still may not conflict).
5.6.30
New section documenting the ``Testsuite`` field in Debian source
control files.
8.1.1
Shared libraries must now invoke ``ldconfig`` by means of triggers,
instead of maintscripts.
9.3.3
Packages are recommended to use debhelper tools instead of invoking
``update-rc.d`` and ``invoke-rc.d`` directly.
9.3.3
Policy's description of how the local system administrator may
modify the runlevels at which a daemon is started and stopped, and
how init scripts may depend on other init scripts, have been
removed. These are now handled by LSB headers.
9.4
Policy's specification of the console messages that should be
emitted by ``init.d`` scripts has been removed. This is now defined
by LSB, for sysvinit, and is not expected to be followed by other
init systems.
9.6
Packages installing a Free Desktop entry must not also install a
Debian menu system entry.
9.9
The prohibition against depending on environment variables for
reasonable defaults is only for programs on the system PATH and only
for custom environment variable settings (not, say, a sane PATH).
Version 4.0.0
-------------
Released May, 2017.
4.3
``config.sub`` and ``config.guess`` should be updated at build time
or replaced with the versions from autotools-dev.
4.9
New ``TARGET`` set of ``dpkg-architecture`` variables and new
``DEB_*_ARCH_BITS`` and ``DEB_*_ARCH_ENDIAN`` variables.
4.9.1
New ``DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS`` tag, ``nodoc``, which says to suppress
documentation generation (but continue to build all binary packages,
even documentation packages, just let them be mostly empty).
5.2
Automatically-generated debug packages do not need to have a
corresponding stanza in ``debian/control``. (This is existing
practice; this Policy update is just clearer about it.)
5.6.12
Colons are not permitted in upstream version numbers.
7.7
New ``Build-Depends-Arch`` and ``Build-Conflicts-Arch`` fields are
now supported.
8.4
The recommended package name for shared library development files is
now libraryname-dev or librarynameapiversion-dev, not
librarynamesoversion-dev.
9.1.1
The stable release of Debian supports ``/run``, so packages may now
assume that it exists and do not need any special dependency on a
version of initscripts.
9.3.2
New optional ``try-restart`` standard init script argument, which
(if supported) should restart the service if it is already running
and otherwise just report success.
9.3.2
Support for the ``status`` init script argument is recommended.
9.3.3.2
Packages must not call ``/etc/init.d`` scripts directly even as a
fallback, and instead must always use ``invoke-rc.d`` (which is
essential and shouldn't require any conditional).
9.11.1
Instructions for ``upstart`` integration removed since ``upstart``
is no longer maintained in Debian.
10.1
Packages may not install files in both ``/path`` and ``/usr/path``,
and must manage any backward-compatibility symlinks so that they
don't break if ``/path`` and ``/usr/path`` are the same directory.
10.6
Packages should assume device files in ``/dev`` are dynamically
managed and don't have to be created by the package. Packages other
than those whose purpose is to manage ``/dev`` must not create or
remove files there when a dynamic management facility is in use.
Named pipes and device files outside of ``/dev`` should normally be
created on demand via init scripts, systemd units, or similar
mechanisms, but may be created and removed in maintainer scripts if
they must be created during package installation.
10.9
Checking with the base-passwd maintainer is no longer required (or
desirable) when creating a new dynamic user or group in a package.
12.3
Dependencies on \*-doc packages should be at most Recommends
(Suggests if they only include documentation in supplemental
formats).
12.5
The Mozilla Public License 1.1 and 2.0 (MPL-1.1 and MPL-2.0) are now
included in ``/usr/share/common-licenses`` and do not need to be
copied verbatim in the package ``copyright`` file.
copyright-format
The ``https`` form of the copyright-format URL is now allowed and
preferred in the ``Format`` field.
perl
The Perl search path now includes multiarch directories. The vendor
directory for architecture-specific modules is now versioned to
support multiarch.
virtual
New ``adventure`` virtual package for implementations of the classic
Colossal Cave Adventure game.
virtual
New ``httpd-wsgi3`` virtual package for Python 3 WSGI-capable HTTP
servers. The existing ``httpd-wsgi`` virtual package is for Python 2
WSGI-capable HTTP servers.
virtual
New ``virtual-mysql-client``, ``virtual-mysql-client-core``,
``virtual-mysql-server``, ``virtual-mysql-server-core``, and
``virtual-mysql-testsuite`` virtual packages for MySQL-compatible
software.
Version 3.9.8
-------------
Released April, 2016.
9.6
The menu system is deprecated in favor of the FreeDesktop menu
standard. New requirements set for FreeDesktop menu entries.
9.7
New instructions for registering media type handlers with the
FreeDesktop system, which automatically synchronizes with mailcap
and therefore replaces mailcap registration for packages using
desktop entries.
Version 3.9.7
-------------
Released February, 2016.
10.5
Symbolic links must not traverse above the root directory.
9.2.2
32bit UIDs in the range 65536-4294967293 are reserved for
dynamically allocated user accounts.
5.1
Empty field values in control files are only permitted in the
``debian/control`` file of a source package.
4.9
``debian/rules``: required targets must not attempt network access.
12.3
recommend to ship additional documentation for package ``pkg`` in a
separate package ``pkg-doc`` and install it into
``/usr/share/doc/pkg``.
Version 3.9.6
-------------
Released September, 2014.
9.1
The FHS is relaxed to allow a subdirectory of ``/usr/lib`` to hold a
mixture of architecture-independent and architecture-dependent
files, though directories entirely composed of
architecture-independent files should be located in ``/usr/share``.
9.1
The FHS requirement for ``/usr/local/lib64`` to exist if ``/lib64``
or ``/usr/lib64`` exists is removed.
9.1
An FHS exception has been granted for multiarch include files,
permitting header files to instead be installed to
``/usr/include/triplet``.
10.1
Binaries must not be statically linked with the GNU C library, see
policy for exceptions.
4.4
It is clarified that signature appearing in debian/changelog should
be the details of the person who prepared this release of the
package.
11.5
The default web document root is now ``/var/www/html``
virtual
``java1-runtime`` and ``java2-runtime`` are removed,
``javaN-runtime`` and ``javaN-runtime-headless`` are added for all N
between 5 and 9.
virtual
Added ``httpd-wsgi`` for WSGI capable HTTP servers.
perl
Perl packages should use the ``%Config`` hash to locate module paths
instead of hardcoding paths in ``@INC``.
perl
Perl binary modules and any modules installed into
``$Config{vendorarch}`` must depend on the relevant perlapi-\*
package.
Version 3.9.5
-------------
Released October, 2013.
5.1
Control data fields must not start with the hyphen character
(``-``), to avoid potential confusions when parsing clearsigned
control data files that were not properly unescaped.
5.4, 5.6.24
``Checksums-Sha1`` and ``Checksums-Sha256`` are now mandatory in
``.dsc`` files.
5.6.25, 5.8.1
The ``DM-Upload-Allowed`` field is obsolete. Permissions are now
granted via *dak-commands* files.
5.6.27
New section documenting the ``Package-List`` field in Debian source
control files.
5.6.28
New section documenting the ``Package-Type`` field in source package
control files.
5.6.29
New section documenting the ``Dgit`` field in Debian source control
files.
9.1.1.8
The exception to the FHS for the ``/selinux`` was removed.
10.7.3
Packages should remove all obsolete configuration files without
local changes during upgrades. The ``dpkg-maintscript-helper`` tool,
available from the dpkg package since *Wheezy*, can help with this.
10.10
The name of the files and directories installed by binary packages
must be encoded in UTF-8 and should be restricted to ASCII when
possible. In the system PATH, they must be restricted to ASCII.
11.5.2
Stop recommending to serve HTML documents from
``/usr/share/doc/package``.
12.2
Packages distributing Info documents should use install-info's
trigger, and do not need anymore to depend on
``dpkg (>= 1.15.4) | install-info``.
debconf
The ``escape`` capability is now documented.
virtual
``mp3-decoder`` and ``mp3-encoder`` are removed.
Version 3.9.4
-------------
Released August, 2012.
2.4
New *tasks* archive section.
4.9
``build-arch`` and ``build-indep`` are now mandatory targets in
``debian/rules``.
5.6.26
New section documenting the ``Vcs-*`` fields, which are already in
widespread use. Note the mechanism for specifying the Git branch
used for packaging in the Vcs-Git field.
7.1
The deprecated relations < and > now must not be used.
7.8
New ``Built-Using`` field, which must be used to document the source
packages for any binaries that are incorporated into this package at
build time. This is used to ensure that the archive meets license
requirements for providing source for all binaries.
8.6
Policy for dependencies between shared libraries and other packages
has been largely rewritten to document the ``symbols`` system and
more clearly document handling of shared library ABI changes.
``symbols`` files are now recommended over ``shlibs`` files in most
situations. All maintainers of shared library packages should review
the entirety of this section.
9.1.1
Packages must not assume the ``/run`` directory exists or is usable
without a dependency on ``initscripts (>= 2.88dsf-13.3)`` until the
stable release of Debian supports ``/run``.
9.7
Packages including MIME configuration can now rely on triggers and
do not need to call update-mime.
9.11
New section documenting general requirements for alternate init
systems and specific requirements for integrating with upstart.
12.5
All copyright files must be encoded in UTF-8.
Version 3.9.3
-------------
Released February, 2012.
2.4
New archive sections *education*, *introspection*, and
*metapackages* added.
5.6.8
The ``Architecture`` field in ``*.dsc`` files may now contain the
value ``any all`` for source packages building both
architecture-independent and architecture-dependent packages.
7.1
If a dependency is restricted to particular architectures, the list
of architectures must be non-empty.
9.1.1
``/run`` is allowed as an exception to the FHS and replaces
``/var/run``. ``/run/lock`` replaces ``/var/lock``. The FHS
requirements for the older directories apply to these directories as
well. Backward compatibility links will be maintained and packages
need not switch to referencing ``/run`` directly yet. Files in
``/run`` should be stored in a temporary file system.
9.1.4
New section spelling out the requirements for packages that use
files in ``/run``, ``/var/run``, or ``/var/lock``. This generalizes
information previously only in 9.3.2.
9.5
Cron job file names must not contain ``.`` or ``+`` or they will be
ignored by cron. They should replace those characters with ``_``. If
a package provides multiple cron job files in the same directory,
they should each start with the package name (possibly modified as
above), ``-``, and then some suitable suffix.
9.10
Packages using doc-base do not need to call install-docs anymore.
10.7.4
Packages that declare the same ``conffile`` may see left-over
configuration files from each other even if they conflict.
11.8
The Policy rules around Motif libraries were just a special case of
normal rules for non-free dependencies and were largely obsolete, so
they have been removed.
12.5
``debian/copyright`` is no longer required to list the Debian
maintainers involved in the creation of the package (although note
that the requirement to list copyright information is unchanged).
copyright-format
Version 1.0 of the "Machine-readable ``debian/copyright`` file"
specification is included.
mime
This separate document has been retired and and its (short) contents
merged into Policy section 9.7. There are no changes to the
requirements.
perl
Packages may declare an interest in the perl-major-upgrade trigger
to be notified of major upgrades of perl.
virtual
``ttf-japanese-{mincho, gothic}`` is renamed to
``fonts-japanese-{mincho, gothic}``.
Version 3.9.2
-------------
Released April, 2011.
\*
Multiple clarifications throughout Policy where "installed" was used
and the more precise terms "unpacked" or "configured" were intended.
3.3
The maintainer address must accept mail from Debian role accounts
and the BTS. At least one human must be listed with their personal
email address in ``Uploaders`` if the maintainer is a shared email
address. The duties of a maintainer are also clearer.
5
All control fields are now classified as simple, folded, or
multiline, which governs whether their values must be a single line
or may be continued across multiple lines and whether line breaks
are significant.
5.1
Parsers are allowed to accept stanza separation lines containing
whitespace, but control files should use completely empty lines.
Ordering of stanzas is significant. Field names must be composed
of printable ASCII characters except colon and must not begin with
#.
5.6.25
The ``DM-Upload-Allowed`` field is now documented.
6.5
The system state maintainer scripts can rely upon during each
possible invocation is now documented. In several less-common cases,
this is stricter than Policy had previously documented. Packages
with complex maintainer scripts should be reviewed in light of this
new documentation.
7.2
The impact on system state when maintainer scripts that are part of
a circular dependency are run is now documented. Circular
dependencies are now a should not.
7.2
The system state when ``postinst`` and ``prerm`` scripts are run is
now documented, and the documentation of the special case of
dependency state for ``postrm`` scripts has been improved.
``postrm`` scripts are required to gracefully skip actions if their
dependencies are not available.
9.1.1
GNU/Hurd systems are allowed ``/hurd`` and ``/servers`` directories
in the root filesystem.
9.1.1
Packages installing to architecture-specific subdirectories of
``/usr/lib`` must use the value returned by
``dpkg-architecture -qDEB_HOST_MULTIARCH``, not by
``dpkg-architecture -qDEB_HOST_GNU_TYPE``; this is a path change on
i386 architectures and a no-op for other architectures.
virtual
``mailx`` is now a virtual package provided by packages that install
``/usr/bin/mailx`` and implement at least the POSIX-required
interface.
Version 3.9.1
-------------
Released July, 2010.
3.2.1
Date-based version components should be given as the four-digit
year, two-digit month, and then two-digit day, but may have embedded
punctuation.
3.9
Maintainer scripts must pass ``--package`` to ``dpkg-divert`` when
creating or removing diversions and must not use ``--local``.
4.10
Only ``dpkg-gencontrol`` supports variable substitution.
``dpkg-genchanges`` (for ``*.changes``) and ``dpkg-source`` (for
``*.dsc``) do not.
7.1
Architecture restrictions and wildcards are also allowed in binary
package relationships provided that the binary package is not
architecture-independent.
7.4
``Conflicts`` and ``Breaks`` should only be used when there are file
conflicts or one package breaks the other, not just because two
packages provide similar functionality but don't interfere.
8.1
The SONAME of a library should change whenever the ABI of the
library changes in a way that isn't backward-compatible. It should
not change if the library ABI changes are backward-compatible.
Discourage bundling shared libraries together in one package.
8.4
Ada Library Information (``*.ali``) files must be installed
read-only.
8.6.1, 8.6.2, 8.6.5
Packages should normally not include a ``shlibs.local`` file since
we now have complete ``shlibs`` coverage.
8.6.3
The SONAME of a library may instead be of the form
``name-major-version.so``.
10.2
Libtool ``.la`` files should not be installed for public libraries.
If they're required (for ``libltdl``, for instance), the
``dependency_libs`` setting should be emptied. Library packages
historically including ``.la`` files must continue to include them
(with ``dependency_libs`` emptied) until all libraries that depend
on that library have removed or emptied their ``.la`` files.
10.2
Libraries no longer need to be built with ``-D_REENTRANT``, which
was an obsolete LinuxThreads requirement. Instead, say explicitly
that libraries should be built with threading support and to be
thread-safe if the library supports this.
10.4
``/bin/sh`` scripts may assume that ``kill`` supports an argument of
``-signal``, that ``kill`` and ``trap`` support the numeric signals
listed in the XSI extension, and that signal 13 (SIGPIPE) can be
trapped with ``trap``.
10.8
Use of ``/etc/logrotate.d/package`` for logrotate rules is now
recommended.
10.9
Control information files should be owned by ``root:root`` and
either mode 644 or mode 755.
11.4, 11.8.3, 11.8.4
Packages providing alternatives for ``editor``, ``pager``,
``x-terminal-emulator``, or ``x-window-manager`` should also provide
a slave alternative for the corresponding manual page.
11.5
Cgi-bin executable files may be installed in subdirectories of
``/usr/lib/cgi-bin`` and web servers should serve out executables in
those subdirectories.
12.5
The GPL version 1 is now included in common-licenses and should be
referenced from there instead of included in the ``copyright`` file.
Version 3.9.0
-------------
Released June, 2010.
4.4, 5.6.15
The required format for the date in a changelog entry and in the
Date control field is now precisely specified.
5.1
A control stanza must not contain more than one instance of a
particular field name.
5.4, 5.5, 5.6.24
The ``Checksums-Sha1`` and ``Checksums-Sha256`` fields in ``*.dsc``
and ``*.changes`` files are now documented and recommended.
5.5, 5.6.16
The ``Format`` field of ``.changes`` files is now 1.8. The
``Format`` field syntax for source package ``.dsc`` files allows a
subtype in parentheses, and it is used for a different purpose than
the ``Format`` field for ``.changes`` files.
5.6.2
The syntax of the ``Maintainer`` field is now must rather than
should.
5.6.3
The comma separating entries in ``Uploaders`` is now must rather
than should.
5.6.8, 7.1, 11.1.1
Architecture wildcards may be used in addition to specific
architectures in ``debian/control`` and ``*.dsc`` Architecture
fields, and in architecture restrictions in build relationships.
6.3
Maintainer scripts are no longer guaranteed to run with a
controlling terminal and must be able to fall back to noninteractive
behavior (debconf handles this). Maintainer scripts may abort if
there is no controlling terminal and no reasonable default for a
high-priority question, but should avoid this if possible.
7.3, 7.6.1
``Breaks`` should be used with ``Replaces`` for moving files between
packages.
7.4
``Breaks`` should normally be used instead of ``Conflicts`` for
transient issues and moving files between packages. New
documentation of when each should be used.
7.5
Use ``Conflicts`` with ``Provides`` if only one provider of a
virtual facility can be installed at a time.
8.4
All shared library development files are no longer required to be in
the ``-dev`` package, only be available when the ``-dev`` package is
installed. This allows the ``-dev`` package to be split as long as
it depends on the additional packages.
9.2.2
The UID range of user accounts is extended to 1000-59999.
9.3.2, 10.4
``init.d`` scripts are a possible exception from the normal
requirement to use ``set -e`` in each shell script.
12.5
The UCB BSD license was removed from the list of licenses that
should be referenced from ``/usr/share/common-licenses/BSD``. It
should instead be included directly in ``debian/copyright``,
although it will still be in common-licenses for the time being.
debconf
``SETTITLE`` is now documented (it has been supported for some
time). ``SETTITLE`` is like ``TITLE`` but takes a template instead
of a string to allow translation.
perl
perl-base now provides perlapi-abiname instead of a package based
solely on the Perl version. Perl packages must now depend on
perlapi-$Config{debian\_abi}, falling back on ``$Config{version}``
if ``$Config{debian_abi}`` is not set.
perl
Packages using ``Makefile.PL`` should use ``DESTDIR`` rather than
``PREFIX`` to install into the package staging area. ``PREFIX`` only
worked due to a Debian-local patch.
Version 3.8.4
-------------
Released January, 2010.
9.1.1
An FHS exception has been granted for multiarch libraries.
Permitting files to instead be installed to ``/lib/triplet`` and
``/usr/lib/triplet`` directories.
10.6
Packages may not contain named pipes and should instead create them
in postinst and remove them in prerm or postrm.
9.1.1
``/sys`` and ``/selinux`` directories are explicitly allowed as an
exception to the FHS.
Version 3.8.3
-------------
Released August, 2009.
4.9
DEB\_\*\_ARCH\_CPU and DEB\_\*\_ARCH\_OS variables are now
documented and recommended over GNU-style variables for that
information.
5.6.8
Source package Architecture fields may contain *all* in combination
with other architectures. Clarify when *all* and *any* may be used
in different versions of the field.
5.6.14
The Debian archive software does not support uploading to multiple
distributions with one ``*.changes`` file.
5.6.19
The Binary field may span multiple lines.
10.2
Shared library packages are no longer allowed to install libraries
in a non-standard location and modify ``ld.so.conf``. Packages
should either be installed in a standard library directory or
packages using them should be built with RPATH.
11.8.7
Installation directories for X programs have been clarified.
Packages are no longer required to pre-depend on x11-common before
installing into ``/usr/include/X11`` and ``/usr/lib/X11``.
12.1
Manual pages are no longer required to contain only characters
representable in the legacy encoding for that language.
12.1
Localized man pages should either be kept up-to-date with the
original version or warn that they're not up-to-date, either with
warning text or by showing missing or changed portions in the
original language.
12.2
install-info is now handled via triggers so packages no longer need
to invoke it in maintainer scripts. Info documents should now have
directory sections and entries in the document. Packages containing
info documents should add a dependency to support partial upgrades.
perl
The requirement for Perl modules to have a versioned Depend and
Build-Depend on ``perl >= 5.6.0-16`` has been removed.
Version 3.8.2
-------------
Released June, 2009.
2.4
The list of archive sections has been significantly expanded. See
`this debian-devel-announce
message <http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2009/03/msg00010.html>`__
for the list of new sections and rules for how to categorize
packages.
3.9.1
All packages must use debconf or equivalent for user prompting,
though essential packages or their dependencies may also fall back
on other methods.
5.6.1
The requirements for source package names are now explicitly spelled
out.
9.1
Legacy XFree86 servers no longer get a special exception from the
FHS permitting ``/etc/X11/XF86Config-4``.
9.1.3
Removed obsolete dependency requirements for packages that use
``/var/mail``.
11.8.5
Speedo fonts are now deprecated. The X backend was disabled starting
in lenny.
12.5
The GNU Free Documentation License version 1.3 is included in
common-licenses and should be referenced from there.
Version 3.8.1
-------------
Released March, 2009.
3.8
Care should be taken when adding functionality to essential and such
additions create an obligation to support that functionality in
essential forever unless significant work is done.
4.4
Changelog files must be encoded in UTF-8.
4.4
Some format requirements for changelog files are now "must" instead
of "should."
4.4.1
Alternative changelog formats have been removed. Debian only
supports one changelog format for the Debian Archive.
4.9.1
New nocheck option for DEB\_BUILD\_OPTIONS indicating any build-time
test suite provided by the package should not be run.
5.1
All control files must be encoded in UTF-8.
5.2
``debian/control`` allows comment lines starting with # with no
preceding whitespace.
9.3
Init scripts ending in .sh are not handled specially. They are not
sourced and are not guaranteed to be run by ``/bin/sh`` regardless
of the #! line. This brings Policy in line with the long-standing
behavior of the init system in Debian.
9.3.2
The start action of an init script must exit successfully and not
start the daemon again if it's already running.
9.3.2
``/var/run`` and ``/var/lock`` may be mounted as temporary
filesystems, and init scripts must therefore create any necessary
subdirectories dynamically.
10.4
``/bin/sh`` scripts may assume that local can take multiple variable
arguments and supports assignment.
11.6
User mailboxes may be mode 600 and owned by the user rather than
mode 660, owned by user, and group mail.
Version 3.8.0
-------------
Released June, 2008.
2.4, 3.7
The base section has been removed. contrib and non-free have been
removed from the section list; they are only categories. The base
system is now defined by priority.
4.9
If ``dpkg-source -x`` doesn't provide the source that will be
compiled, a debian/rules patch target is recommended and should do
whatever else is necessary.
4.9.1, 10.1
Standardized the format of DEB\_BUILD\_OPTIONS. Specified permitted
characters for tags, required that tags be whitespace-separated,
allowed packages to assume non-conflicting tags, and required
unknown flags be ignored.
4.9.1
Added parallel=n to the standardized DEB\_BUILD\_OPTIONS tags,
indicating that a package should be built using up to n parallel
processes if the package supports it
4.13
Debian packages should not use convenience copies of code from other
packages unless the included package is explicitly intended to be
used that way.
4.14
If dpkg-source -x doesn't produce source ready for editing and
building with dpkg-buildpackage, packages should include a
``debian/README.source`` file explaining how to generate the patched
source, add a new modification, and remove an existing modification.
This file may also be used to document packaging a new upstream
release and any other complexity of the Debian build process.
5.6.3
The Uploaders field in debian/control may be wrapped.
5.6.12
An empty Debian revision is equivalent to a Debian revision of 0 in
a version number.
5.6.23
New Homepage field for upstream web sites.
6.5, 6.6, 7
The Breaks field declares that this package breaks another and
prevents installation of the breaking package unless the package
named in Breaks is deconfigured first. This field should not be used
until the dpkg in Debian stable supports it.
8.1, 8.2
Clarify which files should go into a shared library package, into a
separate package, or into the -dev package. Suggest -tools instead
of -runtime for runtime support programs, since that naming is more
common in Debian.
9.5
Files in ``/etc/cron.{hourly,daily,weekly,monthly}`` must be
configuration files (upgraded from should). Mention the hourly
directory.
11.8.6
Packages providing ``/etc/X11/Xresources`` files need not conflict
with ``xbase (<< 3.3.2.3a-2)``, which is long-obsolete.
12.1
Manual pages in locale-specific directories should use either the
legacy encoding for that directory or UTF-8. Country names should
not be included in locale-specific manual page directories unless
indicating a significant difference in the language. All characters
in the manual page source should be representable in the legacy
encoding for a locale even if the man page is encoded in UTF-8.
12.5
The Apache 2.0 license is now in common-licenses and should be
referenced rather than quoted in ``debian/copyright``.
12.5
Packages in contrib and non-free should state in the copyright file
that the package is not part of Debian GNU/Linux and briefly explain
why.
debconf
Underscore (``_``) is allowed in debconf template names.
Version 3.7.3
-------------
Released December, 2007.
5.6.12
Package version numbers may contain tildes, which sort before
anything, even the end of a part.
10.4
Scripts may assume that ``/bin/sh`` supports local (at a basic
level) and that its test builtin (if any) supports -a and -o binary
logical operators.
8.5
The substitution variable ${binary:Version} should be used in place
of ${Source-Version} for dependencies between packages of the same
library.
menu policy
Substantial reorganization and renaming of sections in the Debian
menu structure. Packages with menu entries should be reviewed to see
if the menu section has been renamed or if one of the new sections
would be more appropriate.
5.6.1
The Source field in a ``.changes`` file may contain a version number in
parentheses.
5.6.17
The acceptable values for the Urgency field are low, medium, high,
critical, or emergency.
8.6
The shlibs file now allows an optional type field, indicating the
type of package for which the line is valid. The only currently
supported type is udeb, used with packages for the Debian Installer.
3.9.1
Packages following the Debian Configuration management specification
must allow for translation of their messages by using a
gettext-based system such as po-debconf.
12.5
GFDL 1.2, GPL 3, and LGPL 3 are now in common-licenses and should be
referenced rather than quoted in debian/copyright.
Version 3.7.2.2
---------------
Released October, 2006.
This release broke the normal rule against introducing normative changes
without changing the major patch level.
6.1
Maintainer scripts must not be world writeable (up from a should to
a must)
Version 3.7.2
-------------
Released April, 2006.
11.5
Revert the cgi-lib change.
Version 3.7.1
-------------
Released April, 2006.
10.2
It is now possible to create shared libraries without relocatable
code (using -fPIC) in certain exceptional cases, provided some
procedures are followed, and for creating static libraries with
relocatable code (again, using -fPIC). Discussion on
debian-devel@lists.debian.org, getting a rough consensus, and
documenting it in README.Debian constitute most of the process.
11.8.7
Packages should install any relevant files into the directories
``/usr/include/X11/`` and ``/usr/lib/X11/``, but if they do so, they
must pre-depend on ``x11-common (>= 1:7.0.0)``
Version 3.7.0
-------------
Released April, 2006.
11.5
Packages shipping web server CGI files are expected to install them
in ``/usr/lib/cgi-lib/`` directories. This location change perhaps
should be documented in NEWS
11.5
Web server packages should include a standard scriptAlias of cgi-lib
to ``/usr/lib/cgi-lib``.
9.1.1
The version of FHS mandated by policy has been upped to 2.3. There
should be no changes required for most packages, though new top
level directories ``/media``, ``/srv``, etc. may be of interest.
5.1, 5.6.3
All fields, apart from the Uploaders field, in the control file are
supposed to be a single logical line, which may be spread over
multiple physical lines (newline followed by space is elided).
However, any parser for the control file must allow the Uploaders
field to be spread over multiple physical lines as well, to prepare
for future changes.
10.4
When scripts are installed into a directory in the system PATH, the
script name should not include an extension that denotes the
scripting language currently used to implement it.
9.3.3.2
packages that invoke initscripts now must use invoke-rc.d to do so
since it also pays attention to run levels and other local
constraints.
11.8.5.2, 11.8.7, etc
We no longer use ``/usr/X11R6``, since we have migrated away to
using Xorg paths. This means, for one thing, fonts live in
``/usr/share/fonts/X11/`` now, and ``/usr/X11R6`` is gone.
Version 3.6.2
-------------
Released June, 2005.
Recommend doc-base, and not menu, for registering package
documentation.
8.1
Run time support programs should live in subdirectories of
``/usr/lib/`` or ``/usr/share``, and preferably the shared lib is
named the same as the package name (to avoid name collisions).
11.5
It is recommended that HTTP servers provide an alias /images to
allow packages to share image files with the web server
Version 3.6.1
-------------
Released August, 2003.
3.10.1
Prompting the user should be done using debconf. Non debconf user
prompts are now deprecated.
Version 3.6.0
-------------
Released July, 2003.
Restructuring caused shifts in section numbers and bumping of the
minor version number.
Many packaging manual appendices that were integrated into policy
sections are now empty, and replaced with links to the Policy. In
particular, the appendices that included the list of control fields
were updated (new fields like Closes, Changed-By were added) and the
list of fields for each of control, ``.changes`` and ``.dsc`` files is now
in Policy, and they're marked mandatory, recommended or optional
based on the current practice and the behavior of the deb-building
tool-chain.
Elimination of needlessly deep section levels, primarily in the
chapter Debian Archive, from which two new chapters were split out,
Binary packages and Source packages. What remained was reordered
properly, that is, some sects became sects etc.
Several sections that were redundant, crufty or simply not designed
with any sort of vision, were rearranged according to the formula
that everything should be either in the same place or properly
interlinked. Some things remained split up between different
chapters when they talked about different aspects of files: their
content, their syntax, and their placement in the file system. In
particular, see the new sections about changelog files.
menu policy
Added Games/Simulation and Apps/Education to menu sub-policy
C.2.2
Debian changelogs should be UTF-8 encoded.
10.2
shared libraries must be linked against all libraries that they use
symbols from in the same way that binaries are.
7.6
build-depends-indep need not be satisfied during clean target.
Version 3.5.10
--------------
Released May, 2003.
11.8.3
packages providing the x-terminal-emulator virtual package ought to
ensure that they interpret the command line exactly like xterm does.
11.8.4
Window managers compliant with the Window Manager Specification
Project may add 40 points for ranking in the alternatives
Version 3.5.9
-------------
Released March, 2003.
3.4.2
The section describing the Description: package field once again has
full details of the long description format.
4.2
Clarified that if a package has non-build-essential
build-dependencies, it should have them listed in the Build-Depends
and related fields (i.e. it's not merely optional).
9.3.2
When asked to restart a service that isn't already running, the init
script should start the service.
12.6
If the purpose of a package is to provide examples, then the example
files can be installed into ``/usr/share/doc/package`` (rather than
``/usr/share/doc/package/examples``).
Version 3.5.8
-------------
Released November, 2002.
12.7
It is no longer necessary to keep a log of changes to the upstream
sources in the copyright file. Instead, all such changes should be
documented in the changelog file.
7.6
Build-Depends, Build-Conflicts, Build-Depends-Indep, and
Build-Conflicts-Indep must also be satisfied when the clean target
is called.
menu policy
A new Apps/Science menu section is available
debconf policy
debconf specification cleared up, various changes.
12.1
It is no longer recommended to create symlinks from nonexistent manual
pages to :manpage:`undocumented(7)`. Missing manual pages for programs
are still a bug.
Version 3.5.7
-------------
Released August, 2002.
Packages no longer have to ask permission to call MAKEDEV in
postinst, merely notifying the user ought to be enough.
2.2.4
cryptographic software may now be included in the main archive.
3.9
task packages are no longer permitted; tasks are now created by a
special Tasks: field in the control file.
11.8.4
window managers that support netwm can now add 20 points when they
add themselves as an alternative for ``/usr/bin/x-window-manager``
10.1
The default compilation options have now changed, one should provide
debugging symbols in all cases, and optionally step back
optimization to -O0, depending on the DEB\_BUILD\_OPTIONS
environment variable.
7.6, 4.8
Added mention of build-arch, build-indep, etc, in describing the
relationships with Build-Depends, Build-Conflicts,
Build-Depends-Indep, and Build-Conflicts-Indep. May need to
review the new rules.
8
Changed rules on how, and when, to invoke ldconfig in maintainer
scripts. Long rationale.
*Added the last note in 3.5.6 upgrading checklist item regarding build
rules, please see below*
Version 3.5.6
-------------
Released July, 2001.
2.5
Emacs and TeX are no longer mandated by policy to be priority
standard packages
11.5
Programs that access docs need to do so via ``/usr/share/doc``, and
not via ``/usr/doc/`` as was the policy previously
12.3
Putting documentation in ``/usr/doc`` versus ``/usr/share/doc`` is
now a "serious" policy violation.
11.5
For web servers, one should not provide non-local access to the
``/usr/share/doc`` hierarchy. If one can't provide access controls
for the http://localhost/doc/ directory, then it is preferred that
one ask permission to expose that information during the install.
7
There are new rules for build-indep/build-arch targets and there is
a new Build-Depend-Indep semantic.
Version 3.5.5
-------------
Released May, 2001.
12.1
Manpages should not rely on header information to have alternative
manpage names available; it should only use symlinks or .so pages to
do this
*Clarified note in 3.5.3.0 upgrading checklist regarding examples
and templates: this refers only to those examples used by scripts;
see section 10.7.3 for the whole story*
Included a new section 10.9.1 describing the use of
dpkg-statoverride; this does not have the weight of policy
Clarify Standards-Version: you don't need to rebuild your packages
just to change the Standards-Version!
10.2
Plugins are no longer bound by all the rules of shared libraries
X Windows related things:
11.8.1
Clarification of priority levels of X Window System related
packages
11.8.3
Rules for defining x-terminal-emulator improved
11.8.5
X Font policy rewritten: you must read this if you provide fonts
for the X Window System
11.8.6
Packages must not ship ``/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/app-defaults/``
11.8.7
X-related packages should usually use the regular FHS locations;
imake-using packages are exempted from this
11.8.8
OpenMotif linked binaries have the same rules as
OSF/Motif-linked ones
Version 3.5.4
-------------
Released April, 2001.
11.6
The system-wide mail directory is now /var/mail, no longer
/var/spool/mail. Any packages accessing the mail spool should access
it via /var/mail and include a suitable Depends field;
11.9; perl-policy
The perl policy is now part of Debian policy proper. Perl programs
and modules should follow the current Perl policy
Version 3.5.3
-------------
Released April, 2001.
7.1
Build-Depends arch syntax has been changed to be less ambiguous.
This should not affect any current packages
10.7.3
Examples and templates files for use by scripts should now live in
``/usr/share/<package>`` or ``/usr/lib/<package>``, with symbolic
links from ``/usr/share/doc/<package>/examples`` as needed
Version 3.5.2
-------------
Released February, 2001.
11.8.6
X app-defaults directory has moved from
``/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/app-defaults`` to ``/etc/X11/app-defaults``
Version 3.5.1
-------------
Released February, 2001.
8.1
dpkg-shlibdeps now uses objdump, so shared libraries have to be run
through dpkg-shlibdeps as well as executables
Version 3.5.0
-------------
Released January, 2001.
11.8.5
Font packages for the X Window System must now declare a dependency
on ``xutils (>= 4.0.2)``
Version 3.2.1.1
---------------
Released January, 2001.
This release broke the normal rule against introducing normative changes
without changing the major patch level.
9.3.2
Daemon startup scripts in ``/etc/init.d/`` should not contain
modifiable parameters; these should be moved to a file in
``/etc/default/``
12.3
Files in ``/usr/share/doc`` must not be referenced by any program.
If such files are needed, they must be placed in
``/usr/share/<package>/``, and symbolic links created as required in
``/usr/share/doc/<package>/``
Much of the packaging manual has now been imported into the policy
document
Version 3.2.1
-------------
Released August, 2000.
11.8.1
A package of priority standard or higher may provide two binaries,
one compiled with support for the X Window System, and the other
without
Version 3.2.0
-------------
Released August, 2000.
10.1
By default executables should not be built with the debugging option
-g. Instead, it is recommended to support building the package with
debugging information optionally.
12.8
Policy for packages where the upstream uses HTML changelog files has
been expanded. In short, a plain text changelog file should always
be generated for the upstream changes
Please note that the new release of the X window system (3.2) shall
probably need sweeping changes in policy
Policy for packages providing the following X-based features has
been codified:
11.8.2
X server (virtual package xserver)
11.8.3
X terminal emulator (virtual package x-terminal-emulator)
11.8.4
X window manager (virtual package x-window-manager, and
``/usr/bin/x-window-manager`` alternative, with priority
calculation guidelines)
12.8.5
X fonts (this section has been written from scratch)
11.8.6
X application defaults
11.8.7
Policy for packages using the X Window System and FHS issues has
been clarified;
11.7.3
No package may contain or make hard links to conffiles
8
Noted that newer dpkg versions do not require extreme care in always
creating the shared lib before the symlink, so the unpack order be
correct
Version 3.1.1
-------------
Released November, 1999.
7.1
Correction to semantics of architecture lists in Build-Depends etc.
Should not affect many packages
Version 3.1.0
-------------
Released October, 1999.
defunct
``/usr/doc/<package>`` has to be a symlink pointing to
``/usr/share/doc/<package>``, to be maintained by postinst and prerm
scripts.
7.1, 7.6
Introduced source dependencies (Build-Depends, etc.)
9.3.4
``/etc/rc.boot`` has been deprecated in favour of ``/etc/rcS.d``.
(Packages should not be touching this directory, but should use
update-rc.d instead)
9.3.3
update-rc.d is now the *only* allowable way of accessing the
``/etc/rc?.d/[SK]??*`` links. Any scripts which manipulate them
directly must be changed to use update-rc.d instead. (This is
because the file-rc package handles this information in an
incompatible way.)
12.7
Architecture-specific examples go in ``/usr/lib/<package>/examples``
with symlinks from ``/usr/share/doc/<package>/examples/*`` or from
``/usr/share/doc/<package>/examples`` itself
9.1.1
Updated FHS to a 2.1 draft; this reverts ``/var/state`` to
``/var/lib``
9.7; mime-policy
Added MIME sub-policy document
12.4
VISUAL is allowed as a (higher priority) alternative to EDITOR
11.6
Modified liblockfile description, which affects mailbox-accessing
programs. Please see the policy document for details
12.7
If a package provides a changelog in HTML format, a text-only
version should also be included. (Such a version may be prepared
using ``lynx -dump -nolist``.)
3.2.1
Description of how to handle version numbers based on dates added
Version 3.0.1
-------------
Released July, 1999.
10.2
Added the clarification that the .la files are essential for the
packages using libtool's libltdl library, in which case the .la
files must go in the run-time library package
Version 3.0.0
-------------
Released June, 1999.
9.1
Debian formally moves from the FSSTND to the FHS. This is a major
change, and the implications of this move are probably not all
known.
4.1
Only 3 digits of the Standards version need be included in control
files, though all four digits are still permitted.
12.6
The location of the GPL has changed to
``/usr/share/common-licenses``. This may require changing the
copyright files to point to the correct location of the GPL and
other major licenses
10.2
Packages that use libtool to create shared libraries must include
the .la files in the -dev packages
10.8
Use logrotate to rotate log files
now 11.8
section 5.8 has been rewritten (Programs for the X Window System)
9.6; menu-policy
There is now an associated menu policy, in a separate document, that
carries the full weight of Debian policy
11.3
Programs which need to modify the files ``/var/run/utmp``,
``/var/log/wtmp`` and ``/var/log/lastlog`` must be installed setgid
utmp
Version 2.5.0
-------------
Released October, 1998.
*Please note that section numbers below this point may not match the
current Policy Manual.*
- Rearranged the manual to create a new Section 4, Files
- Section 3.3 ("Files") was moved to Section 4. The Sections that
were Section 4 and Section 5 were moved down to become Section 5
and Section 6.
- What was Section 5.5 ("Log files") is now a subsection of the new
Section 4 ("Files"), becoming section 4.8, placed after
"Configuration files", moving the Section 4.8 ("Permissions and
owners") to Section 4.9. All subsections of the old Section 5
after 5.5 were moved down to fill in the number gap.
- Modified the section about changelog files to accommodate upstream
changelogs which were formatted as HTML. These upstream changelog
files should now be accessible as
``/usr/doc/package/changelog.html.gz``
- Symlinks are permissible to link the real, or upstream, changelog
name to the Debian mandated name.
- Clarified that HTML documentation should be present in some package,
though not necessarily the main binary package.
- Corrected all references to the location of the copyright files. The
correct location is ``/usr/doc/package/copyright``
- Ratified the architecture specification strings to cater to the HURD.
Version 2.4.1
-------------
Released April, 1998.
Updated section 3.3.5 Symbolic links
symbolic links within a toplevel directory should be relative,
symbolic links between toplevel directories should be absolute (cf.,
Policy Weekly Issue#6, topic 2)
Updated section 4.9 Games
manpages for games should be installed in ``/usr/man/man6`` (cf.,
Policy Weekly Issue#6, topic 3)
Updated Chapter 12 Shared Libraries
ldconfig must be called in the postinst script if the package
installs shared libraries (cf., Policy Weekly Issue #6,
fixes:bug#20515)
Version 2.4.0
-------------
Released January, 1998
Updated section 3.3.4 Scripts
- /bin/sh may be any POSIX compatible shell
- scripts including bashisms have to specify ``/bin/bash`` as
interpreter
- scripts which create files in world-writable directories (e.g.,
in ``/tmp``) should use tempfile or mktemp for creating the
directory
Updated section 3.3.5 Symbolic Links
symbolic links referencing compressed files must have the same file
extension as the referenced file
Updated section 3.3.6 Device files
``/dev/tty*`` serial devices should be used instead of ``/dev/cu*``
Updated section 3.4.2 Writing the scripts in ``/etc/init.d``
- all ``/etc/init.d`` scripts have to provide the following
options: start, stop, restart, force-reload
- the reload option is optional and must never stop and restart the
service
Updated section 3.5 Cron jobs
cron jobs that need to be executed more often than daily should be
installed into ``/etc/cron.d``
Updated section 3.7 Menus
removed section about how to register HTML docs to \`menu' (the
corresponding section in 4.4, Web servers and applications, has been
removed in policy 2.2.0.0 already, so this one was obsolete)
New section 3.8 Keyboard configuration
details about how the backspace and delete keys should be handled
New section 3.9 Environment variables
no program must depend on environment variables to get a reasonable
default configuration
New section 4.6 News system configuration
``/etc/news/organization`` and ``/etc/news/server`` should be
supported by all news servers and clients
Updated section 4.7 Programs for the X Window System
- programs requiring a non-free Motif library should be provided as
foo-smotif and foo-dmotif package
- if lesstif works reliably for such program, it should be linked
against lesstif and not against a non-free Motif library
Updated section 4.9 Games
games for X Windows have to be installed in ``/usr/games``, just as
non-X games
Version 2.3.0
-------------
Released September, 1997.
- new section \`4.2 Daemons' including rules for ``/etc/services``,
``/etc/protocols``, ``/etc/rpc``, and ``/etc/inetd.conf``
- updated section about \`Configuration files': packages may not touch
other packages' configuration files
- MUAs and MTAs have to use liblockfile
Version 2.2.0
-------------
Released July, 1997.
- added section 4.1 \`Architecture specification strings': use
<arch>-linux where <arch> is one of the following: i386, alpha, arm,
m68k, powerpc, sparc.
- detailed rules for ``/usr/local``
- user ID's
- editor/pager policy
- cron jobs
- device files
- don't install shared libraries as executable
- app-defaults files may not be conffiles
Version 2.1.3
-------------
Released March, 1997.
- two programs with different functionality must not have the same name
- "Webstandard 3.0"
- "Standard for Console Messages"
- Libraries should be compiled with ``-D_REENTRANT``
- Libraries should be stripped with ``strip --strip-unneeded``
Version 2.1.2
-------------
Released November, 1996.
- Some changes WRT shared libraries
Version 2.1.1
-------------
Released September, 1996.
- No hard links in source packages
- Do not use ``dpkg-divert`` or ``update-alternatives`` without
consultation
- Shared libraries must be installed stripped
Version 2.1.0
-------------
Released August, 1996.
- Upstream changelog must be installed too