Checkinstall - Create a Debian package from source program

This utility allows you to easily create and quickly install Debian packages from source of a program.

Instead of seeking an unofficial Debian package of a program that interests us, we create one ourselves...

First download the source code of the program we want to create the Debian package:

wget ftp.examplesite.it/program.tar.bz2

unpack the archive:

tar -xvfj program.tar.bz2

then entering the source directory just downloaded, run:

./configure
make

and now if there aren't compilation errors, run:

checkinstall

must answer several questions, including:

  • if we want to create a directory for the documentation
  • if we include other files
  • description of the package

after answering the questions proposed will create the Debian package that will be installed directly on the PC.

Note:
checkinstall is not functional with the sources that are not provided with an installation script.