---
name: "dpkg-query"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "dpkg"
version: "1.10.28"
release: "Debian 3.1 (Sarge)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dpkg-query/8"
---

# dpkg-query(8)

a tool to query the dpkg database

## NAME

dpkg-query - a tool to query the dpkg database

## SYNOPSIS

**dpkg-query**

## DESCRIPTION

**dpkg-query** is a tool to show information about packages listed in the **dpkg** database.

## COMMANDS

- **-l** \| **--list** *package-name-pattern* ...

  List packages matching given pattern. If no *package-name-pattern* is given, list all packages in */var/lib/dpkg/status*.  Normal shell wildchars are allowed in *package-name-pattern*. Please note you will probably have to quote *package-name-pattern* to prevent the shell from performing filename expansion. For example this will list all package names starting with “libc5”:

  ```
    dpkg-query -l 'libc5*'
  ```

- **-W** \| **--show** *package-name-pattern* ...

  Just like the **--list** option this will list all packages matching the given pattern. However the output can be customized using the **--showformat** option.

- **-s** \| **--status** *package-name* ...

  Report status of specified package. This just displays the entry in the installed package status database.

- **-L** \| **--listfiles** *package* ...

  List files installed to your system from **package**. However, note that files created by package-specific installation-scripts are not listed.

- **-S** \| **--search** *filename-search-pattern* ...

  Search for a filename from installed packages. All standard shell wildchars can be used in the pattern.  This command will not list extra files created by maintainer scripts, nor will it list alternatives.

- **-p** \|**--print-avail** package

  Display details about *package*, as found in */var/lib/dpkg/available*.

- **--licence** \| **--license**

  Display licence and copyright information.

- **--version**

  Display version information.

## OPTIONS

- **--admindir=***dir*

  **Change the location of the dpkg** database. The default location is */var/lib/dpkg*.

- **--showformat=***format*

  This option is used to specify the format of the output **--show** will produce.  The format is a string that will be output for each package listed. It can include the standard escape sequences \\n (newline), \\r (carriage return) or \\\\ (plain backslash). Package information can be included by inserting variable references to package fields using the ${var\[;width\]} syntax. Fields are printed be right-aligned unless the width is negative in which case left alignment will be used.

## ENVIRONMENT

- **COLUMNS**

  This setting influences the output of the **--list** option by changing the width of its output.

## AUTHOR

Copyright 2001 Wichert Akkerman \<wakkerma@debian.org\> ⟨mailto:wakkerma@debian.org⟩

This is free software; see the GNU General Public Licence version 2 or later for copying conditions.  There is NO warranty.

## SEE ALSO

[**dpkg**(8)](/dpkg/8.md)