Convert between Linux package formats with Alien Pkg Convert, a command line tool that converts packages made for one distribution to the native format of another distribution.
alien pkg convert is a command line utility included in many Linux distributions that allows converting between different Linux package formats. Some of the package formats it supports converting between include RPM, DEB, TGZ, SLACKWARE PACKAGES, and more.
The main use case for alien pkg convert is when you have a program or package made for one Linux distribution, but you want to install it on a distribution that uses a different format. For example, if you have a .deb file made for Debian or Ubuntu, but you want to install it on a Red Hat based distribution that uses .rpm files. Running "alien -r foo.deb" would convert the foo.deb file into an RPM file that can then be installed.
Some key capabilities and features of alien pkg convert include:
While useful in many cases, it does have some downsides to be aware of. The converted packages don't always install 100% cleanly, and complex packages with extensive dependencies are more likely to have issues. Maintaining the packages over time can also be more difficult since they weren't built for the target distribution originally. So alien conversion should be seen as a convenience, but native packages are preferable when available.
Here are some alternatives to Alien pkg convert:
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