xdeb-ng

Convert Debian .deb packages into Void Linux .xbps packages.

The project is called xdeb-ng, but the binary is still xdeb — old muscle memory still works.

Caution: Converted packages can overwrite files on your system if you ignore conflict warnings. Read the output before installing anything.

Overview

xdeb-ng keeps the original xdeb workflow, but replaces the shell script with a Rust binary. Same idea, less mess.

• Binary name stays xdeb
• Clear subcommands: convert, install, info, clean, doctor
• xdeb install handles the common flow end-to-end
• Dry runs and inspection are first-class
• Dependency resolution respects your libc (glibc vs musl)
• Safety checks are stricter and less trusting
• Still uses Void tools instead of reinventing everything

It is not trying to be a packaging system. It is a practical conversion tool.

Why This Exists

Void does not package everything. Sometimes you just want to take a .deb, convert it, inspect it, and install it — without writing a full template or cloning void-packages. This does that. Nothing more.

Requirements

xbps-install binutils tar curl xbps xz rust cargo

Check your setup:

xdeb doctor

Build

cargo build --release

The binary will be at ./target/release/xdeb. To install it:

sudo install -Dm755 ./target/release/xdeb /usr/local/bin/xdeb

Optionally, set a custom package root:

export XDEB_PKGROOT="$HOME/.config/xdeb"

Quick Start

Convert:

xdeb convert -Sedf package.deb

Install after converting:

xbps-install -R ./binpkgs <package-name>

One-shot convert and install:

xdeb install package.deb

From a URL:

xdeb install --file https://example.invalid/package.deb

Bypass strict symlink checks (e.g. for Zoom):

xdeb convert -Sd -i package.deb

Preview only:

xdeb convert -Sd --dry-run --explain-deps package.deb

Inspect a package:

xdeb info package.deb

Commands

convert

Convert a .deb into an .xbps package.

xdeb convert -Sedf package.deb

The classic form still works:

xdeb -Sedf package.deb

Flag	Description
-S	Sync shlibs
-d	Resolve shared libraries
-e	Remove empty directories
-i	Bypass strict path verification / suppress safety warnings
-F	Disable conflict fixes
-R	Skip repo registration
--dry-run	Preview only, do not build
--explain-deps	Show SONAME → XBPS dependency mapping
--missing-deps=warn|error	Control behaviour on unresolved deps
--file-conflicts=warn|error|ignore|auto	Control conflict handling

install

Convert and install in one step:

xdeb install package.deb

info

Inspect a package without building it:

xdeb info package.deb

clean

xdeb clean

doctor

xdeb doctor

Dependency Resolution

Uses Void's common/shlibs combined with objdump.

# Resolve deps
xdeb convert -Sd package.deb

# Show mapping
xdeb convert -Sd --dry-run --explain-deps package.deb

# Fail on unresolved deps
xdeb convert -Sd --missing-deps=error package.deb

File Conflicts

By default, conflicts fail the build. This can be changed with --file-conflicts:

Mode	Behaviour
error	Fail on conflicts (default)
warn	Warn but continue
ignore	Silently ignore conflicts
auto	Attempt fixes, fail if still needed

Automatic fixes handle common Debian → Void path differences.

Safety & Quirks

xdeb-ng rejects or warns about:

• Unsafe archive paths (../, absolute paths)
• Unsafe symlinks
• Invalid metadata
• Maintainer scripts
• Stale shlibs data
• Unresolved dependencies (if configured)

The Absolute Symlink Quirk

Some commercial packages (like Zoom) bundle absolute symlinks inside their data archive that point to directories outside the working extraction directory (e.g. /usr/bin/zoom → /opt/zoom/ZoomLauncher).

Because xdeb-ng validates archive structure during extraction, it will flag these as unsafe symlinks escaping the package root — even if --file-conflicts=ignore is set. To bypass this, pass -i:

xdeb convert -Sd -i zoom_amd64.deb

If the symlink is broken after installation, recreate it manually:

sudo ln -s /opt/zoom/ZoomLauncher /usr/bin/zoom

Environment Variables

Variable	Description
XDEB_PKGROOT	Override the package root directory
XDEB_COLOR	Set to never to disable colour output
NO_COLOR	Respected if set

Philosophy

• Do one job
• Make it inspectable
• Fail loudly when things look wrong
• Do not pretend converted packages are safe

This is a convenience tool, not a guarantee.

Development

cargo fmt --check
cargo clippy -- -D warnings
cargo test