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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Use fpm once for each package format, while keeping the files and shared metadata in one configuration. For a staged directory, select the input with -s dir, select an output with -t deb, -t rpm, -t pacman or another supported target, and map each source path to its destination. Put common options in a .fpm file, then override only the target-specific settings on each command line. This produces separate packages from the same source tree without copying a long command.
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How fpm’s packaging model works
fpm treats packaging as a conversion between a source type and a target type. The source can be a directory, a Ruby gem, an npm module, a Python environment, an existing package, or another supported input. The target is the package format you want to distribute. The files or package named at the end of the command are the source inputs.
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Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe practical model is:
fpm -s <source-type> -t <target-type> [metadata and file mappings] <source-input>For example, -s dir tells fpm to read local files, while -t deb asks for a Debian package. The official guide summarizes this relationship as: “Given a source and a target, FPM can convert all the source files into a package of the target format.” You run the conversion once per output format; fpm does not emit a Debian and an RPM package from one invocation with a single -t value.
Prepare a clean staging tree
A staging directory should contain only the files intended for installation. Build it in a clean workspace rather than pointing fpm at a source-control checkout that may contain tests, editor files, build logs, or credentials.
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mkdir -p package-root/usr/bin package-root/usr/share/man/man1
cp build/hello-world package-root/usr/bin/hello-world
cp docs/hello-world.1 package-root/usr/share/man/man1/hello-world.1
chmod 0755 package-root/usr/bin/hello-worldWhen you pass a directory to fpm, the path on the left of an equals sign is read from the current filesystem and the path on the right becomes its installation path. A mapping such as package-root/usr/bin/hello-world=/usr/bin/hello-world therefore avoids ambiguity and makes the package contents easy to audit.
Map files explicitly
Explicit mappings are safer than handing fpm a broad directory when the staging tree may contain unrelated material. They also make a package review readable: each installed file has a visible destination.
fpm -s dir -t deb
package-root/usr/bin/hello-world=/usr/bin/hello-world
package-root/usr/share/man/man1/hello-world.1=/usr/share/man/man1/hello-world.1If you intentionally want to package the complete contents of a prepared tree, map the tree root to the filesystem root instead:
fpm -s dir -t deb package-root=/Use that form only when every file below package-root belongs in the package.
Build a Debian package from a directory
The following command follows the documented fpm example and adds the metadata a usable package needs:
fpm
-s dir -t deb
-p hello-world-0.1.0-1-any.deb
--name hello-world
--license agpl3
--version 0.1.0
--architecture all
--depends bash
--depends lolcat
--description "Say hi!"
--url "https://example.com/hello-world"
--maintainer "You The Amazing Person <[email protected]>"
package-root/usr/bin/hello-world=/usr/bin/hello-world
package-root/usr/share/man/man1/hello-world.1=/usr/share/man/man1/hello-world.1-p sets the output path and filename. --architecture all is appropriate for an architecture-independent script; compiled binaries normally need the architecture value matching the binary you built. Repeating --depends records each runtime dependency. Dependencies are package metadata, not files copied into your archive, so name packages available in the distributions you support.
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Build both .deb and .rpm packages with one configuration
Put values shared by every target in a file named .fpm in the project directory. The file can contain source selection, package identity, dependencies, descriptive metadata, and mappings.
-s dir
--name hello-world
--license agpl3
--version 0.1.0
--architecture all
--depends bash
--depends lolcat
--description Say hi!
--url https://example.com/hello-world
--maintainer You The Amazing Person <[email protected]>
package-root/usr/bin/hello-world=/usr/bin/hello-world
package-root/usr/share/man/man1/hello-world.1=/usr/share/man/man1/hello-world.1Then select a target and output filename for each build:
fpm -t deb -p hello-world-0.1.0-1-any.deb
fpm -t rpm -p hello-world-0.1.0-1.x86_64.rpmCommand-line options override values loaded from the .fpm file. Keep target-specific settings on the command line, or maintain separate option files when a format requires different dependency names, scripts, architecture notation, compression, or policy metadata. This arrangement gives both builds the same source mappings and release identity while leaving room for format-specific corrections.
Make the output name match the package metadata
The filename supplied with -p is an output path; it does not replace the internal name and version fields. Set --name and --version deliberately, then choose a filename that communicates the target and architecture. An RPM filename commonly includes a release and architecture, while a Debian filename often uses an all architecture marker for architecture-independent content. Verify the naming convention expected by the repository where you will publish the package.
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Packaging is more than archiving files. Installers and repositories use metadata to decide where a package can be installed, what it depends on, and how it is upgraded.
| Option | Purpose | What to decide |
|---|---|---|
--name or -n |
Package identity | Use the stable name that users and dependency resolvers should reference. |
--version or -v |
Upstream version | Use a consistent release scheme; do not let a stale default determine upgrade ordering. |
--architecture or -a |
CPU or architecture-independent marker | Use all for architecture-independent scripts and the actual build architecture for binaries. |
--depends or -d |
Runtime dependency | Repeat the option for every required package and use names valid for the target distribution. |
--description |
Human-readable summary | Explain what the installed software does, not how it was built. |
--license |
License identifier or text | Choose the identifier accepted by the repositories you target. |
--url |
Project or documentation address | Point to a maintained project page. |
--maintainer |
Contact identity | Provide a name and reachable address for package issues. |
--config-files |
Marks files as administrator configuration | List files that should be preserved or handled specially during upgrades. |
--directories |
Declares directories that belong to the package | Use when an empty directory must exist after installation. |
Defaults can be convenient for a quick experiment but may not meet distribution policy. Set the version, iteration or release value, architecture, dependencies, maintainer, license, and URL explicitly for every release build.
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Use lifecycle scripts carefully
Lifecycle scripts let a package perform actions before or after installation and upgrade. fpm’s CLI reference documents options including --before-install, --after-install, --before-upgrade, and --after-upgrade. Use a script file with the relevant option:
fpm -s dir -t deb
--before-install scripts/before-install.sh
--after-install scripts/after-install.sh
--before-upgrade scripts/before-upgrade.sh
--after-upgrade scripts/after-upgrade.sh
...The documented install, remove, and upgrade script family currently supports Debian, RPM, and Pacman packages. Do not assume that a script attached to one target will run with identical timing, arguments, environment, or failure behavior on another target. Test installation, upgrade, and removal on each distribution you support. Keep scripts idempotent, fail safely, and avoid destructive actions that are not required to activate the package.
Build other target formats
Change only the target selection and output path when your shared metadata is valid for another format:
fpm -t pacman -p hello-world-0.1.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst
fpm -t apk -p hello-world-0.1.0-r1.apkThese commands illustrate the workflow, not a promise that identical metadata is valid everywhere. Dependency names, architecture labels, compression defaults, script hooks, and repository rules differ by ecosystem. Inspect the generated package metadata for every target instead of assuming that a successful build means policy compliance.
Package inputs besides a directory
fpm can obtain or read metadata from several source types. The source type changes the first part of the command; the target-selection pattern remains the same.
| Input | Example shape | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| NPM module | fpm -s npm -t deb package-name |
Build a package from npm metadata and the named module. |
| Ruby gem | fpm -s gem -t deb fpm |
Turn a gem into a Debian package; this is the documented example. |
| Python application | fpm -s python -t deb ... |
Use Python packaging metadata as the source. |
| Python virtualenv | fpm -s virtualenv -t rpm ... |
Package an existing virtual environment for a selected target. |
| CPAN or PEAR | fpm -s cpan -t deb ... or fpm -s pear -t rpm ... |
Convert language-specific package inputs. |
| Existing package | fpm -s deb -t rpm existing.deb |
Convert an existing Debian, RPM, or Pacman package to another target. |
| Archive | fpm -s tar -t deb app.tar or fpm -s zip -t rpm app.zip |
Use an existing tar or zip archive as the file source. |
| Other supported inputs | pkgin, empty packages |
Create packages from pkgin metadata or an intentionally empty package. |
Supported output families include Debian, RPM, Pacman, Alpine packages, Solaris, FreeBSD, macOS package, Puppet, p5p, shell archive, tar, zip, and a directory tree. Availability and behavior depend on the installed fpm version and its format handlers, so check the command’s current help output in the build environment.
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Understand the differences between targets
One source tree does not imply one universal package policy. Before publishing multiple formats, compare each target on these axes:
| Axis | Why it matters | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Dependency names and versions | Package managers use different names and version operators. | Confirm that every dependency exists in the target distribution and that the generated constraint means what you intend. |
| Configuration files | Upgrade tools may preserve administrator edits differently. | Mark files with --config-files and inspect the target package metadata. |
| Lifecycle scripts | Hook names, timing, and supported targets vary. | Run install, upgrade, and removal tests on the actual operating systems. |
| Ownership and permissions | Executables, service files, and configuration files need different modes and owners. | Check the archive listing and install into a disposable system before release. |
| Compression | Repository and tooling defaults are format-specific. | Use target-specific compression settings where policy requires them. |
| Architecture names | all, x86_64, and other labels are not interchangeable in every ecosystem. |
Use the architecture vocabulary expected by each package manager. |
| Repository and signing policy | A locally buildable package may still be rejected by a repository. | Apply the signing, naming, changelog, and metadata rules of each distribution. |
fpm has dedicated handlers and options for Debian, RPM, Pacman, and Alpine targets. Treat those handlers as separate publication formats: build from shared inputs, then validate each result independently.
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For repeatable output, keep the staging tree deterministic and control timestamps where supported. The CLI reference documents --source-date-epoch-default and --source-date-epoch-from-changelog. The changelog-based option is described as experimental and currently implemented for gem input. No published reproducibility rate or benchmark is established by the documentation, so these flags should be treated as build controls rather than a guarantee that two packages will be byte-for-byte identical.
Record the exact fpm version, source revision, dependency inputs, architecture, and option file used for every release. Avoid embedding generated logs or timestamps in the staging tree. Build in a clean environment, retain the command line in build logs, and compare the generated metadata between targets.
Validate each package before publication
- Inspect the archive contents. Confirm that binaries, man pages, configuration files, service units, licenses, and documentation are at the intended paths. Look for accidental source files, private keys, test fixtures, and build directories.
- Inspect metadata per target. Check name, version, release or iteration, architecture, dependencies, description, URL, maintainer, license, configuration-file markers, and script hooks.
- Install in a disposable environment. Use a clean Debian system for the
.deb, an RPM-based system for the.rpm, an Arch system for Pacman output, and an Alpine system for.apkoutput. - Exercise the installed program. Run its normal command, verify file permissions and ownership, and confirm that declared runtime dependencies are sufficient.
- Test upgrades. Install the previous package, apply the new package, and verify that administrator configuration survives according to the target policy.
- Test removal. Remove the package and check which files are intentionally retained, especially configuration and state directories.
- Test failure paths. If scripts run, test interrupted or repeated installation so a second invocation does not corrupt state.
- Apply repository checks. Run the linting, signing, naming, and changelog checks required by every repository where the package will be published.
Common problems and fixes
The package contains unexpected files
Rebuild from an empty staging directory and replace broad tree mappings with explicit source-to-destination mappings. Check generated archives before installing them.
The package installs but the command cannot run
Check executable mode, interpreter paths, ownership, architecture, and runtime dependencies. A dependency listed in one ecosystem may have a different name in another, so inspect each target’s metadata rather than copying a Debian dependency list into an RPM or Alpine build unchanged.
An upgrade overwrites an administrator’s configuration
Mark the file with --config-files, then test an upgrade on the target distribution. Confirm that the package manager recognizes the file as configuration and that your upgrade scripts do not overwrite it directly.
A lifecycle script works for one format but not another
Verify that the target supports the script family, then test the script under that package manager’s environment and ordering rules. Keep target-specific script options outside the shared .fpm settings when behavior differs.
The output architecture is rejected
Use the architecture label required by the target ecosystem. all is suitable for architecture-independent scripts in the documented Debian example, but a compiled executable should be labeled for the architecture it actually targets.
Two builds from the same source differ unexpectedly
Compare file timestamps, generated files, archive ordering, compression settings, fpm versions, and source-date options. Keep the staging process deterministic and record all inputs.
Recommended project layout
A small project can separate source files, packaging mappings, scripts, and target commands:
packaging/
.fpm
scripts/
before-install.sh
after-install.sh
build-deb.sh
build-rpm.sh
package-root/
usr/bin/hello-world
usr/share/man/man1/hello-world.1Put only settings common to every package in packaging/.fpm. Keep Debian-, RPM-, Pacman-, or Alpine-specific dependency names, scripts, compression, and output paths in their respective build scripts. This gives reviewers one stable source of file mappings while making intentional target differences visible.
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Using an existing .deb, .rpm, or Pacman package as an fpm input can save time when the original package already contains the desired file layout and metadata. It does not remove the need for target validation. Conversion can lose or reinterpret fields that have no direct equivalent, and dependency names, script behavior, configuration handling, and signing requirements still belong to the destination ecosystem. Treat the converted artifact as a new package: inspect it, install it, upgrade it, and remove it on the destination distribution.
A repeatable multi-format release sequence
- Set the release version and architecture for the source you are shipping.
- Create a clean staging tree and copy only release files into it.
- Write shared identity, dependency, description, maintainer, license, URL, and mappings in
.fpm. - Build the Debian package with
fpm -t deb -p .... - Build the RPM package with
fpm -t rpm -p .... - Run equivalent commands for Pacman, Alpine, or another target you support, adding target-specific options as needed.
- Inspect every archive and its metadata separately.
- Install, upgrade, exercise, and remove each package on its corresponding distribution.
- Sign and publish only the artifacts that satisfy the destination repository’s policy.
This workflow keeps one authoritative description of the application files while acknowledging that package formats are not interchangeable. fpm supplies the conversion mechanism; your staging discipline, metadata choices, and per-distribution tests determine whether the resulting packages are safe to ship.
Quick Recap
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