Complete Guide to Building Software Packages on the Debian Platform

从维护者脚本到实战打包 | postinst + prerm + postrm + Golang + VUE

A complete hands-on guide to mastering Debian package building from scratch. It provides an in-depth explanation of the operating mechanisms and pitfall-avoidance strategies of the three major maintainer scripts, postinst, prerm, and postrm, covering core scenarios such as configure, upgrade, and purge; a step-by-step walkthrough for packaging a Golang project into a .deb package, including dh-golang dependency management, cross-compilation, and systemd service integration; and a complete solution for packaging VUE frontend static assets into a Debian package, with postinst linked to Nginx for automated deployment. It includes complete code examples and production-grade best practices to make your software package upgrades, uninstalls, and cleanup smooth and painless.

Overview

Topic Overview | Master Debian Packaging from Zero to One This topic consists of six articles that systematically explain the complete knowledge system of Debian package building. From interpreting the lifecycle of maintainer scripts (postinst/prerm/postrm) to complete packaging practice for Golang backends and VUE frontends, with production-grade best practices and pitfall guides.

Prologue

Debian Packaging Primer — Detailed Explanation of debian/control, rules, and changelog Understand the core structure of a Debian source package: the control file defines dependencies, rules controls the build process, and changelog manages version iterations. A must-read prologue for packaging beginners.

Chapter 1

Complete Interpretation of the postinst Script and Best Practices An in-depth understanding of the operating mechanism of the Debian post-installation script postinst, covering scenarios such as configure and abort-upgrade, teaching you how to safely handle systemd services and configuration file preservation.

Chapter 2

The Role of the prerm Script and How to Use It Correctly A detailed explanation of the three trigger scenarios of the Debian pre-removal script prerm — remove, upgrade, and deconfigure — and how to protect business data from accidental deletion during upgrades.

Chapter 3

The Cleanup Logic of the postrm Script and the purge Trap Master the cleanup boundaries of the Debian post-removal script postrm, distinguish the responsibilities of remove and purge, and avoid script errors that make the system unable to reinstall the package.

Chapter 4

Complete Guide to Packaging a Golang Project as a Debian Package Package a Go project into a .deb from scratch: using dh-golang to manage dependencies, CGO cross-compilation, systemd service integration, version number injection, and compatibility handling for older Debian systems.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Packaging a VUE Project as a Debian Package with Automatic Nginx Configuration Package VUE static assets into a Debian package: package only the dist output, deploy to the specified directory via dh_install, and have postinst automatically configure the Nginx site and gracefully restart.