# helixarch/debtap

A script for converting .deb packages into Arch Linux packages, focused on accuracy

Repository: https://github.com/helixarch/debtap
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/debtap
Language: Shell
License: GPL-2.0
License Family: copyleft
Last push: 2025-08-05T16:24:54+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 50/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 35, release rhythm 41, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4359, "days_push": 393, "days_rel": 393, "gap_med": 6, "n_releases_24m": 2}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1679, forks 96 (observed 2026-08-28T04:05:20.984636+00:00)

## What it is
debtap is a Shell script that converts Debian .deb packages into Arch Linux packages with a focus on metadata accuracy. It can also generate PKGBUILD files from .deb packages for further editing.

## Use cases
- convert a .deb package to an Arch Linux package
- install closed-source software only available as a .deb on Arch Linux
- generate a PKGBUILD from an existing Debian package
- create a pseudo-64-bit package from a 32-bit .deb
- repackage a .deb when AUR build fails

## When to choose
- you need to install a .deb-only closed-source package on Arch Linux
- you want a starting PKGBUILD for software packaged for Debian/Ubuntu
- you need accurate dependency and metadata translation, not just repacking

## When to avoid
- the package is available in official Arch repos or AUR
- you want a fast conversion - accuracy-focused conversion can take minutes
- you are not on Arch Linux or lack bash, binutils, pkgfile, and fakeroot

## Facets
- artifact type: cli-tool
- maturity: active
- function: developer-tools, package-manager, cli
- domain: developer-tools, operating-systems
- platform: cli
- tags: arch-linux, deb-packages, pkgbuild, package-conversion, shell-script, command-line, linux

## Member repositories
- helixarch/debtap (main) score 50

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:20.984636+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T03:41:31.349488+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/helixarch/debtap (fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:20.984636+00:00, sha 7888a7211635)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.