Package dependencies

A package often needs other packages to work. These are its dependencies. Dependencies can have dependencies of their own; the complete set is sometimes called the dependency closure.

Debark asks apt to calculate this set using a target snapshot or the package assumptions of a baseline OS. Packages already installed on the online computer do not get skipped just because the builder has them.

Why one package can mean several downloads

For example, jq uses libraries such as libjq1 and libonig5 on Debian 12. If the target doesn’t have those libraries, they need to be included too.

debark build --snapshot target.tar.zst --out ./bundle \
  --sign operator.key jq
debark inspect ./bundle

The package count and download size depend on the target, its apt sources, and available versions. The lock file records the selected packages and why they were included.

Depends, Recommends and Suggests

Relationship	Meaning	What happens
Depends and Pre-Depends	Required for installation or operation	apt includes the needed packages
Recommends	Normally installed with the package	Follows the target’s captured Install-Recommends setting
Suggests	Optional related software	Not normally included

To leave out recommended packages:

debark build --snapshot target.tar.zst --out ./bundle \
  --sign operator.key --no-recommends jq

This can reduce downloads, but it can also omit useful plugins or other expected features. Use --recommends to explicitly include recommended packages instead. Do not combine the two flags. Without either flag, Debark follows the captured setting.

Requesting a version

Use name=version to request a specific version. That version and its dependencies must be available from the target’s sources.

If apt cannot satisfy the request, the build reports an error. Check the package version, the target’s apt sources, and any version restrictions in its settings.

Vendor packages

A local .deb file or download URL can be part of the request. Debark also resolves its dependencies from the target’s apt sources. See vendor packages.

What dependency checks cannot guarantee

A complete set of .deb files can still encounter installation problems:

• A package’s setup script may download extra software or contact a service.
• A DKMS driver may need headers for the kernel running on the offline machine.
• An Ubuntu package may be a small installer for a Snap app, which isn’t included in an apt bundle.
• The offline machine may have changed since you captured the snapshot.

Run doctor before transfer and preview the installation on the target. Doctor looks for known patterns; it cannot prove that every package will work offline.