debianrules

In Debian packaging, debian/rules refers to the build script that governs how a source package is built. It is a Makefile located in the debian directory of the upstream source tree and is invoked by packaging tools such as dpkg-buildpackage or debuild to produce binary packages.

The primary purpose of debian/rules is to orchestrate the sequence of steps used to configure, build, install, and package software. The file can be small and delegate most work to debhelper, a collection of helper programs, or it can be a larger, custom script that performs specialized build steps. A common modern pattern is a minimal rules file that delegates to the dh tool, enabling a standard, repeatable build process across many packages. Maintainers can still customize behavior by defining override_dh_* targets to adjust specific stages such as auto_configure, auto_build, or auto_install.

Structure and style vary, but most rules files follow two broad approaches. The simple approach uses debhelper with a basic skeleton, while more complex builds implement custom logic for nonstandard build systems. Regardless of style, the file must be executable and is designed to reflect the package’s build requirements, including dependencies and environment flags.

Relations and usage: debian/rules interacts with other packaging metadata in the debian directory, such as debian/control and debian/changelog, and with the build environment provided by tools like pbuilder or sbuild. Correctly maintained, it enables reproducible builds and consistent packaging across architectures.