# man > deb-symbols(5)

---
type: CommandReference
command: deb-symbols
mode: man
section: 5
source: man-pages
---

## Quick Reference

- `libftp.so.3 libftp3 #MINVER#` — Simple symbols file: `DefaultNetbuf@Base 3.1-1-6`, `FtpAccess@Base 3.1-1-6`
- `libGL.so.1 libgl1 | libgl1-mesa-glx #MINVER#` — Advanced symbols file with alternative dependency template and build dependency field

## Name

deb-symbols - Debian's extended shared library information file

## Synopsis

`DEBIAN/symbols`

Format template:

_library-soname_ _main-dependency-template_
[| _alternative-dependency-template_]
[* _field-name_: _field-value_]
 _symbol_ _minimal-version_ [_id-of-dependency-template_]
- `_library-soname_` — SONAME as exported by `objdump(1)`
- `_dependency-template_` — dependency where `#MINVER#` is replaced by `(>= _minimal-version_)` or nothing
- `_symbol_` — format `name@version` (version is "Base" if unversioned)
- `_id-of-dependency-template_` — number (1, 2, ...) referencing an alternative template

## Options

- `* Build-Depends-Package: _package_` — Name of the "-dev" package associated with the library; used by `dpkg-shlibdeps` to ensure dependency at least as strict as build dependency (since dpkg 1.14.13)
- `* Build-Depends-Packages: _package-list_` — Comma-separated list of package names; overrides `Build-Depends-Package` (since dpkg 1.20.0)
- `* Allow-Internal-Symbol-Groups: _groups_` — Whitespace-separated list of internal symbol groups to include in output (e.g., `aeabi`, `gomp` for ELF/GNU); for toolchain packages (since dpkg 1.20.1)
- `* Ignore-Blacklist-Groups: _groups_` — Deprecated alias for `Allow-Internal-Symbol-Groups` (since dpkg 1.17.6, deprecated since 1.20.1)

## Examples

### Simple symbols file

text
libftp.so.3 libftp3 #MINVER#
 DefaultNetbuf@Base 3.1-1-6
 FtpAccess@Base 3.1-1-6
 [...]
### Advanced symbols file

text
libGL.so.1 libgl1
| libgl1-mesa-glx #MINVER#
* Build-Depends-Package: libgl1-mesa-dev
 publicGlSymbol@Base 6.3-1
 [...]
 implementationSpecificSymbol@Base 6.5.2-7 1
 [...]
## See Also

- [Debian wiki: ImprovedDpkgShlibdeps](https://wiki.debian.org/Projects/ImprovedDpkgShlibdeps)
- [dpkg-shlibdeps(1)](http://localhost/phpMan.php/man/dpkg-shlibdeps/1/markdown)
- [dpkg-gensymbols(1)](http://localhost/phpMan.php/man/dpkg-gensymbols/1/markdown)