# deb-symbols - Debian's extended shared library information file - man(5) - [phpMan]

[_deb-symbols_(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/deb-symbols/5/markdown)                               dpkg suite                               [_deb-symbols_(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/deb-symbols/5/markdown)

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

## SYNOPSIS
### DEBIAN/symbols

## DESCRIPTION
       The symbol files are shipped in Debian binary packages, and its format is a subset of the
       template symbol files used by [**dpkg-gensymbols**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dpkg-gensymbols/1/markdown) in Debian source packages, see
       [**deb-src-symbols**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/deb-src-symbols/5/markdown).

       The format for an extended shared library dependency information entry in these files is:

        _library-soname_ _main-dependency-template_
        [| _alternative-dependency-template_]
        [...]
        [* _field-name_: _field-value_]
        [...]
         _symbol_ _minimal-version_ [_id-of-dependency-template_]

       The _library-soname_ is exactly the value of the SONAME field as exported by [**objdump**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/objdump/1/markdown).  A
       _dependency-template_ is a dependency where _#MINVER#_ is dynamically replaced either by a
       version check like “(>= _minimal-version_)” or by nothing (if an unversioned dependency is
       deemed sufficient).

       Each exported _symbol_ (listed as _name_@_version_, with _version_ being “Base” if the library is not
       versioned) is associated to a _minimal-version_ of its dependency template (the main dependency
       template is always used and will end up being combined with the dependency template
       referenced by _id-of-dependency-template_ if present).  The first alternative dependency
       template is numbered 1, the second one 2, etc.  Each column is separated by exactly a single
       whitespace.

       Each entry for a library can also have some fields of meta-information.  Those fields are
       stored on lines starting with an asterisk.  Currently, the only valid fields are:

### Build-Depends-Package
           It  indicates  the  name  of  the “-dev” package associated to the library and is used by
           **dpkg-shlibdeps **to make sure that the dependency generated is at least as  strict  as  the
           corresponding build dependency (since dpkg 1.14.13).

### Build-Depends-Packages
           The  same  as  **Build-Depends-Package  **but accepts a comma-separated list of package names
           (since dpkg 1.20.0).  This field will override any **Build-Depends-Package  **field  present,
           and  is mostly useful with “-dev” packages and metapackages depending on these, say for a
           transition period.

### Allow-Internal-Symbol-Groups
           It indicates what internal symbol groups should be ignored,  as  a  whitespace  separated
           list,  so  that  the  symbols  contained  in those groups get included in the output file
           (since dpkg 1.20.1).  This should only be  necessary  for  toolchain  packages  providing
           those internal symbols.  The available groups are system dependent, for ELF and GNU-based
           systems these are **aeabi **and **gomp**.

### Ignore-Blacklist-Groups
           A  deprecated  alias for **Allow-Internal-Symbol-Groups **(since dpkg 1.20.1, supported since
           dpkg 1.17.6).

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

### Advanced symbols file
        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
       <<https://wiki.debian.org/Projects/ImprovedDpkgShlibdeps>>,                 [**deb-src-symbols**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/deb-src-symbols/5/markdown),
       [**dpkg-shlibdeps**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dpkg-shlibdeps/1/markdown), [**dpkg-gensymbols**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dpkg-gensymbols/1/markdown).

1.22.6                                       2026-05-06                               [_deb-symbols_(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/deb-symbols/5/markdown)