check-dfsg-status

List non-free and contrib packages (and their description)

$ check-dfsg-status

$ check-dfsg-status [[-s|--sparse]]

check-dfsg-status [options] [directory]

-h, --help
    Display usage summary and exit

-V, --version
    Print version info and exit

-c, --check-only
    Suppress output; exit 0 if DFSG-clean, 1 if unclean, 2 if error/unknown

The check-dfsg-status command, part of the devscripts package, is a utility for Debian maintainers to determine if a source package is likely DFSG-free (compliant with Debian Free Software Guidelines). It performs a heuristic analysis by examining two key indicators:

1. The version string in debian/changelog: Looks for suffixes like ~dfsg1, ~dfsg, or similar patterns indicating removal of non-free components.

2. The upstream original tarball name: Checks for _DFSG1, _dfsg1, or equivalent suffixes, which signify repackaged sources with proprietary blobs excised.

If either indicator is present, it reports DFSG-clean; otherwise DFSG-unclean or Unknown. This helps ensure packages in main are free software. Run it in the source directory (defaults to current). Primarily used in build scripts or CI to flag potential issues before upload to Debian. Not foolproof—manual review recommended for accuracy. Supports automation via exit codes.

Heuristic only; false positives/negatives possible (e.g., coincidental version strings). Does not inspect content—verify manually. Requires debian/changelog and source tarball.

DFSG-clean: orig tarball name contains '_DFSG'
DFSG-unclean: No dfsg indicators found

cd mypackage-1.0
check-dfsg-status
./check-dfsg-status ../other-pkg/

Added in devscripts 2.10.28 (October 2006) to aid DFSG compliance checks amid growing repackaged source usage.

devscripts(1), lintian(1), mkorigtar.gz(1)