gdebi-gtk

gdebi-gtk [OPTION...] [FILE...]

-n, --non-interactive
    Install without GUI prompts or confirmation

--terminal=<APP>
    Specify terminal emulator (e.g., gnome-terminal) for apt operations

--nocheck
    Skip package verification and integrity checks

--auto-drop-privileges
    Drop root privileges after dependency resolution

-V, --version
    Display version information and exit

-h, --help
    Show help message and exit

gdebi-gtk is a lightweight graphical tool for installing .deb packages on Debian-based systems like Ubuntu. It stands out by automatically resolving and installing dependencies via apt, unlike dpkg -i which fails on unmet dependencies.

Launch it by running gdebi-gtk package.deb in a terminal or clicking a .deb file if associated. A window displays package details, size, dependencies, and an Install Package button. It verifies the package signature, simulates the install, and prompts for sudo password. Post-install, it shows a summary.

Perfect for desktop users avoiding CLI complexity. Supports multiple packages sequentially. Integrates with Nautilus/GNOME Files for right-click install. Handles PPA/local repos well but requires internet for remote deps.

Available in Ubuntu repos via sudo apt install gdebi. Safer than unverified downloads as it checks GPG signatures.

Requires sudo/root for installs; GUI may not appear over SSH without X forwarding. Limited to .deb files and apt-managed deps. Fails on broken repos or offline missing deps.

gdebi-gtk ~/Downloads/package.deb
Opens installer GUI for the specified .deb file.

In GNOME/Nautilus, right-click .deb > Open with Gdebi to launch directly.

Created by Iain Lane in 2007 for Ubuntu Hardy. Evolved to handle apt integration, GPG verification. Maintained in Debian/Ubuntu repos; last major updates around 2019 with Python 3 port. Widely used pre-Snap/Flatpak era.

gdebi(1), dpkg(1), apt(8), dpkg-deb(1), gnome-software(1)