Debian API

Version history

This is the API documentation for Debian.

caution
This API is used by the Debian related package clients such as dput and apt-get, and is generally not meant for manual consumption. This API is under development and is not ready for production use due to limited functionality.

For instructions on how to upload and install Debian packages from the GitLab package registry, see the Debian registry documentation.

note
These endpoints do not adhere to the standard API authentication methods. See the Debian registry documentation for details on which headers and token types are supported. Undocumented authentication methods might be removed in the future.

Enable the Debian API

The Debian API is behind a feature flag that is disabled by default. GitLab administrators with access to the GitLab Rails console can opt to enable it. To enable it, follow the instructions in Enable the Debian API.

Enable the Debian group API

The Debian group API is behind a feature flag that is disabled by default. GitLab administrators with access to the GitLab Rails console can opt to enable it. To enable it, follow the instructions in Enable the Debian group API.

Authenticate to the Debian Package Repositories

See Authenticate to the Debian Package Repositories.

Upload a package file

Version history
  • Introduced in GitLab 14.0.
  • Upload with explicit distribution and component introduced in GitLab 15.9.

Upload a Debian package file: 

PUT projects/:id/packages/debian/:file_name
Attribute Type Required Description
id string yes The ID or full path of the project.
file_name string yes The name of the Debian package file.
distribution string no The distribution codename or suite. Used with component for upload with explicit distribution and component.
component string no The package file component. Used with distribution for upload with explicit distribution and component. 
curl --request PUT \
     --user "<username>:<personal_access_token>" \
     --upload-file path/to/mypkg.deb \
     "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/mypkg.deb"

Upload with explicit distribution and component: 

curl --request PUT \
  --user "<username>:<personal_access_token>" \
  --upload-file  /path/to/myother.deb \
  "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/myother.deb?distribution=sid&component=main"

Download a package

Introduced in GitLab 14.2.

Download a package file. 

GET projects/:id/packages/debian/pool/:distribution/:letter/:package_name/:package_version/:file_name
Attribute Type Required Description
distribution string yes The codename or suite of the Debian distribution.
letter string yes The Debian Classification (first-letter or lib-first-letter).
package_name string yes The source package name.
package_version string yes The source package version.
file_name string yes The file name. 
curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/pool/my-distro/a/my-pkg/1.0.0/example_1.0.0~alpha2_amd64.deb"

Write the output to a file: 

curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" \
     "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/pool/my-distro/a/my-pkg/1.0.0/example_1.0.0~alpha2_amd64.deb" \
     --remote-name

This writes the downloaded file using the remote file name in the current directory.

Route prefix

The remaining endpoints described are two sets of identical routes that each make requests in different scopes:

  • Use the project-level prefix to make requests in a single project’s scope.
  • Use the group-level prefix to make requests in a single group’s scope.

The examples in this document all use the project-level prefix.

Project-level 

 /projects/:id/packages/debian`
Attribute Type Required Description
id string yes The project ID or full project path.

Group-level 

 /groups/:id/-/packages/debian`
Attribute Type Required Description
id string yes The project ID or full group path.

Download a distribution Release file

Introduced in GitLab 14.1.

Download a Debian distribution file. 

GET <route-prefix>/dists/*distribution/Release
Attribute Type Required Description
distribution string yes The codename or suite of the Debian distribution. 
curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/Release"

Write the output to a file: 

curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" \
     "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/Release" \
     --remote-name

This writes the downloaded file using the remote file name in the current directory.

Download a signed distribution Release file

Introduced in GitLab 14.1.

Download a signed Debian distribution file. 

GET <route-prefix>/dists/*distribution/InRelease
Attribute Type Required Description
distribution string yes The codename or suite of the Debian distribution. 
curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/InRelease"

Write the output to a file: 

curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" \
     "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/InRelease" \
     --remote-name

This writes the downloaded file using the remote file name in the current directory.

Download a release file signature

Introduced in GitLab 14.2.

Download a Debian release file signature. 

GET <route-prefix>/dists/*distribution/Release.gpg
Attribute Type Required Description
distribution string yes The codename or suite of the Debian distribution. 
curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/Release.gpg"

Write the output to a file: 

curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" \
     "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/Release.gpg" \
     --remote-name

This writes the downloaded file using the remote file name in the current directory.

Download a packages index

Introduced in GitLab 14.2.

Download a packages index. 

GET <route-prefix>/dists/*distribution/:component/binary-:architecture/Packages
Attribute Type Required Description
distribution string yes The codename or suite of the Debian distribution.
component string yes The distribution component name.
architecture string yes The distribution architecture type. 
curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/main/binary-amd64/Packages"

Write the output to a file: 

curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" \
     "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/main/binary-amd64/Packages" \
     --remote-name

This writes the downloaded file using the remote file name in the current directory.

Download a packages index by hash

Introduced in GitLab 15.4.

Download a packages index by hash. 

GET <route-prefix>/dists/*distribution/:component/binary-:architecture/by-hash/SHA256/:file_sha256
Attribute Type Required Description
distribution string yes The codename or suite of the Debian distribution.
component string yes The distribution component name.
architecture string yes The distribution architecture type. 
curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/main/binary-amd64/by-hash/SHA256/66a045b452102c59d840ec097d59d9467e13a3f34f6494e539ffd32c1bb35f18"

Write the output to a file: 

curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" \
     "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/main/binary-amd64/by-hash/SHA256/66a045b452102c59d840ec097d59d9467e13a3f34f6494e539ffd32c1bb35f18" \
     --remote-name

This writes the downloaded file using the remote file name in the current directory.

Download a Debian Installer packages index

Introduced in GitLab 15.4.

Download a Debian Installer packages index. 

GET <route-prefix>/dists/*distribution/:component/debian-installer/binary-:architecture/Packages
Attribute Type Required Description
distribution string yes The codename or suite of the Debian distribution.
component string yes The distribution component name.
architecture string yes The distribution architecture type. 
curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/main/debian-installer/binary-amd64/Packages"

Write the output to a file: 

curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" \
     "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/main/debian-installer/binary-amd64/Packages" \
     --remote-name

This writes the downloaded file using the remote file name in the current directory.

Download a Debian Installer packages index by hash

Introduced in GitLab 15.4.

Download a Debian Installer packages index by hash. 

GET <route-prefix>/dists/*distribution/:component/debian-installer/binary-:architecture/by-hash/SHA256/:file_sha256
Attribute Type Required Description
distribution string yes The codename or suite of the Debian distribution.
component string yes The distribution component name.
architecture string yes The distribution architecture type. 
curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/main/debian-installer/binary-amd64/by-hash/SHA256/66a045b452102c59d840ec097d59d9467e13a3f34f6494e539ffd32c1bb35f18"

Write the output to a file: 

curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" \
     "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/main/debian-installer/binary-amd64/by-hash/SHA256/66a045b452102c59d840ec097d59d9467e13a3f34f6494e539ffd32c1bb35f18" \
     --remote-name

This writes the downloaded file using the remote file name in the current directory.

Download a source packages index

Introduced in GitLab 15.4.

Download a source packages index. 

GET <route-prefix>/dists/*distribution/:component/source/Sources
Attribute Type Required Description
distribution string yes The codename or suite of the Debian distribution.
component string yes The distribution component name. 
curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/main/source/Sources"

Write the output to a file: 

curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" \
     "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/main/source/Sources" \
     --remote-name

This writes the downloaded file using the remote file name in the current directory.

Download a source packages index by hash

Introduced in GitLab 15.4.

Download a source packages index by hash. 

GET <route-prefix>/dists/*distribution/:component/source/by-hash/SHA256/:file_sha256
Attribute Type Required Description
distribution string yes The codename or suite of the Debian distribution.
component string yes The distribution component name. 
curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/main/source/by-hash/SHA256/66a045b452102c59d840ec097d59d9467e13a3f34f6494e539ffd32c1bb35f18"

Write the output to a file: 

curl --header "Private-Token: <personal_access_token>" \
     "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/packages/debian/dists/my-distro/main/source/by-hash/SHA256/66a045b452102c59d840ec097d59d9467e13a3f34f6494e539ffd32c1bb35f18" \
     --remote-name

This writes the downloaded file using the remote file name in the current directory.