debchange is a command line tool for creating new entries in the changelog of a Debian package. It is used to keep track of the changes that have been made to a package, and to provide a way for users to see what has changed between different versions of a package. The changelog is a file called “changelog” located in the root of the package source tree.
The debchange command is typically used by package maintainers to create new entries in the changelog before creating a new package version. It can be used to add new entries to the changelog, edit existing entries, and view the current contents of the changelog.
If you encounter the below error while running the command debchange:
debchange: command not found
you may try installing the below package as per your choice of distribution:
| Distribution | Command |
|---|---|
| Debian | apt-get install devscripts |
| Ubuntu | apt-get install devscripts |
| Kali Linux | apt-get install devscripts |
| Fedora | dnf install devscripts |
| Raspbian | apt-get install devscripts |
debchange Command Examples
1. To create a new entry in the changelog with the current date and the maintainer’s name:
# debchange
2. Add a new version for a non-maintainer upload to the changelog:
# debchange --nmu
3. Add a changelog entry to the current version:
# debchange --append
4. Add a changelog entry to close the bug with specified ID:
# debchange --closes bug_id
5. To edit the last entry in the changelog:
# debchange --edit
6. To view the contents of the changelog:
# debchange --view