2.1.15 The source code
Source code is included for everything in the Debian system. Moreover, the
license terms of most programs in the system require that
source code be distributed along with the programs, or that an offer to provide
the source code accompany the programs.
Normally the source code is distributed in the source directories,
which are parallel to all the architecture-specific binary directories, or more
recently in the pool directory (see
The
pool directory, Section 2.1.10). To retrieve the source code
without having to be familiar with the structure of the Debian archive, try a
command like apt-get source mypackagename.
Some packages, notably pine, are only available in a source
package due to their licensing limitations. (Recently the
pine-tracker package has been provided to facilitate Pine
installation.) The procedures described in Port a package to the stable
system, Section 6.4.10 and Packaging, Section 13.10 provide ways
to build a package manually.
Source code may or may not be available for packages in the
contrib and non-free directories, which are not
formally part of the Debian system.
