Webapps Policy Manual
Chapter 6 - Tools provided to help maintenance

While not strictly necessary, it's highly recommended that package maintainers use pre-existing tools to aid in packaging web applications. This centralizes the effort not only for the packageers themselves, but also for translators and results in a much more consistant feel for users of web applications:

6.1 dbconfig-common

dbconfig-common is an implementation of the "best practices for database applications" draft, which provides debian packagers with an easy, reliable, and consistant method for managing databases used by debian packages.

dbconfig-common can:

• support mysql and postgresql applications

• create databases and database users

• access local or remote databases

• upgrade/modify databases when upstream changes database structure

• remove databases and database users

• generate config files in many formats with the database info.

• prompt users with a set of normalized, pre-translated questions

• do all the hard work automatically

• work for package maintainers with little effort on their part

• work for local admins with little effort on their part

• comply with an agreed upon set of standards for behaviour

• do absolutely nothing if it is the whim of the local admin

• perform all operations from within the standard flow of debian package maintainance (no additional skill is required of the local admin)

6.2 webapps-common

Webapps Policy Manual