fpm review
A free, open-source CLI for converting package formats across Unix-like platforms.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
fpm is an open-source Ruby command-line tool for creating and converting software packages. It is aimed at developers and release engineers who need to turn directories, local files, Ruby gems, Python packages, npm packages, CPAN packages, Debian packages, RPMs, and other sources into platform-native deliverables. Its supported target platforms include Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS, RHEL, Arch Linux, FreeBSD, macOS, and Solaris, making it a practical fit for teams working across multiple Unix-like environments.
Its main strength is breadth within package creation and conversion. fpm can generate DEB and RPM packages alongside FreeBSD, Solaris, Pacman, and macOS PKG outputs. It also supports tar, ZIP, directory, shell, Puppet, and p5p outputs. Package metadata, dependencies, configuration files, and lifecycle scripts are part of the workflow, so teams can describe more than just the files being shipped. For release engineers standardizing different source and target formats from a command line, this wide format coverage is the clearest reason to choose fpm.
The trade-off is focus. fpm is free and open source, but its published positioning points to sparse update, integration, and CI/CD features. That makes it a stronger match for direct package production and format conversion than for teams seeking a broader release platform with extensive ecosystem connections or pipeline features. Choose fpm when command-line packaging, format coverage, and package metadata matter most; consider another tool when integrated release management or deeper CI/CD functionality is central to the workflow.
fpm pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Converts between DEB, RPM, Pacman, and other package formats
- Supports native outputs for FreeBSD, Solaris, macOS PKG, and more
- Handles metadata, dependencies, configuration files, and lifecycle scripts
- Where it doesn't
- Command-line workflow may not suit teams seeking a graphical interface
- Update, integration, and CI/CD features are sparse
- Packaging scope is narrower than a broader release-management platform
fpm fact sheet, pricing and score →
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