(debian-policy.info)Device files

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10.6 Device files
=================

Packages must not include device files or named pipes in the package
file tree.

Debian packages should assume that device files in ‘/dev’ are
dynamically managed by the kernel or some other system facility and do
not have to be explicitly created or managed by the package.  Debian
packages other than those whose purpose is to manage the ‘/dev’ device
file tree must not attempt to create or remove device files in ‘/dev’
when a dynamic device management facility is in use.

If named pipes or device files outside of ‘/dev’ are required by a
package, they should normally be created when necessary by the programs
in the package, by init scripts or systemd unit files, or by similar
on-demand mechanisms.  If such files need to be created during package
installation, they must be created in the ‘postinst’ maintainer script
(1) and removed in either the ‘prerm’ or the ‘postrm’ maintainer script.

   ---------- Footnotes ----------

   (1) It’s better to use ‘mkfifo’ rather than ‘mknod’ to create named
pipes to avoid false positives from automated checks for packages
incorrectly creating device files.