This error occurs when trying to install a package that declares it is incompatible with an already-installed package. The 'Breaks' declaration forces one package to be deconfigured before the other can be unpacked.
The 'Breaks' field in Debian packages is a dependency relationship that indicates one package is incompatible with certain versions of another package. When dpkg encounters a 'Breaks' declaration, it refuses to install the breaking package unless the broken package is first deconfigured. This is a designed safety mechanism to prevent installing incompatible software combinations that would cause system instability or malfunction.
Run sudo apt install -f or sudo apt-get --fix-broken install to let apt attempt automatic resolution of broken dependencies.
Execute sudo dpkg --configure -a to process any packages that are unpacked but not yet configured. This often resolves conflicts.
Check which package declares the break and which package it breaks. The error message shows the conflicting packages. You may need to remove one package first:
sudo apt remove package-name
sudo apt install package-name2Aptitude is more adept at resolving complex dependency conflicts than apt-get:
sudo apt install aptitude
sudo aptitude install package-nameAptitude will interactively suggest solutions for conflicts.
If standard methods fail, you can force install with --force-overwrite (use with caution):
sudo apt-get -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-overwrite" install package-nameThis should only be used when you understand the consequences.
The Breaks field is part of Debian's package dependency system. It differs from Conflicts in that Breaks allows both packages to be unpacked simultaneously but prevents one from being configured while the other is unpacked. This is the preferred mechanism for version-specific incompatibilities. When an upstream project fixes compatibility issues, newer package versions may resolve the breaks declaration. Always review what's being broken before forcing installations, as ignoring breaks can lead to system instability. For PPAs and third-party repositories, breaks conflicts are more common due to version mismatches with official packages.
dpkg: serious warning: files list file for package 'package-name' contains empty filename
How to fix "files list file contains empty filename" in APT
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)
How to fix "Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)" in APT
dpkg-divert: error: rename involves overwriting 'path' with different file
How to fix dpkg-divert rename conflicts in APT
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1) during kernel installation
How to fix "dpkg returned an error code (1)" in APT kernel installation
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of triggers
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of triggers in apt