Convert packages files with Alien

If you have an rpm file for a package you wish to install, and if you cannot find a .deb debian package , you can use the alien package converter application.

Alien is a program that converts various package formates. Like rpm, dpkg, stampede slp, and slackware tgz file formats. If you want to use a package from another distribution than the one you have installed on your system, you can use alien.
But attention Alien should not be used to replace important system packages. In general, if you can’t uninstall the package without breaking your system, don’t try to replace it with an alien version.

Installing Alien:

$sudo apt-get install alien 

Example, conversion of a RPM file into DEB:

$sudo alien -k name_of_rpm_file.rpm  

• The option -k will keep the version number of RPM file.
• You can see more option on the Alien manual.