diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
index c18fe769..ee0212aa 100644
--- a/.dockerignore
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -65,3 +65,14 @@ test/test-suite-data/
 test/*.trs
 test/*.txt
 .version
+libfyaml-*/
+libfyaml[_-]*.deb
+libfyaml[_-]*.tar.*
+libfyaml[_-]*.build
+libfyaml[_-]*.dsc
+libfyaml[_-]*.changes
+libfyaml_*.orig.tar.gz
+debian/changelog
+debian/control
+debian/copyright
+artifacts/
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2e101cd8..05c68bba 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -53,3 +53,15 @@ test/test-suite-data/
 test/*.trs
 test/*.txt
 .version
+libfyaml-*/
+libfyaml[_-]*.deb
+libfyaml[_-]*.tar.*
+libfyaml[_-]*.build
+libfyaml[_-]*.dsc
+libfyaml[_-]*.changes
+libfyaml_*.orig.tar.gz
+debian/*.install
+debian/changelog
+debian/control
+debian/copyright
+artifacts/
diff --git a/Dockerfile-build-deb b/Dockerfile-build-deb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..079ffbca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile-build-deb
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+ARG IMAGE=ubuntu
+FROM ${IMAGE}
+# install build dependencies
+RUN apt-get update -qq
+RUN apt-get install --no-install-recommends --fix-missing -y \
+    gcc autoconf automake libtool git make libyaml-dev libltdl-dev \
+    pkg-config check python3 python3-pip python3-setuptools \
+    devscripts build-essential lintian debhelper dh-buildinfo dh-autoreconf fakeroot \
+    gnupg
+# install sphinx doc dependencies
+RUN pip3 install wheel sphinx git+http://github.com/return42/linuxdoc.git sphinx_rtd_theme sphinx-markdown-builder
+# configure argument
+ARG CONFIG_ARGS
+ENV CONFIG_ARGS=${CONFIG_ARGS}
+COPY . /build
+WORKDIR /build
+# do a maintainer clean if the directory was unclean (it can fail)
+RUN make maintainer-clean >/dev/null 2>&1|| true
+RUN ./bootstrap.sh 2>&1
+RUN ./configure 2>&1 ${CONFIG_ARGS}
+RUN make deb
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index f50bc99b..76aeb03c 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ dist-hook:
 EXTRA_DIST=bootstrap.sh \
 	   build-aux/shave.in build-aux/shave-libtool.in \
 	   build-aux/git-version-gen \
-	   README.md
+	   README.md \
+	   debian
 
 MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = \
         Makefile.in src/Makefile.in config.h.in configure \
@@ -25,7 +26,9 @@ MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = \
 	build-aux/ltmain.sh build-aux/missing build-aux/tap-driver.sh
 
 DISTCLEANFILES = \
-	.version .tarball-version
+	.version .tarball-version \
+	debian/changelog debian/control debian/copyright \
+	debian/libfyaml-dev.install debian/libfyaml-utils.install debian/libfyaml-$(DEBVERSION).install
 
 clean-local:
 
@@ -34,8 +37,25 @@ SUBDIRS = src test doc
 pkgconfigdir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
 pkgconfig_DATA = libfyaml.pc
 
+if HAVE_DPKG
+DEB_ARTIFACTS= \
+	$(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(DEBVERSION)_$(DEBVERSION)_$(DPKG_ARCH).deb \
+	$(PACKAGE_NAME)-dev_$(DEBVERSION)_$(DPKG_ARCH).deb \
+	$(PACKAGE_NAME)-utils_$(DEBVERSION)_$(DPKG_ARCH).deb \
+	$(PACKAGE_NAME)_$(DEBVERSION).dsc \
+	$(PACKAGE_NAME)_$(DEBVERSION).tar.xz \
+	$(PACKAGE_NAME)_$(DEBVERSION)_$(DPKG_ARCH).build \
+	$(PACKAGE_NAME)_$(DEBVERSION)_$(DPKG_ARCH).changes
+endif
+
 maintainer-clean-local:
 	@rm -rf install sphinx
+if HAVE_DPKG
+	@rm -rf $(DEB_ARTIFACTS)
+	@rm -rf $(PACKAGE_NAME)_$(DEBVERSION).orig.tar.gz
+	@rm -rf $(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(VERSION).tar.gz
+endif
+	@rm -rf install artifacts
 
 # extra file to put in the distribution
 EXTRA_DIST += \
@@ -59,3 +79,29 @@ if HAVE_DOCKER
 docker: Dockerfile
 	@DOCKER@ build -t libfyaml:$(VERSION) $(top_srcdir)
 endif
+
+if HAVE_DPKG
+
+# note the package will not be signed
+# deb: dist
+#	@cp $(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(VERSION).tar.gz $(PACKAGE_NAME)_$(DEBVERSION).orig.tar.gz
+#	@rm -rf $(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(VERSION)
+#	@tar zxf $(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(VERSION).tar.gz
+#	@(cd $(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(VERSION) && debuild -us -uc)
+
+deb: $(DEB_ARTIFACTS)
+	@mkdir -p artifacts && mv $(DEB_ARTIFACTS) artifacts/
+	@rm -rf $(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(VERSION).tar.gz $(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(VERSION)/
+
+$(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(VERSION).tar.gz: dist
+
+$(PACKAGE_NAME)_$(DEBVERSION).orig.tar.gz: $(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(VERSION).tar.gz
+	@cp $< $@
+
+$(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(VERSION)/: $(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(VERSION).tar.gz
+	@tar zxf $<
+
+$(DEB_ARTIFACTS): $(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(VERSION)/
+	@(cd $< && debuild -us -uc)
+
+endif
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 025766aa..78885cab 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -11,16 +11,21 @@ AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([build-aux])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign 1.8.5 -Wall subdir-objects ])
 AM_EXTRA_RECURSIVE_TARGETS([doc-help doc-html doc-latexpdf doc-man doc-clean doc-markdown])
 
-m4_define(fyaml_major, `echo $VERSION | cut -d. -f1`)
-m4_define(fyaml_minor, `echo $VERSION | cut -d. -f2`)
+m4_define(fyaml_major, `echo $VERSION | cut -d. -f1 | cut -d- -f1`)
+m4_define(fyaml_minor, `echo $VERSION | cut -d. -f2 | cut -d- -f1`)
 m4_define(fyaml_patch, `echo $VERSION | cut -d. -f3- | cut -d- -f1`)
-m4_define(fyaml_extra, `echo $VERSION | cut -d. -f3- | cut -d- -f2-`)
+m4_define(fyaml_extra, `echo $VERSION | cut -d- -f2-`)
 
 AC_SUBST(MAJOR, fyaml_major)
 AC_SUBST(MINOR, fyaml_minor)
 AC_SUBST(PATCH, fyaml_patch)
 AC_SUBST(EXTRA, fyaml_extra)
 
+m4_define(fyaml_date, `git show -s --format=%ci`)
+AC_SUBST(DATE, fyaml_date)
+
+AC_SUBST(DEBVERSION, "$MAJOR.$MINOR")
+
 AX_CHECK_ENABLE_DEBUG()
 
 AC_PROG_MKDIR_P
@@ -102,9 +107,43 @@ AC_SUBST(CHECK_LIBS)
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([HAVE_CHECK], [$HAVE_CHECK], [Define to 1 if you have check available])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_CHECK], [ test x$HAVE_CHECK = x1 ])
 
+HAVE_COMPATIBLE_CHECK=0
+if test "x$HAVE_CHECK" == "x1" ; then
+	save_LIBS="$LIBS"
+	save_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+	LIBS="$LIBS $CHECK_LIBS"
+	CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $CHECK_CFLAGS"
+
+	# check if libcheck has srunner_set_tap (jessie has outdated libcheck)
+	AC_CHECK_FUNC([srunner_set_tap],
+		      HAVE_COMPATIBLE_CHECK=1,
+		      HAVE_COMPATIBLE_CHECK=0)
+
+	LIBS="$save_LIBS"
+	CFLAGS="$save_CFLAGS"
+fi
+
+AC_SUBST(HAVE_COMPATIBLE_CHECK)
+AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([HAVE_COMPATIBLE_CHECK], [$HAVE_COMPATIBLE_CHECK], [Define to 1 if you have a compatible version of check available])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_COMPATIBLE_CHECK], [ test x$HAVE_COMPATIBLE_CHECK = x1 ])
+
+dnl enable internet available when checking
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([network],
+	      AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-network],
+			     [Disable tests requiring network access]))
+
+if test "x$enable_network" != "xno" ; then 
+	HAVE_NETWORK=1
+else
+	HAVE_NETWORK=0
+fi	
+AC_SUBST(HAVE_NETWORK)
+AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_NETWORK],
+	       [ test x$HAVE_NETWORK = x1 ])
+
 # check for sphinx
 AC_PATH_PROG([SPHINX], [sphinx-build])
-if test "x$SPHINX"  != "x" ; then
+if test "x$SPHINX" != "x" ; then
 	HAVE_SPHINX=1
 else
 	HAVE_SPHINX=0
@@ -114,7 +153,7 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_SPHINX], [ test x$HAVE_SPHINX = x1 ])
 
 # check for git
 AC_PATH_PROG([GIT], [git])
-if test "x$GIT"  != "x" ; then
+if test "x$GIT" != "x" ; then
 	HAVE_GIT=1
 else
 	HAVE_GIT=0
@@ -137,6 +176,26 @@ else
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_DOCKER], [ test x$HAVE_DOCKER = x1 ])
 
+# note that debian does not support cross compilation
+# so do not use it to build cross packages
+
+# check for dpkg
+AC_PATH_PROG([DPKG], [dpkg])
+if test "x$DPKG" != "x" ; then
+	HAVE_DPKG=1
+else
+	HAVE_DPKG=0
+fi
+AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([HAVE_DPKG], [$HAVE_DPKG], [Define to 1 if you have dpkg available])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_DPKG], [ test x$HAVE_DPKG = x1 ])
+
+if test "x$HAVE_DPKG" = "x1" ; then
+	DPKG_ARCH=`$DPKG --print-architecture`
+else
+	DPKG_ARCH="unknown"
+fi
+AC_SUBST(DPKG_ARCH, "$DPKG_ARCH")
+
 # Shave by default
 SHAVE_INIT([build-aux], [enable])
 
@@ -148,6 +207,12 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([
 	test/Makefile
 	doc/Makefile
 	libfyaml.pc
+	debian/changelog
+	debian/control
+	debian/copyright
+	debian/$PACKAGE_NAME-$DEBVERSION.install:debian/$PACKAGE_NAME.install.in
+	debian/$PACKAGE_NAME-dev.install
+	debian/$PACKAGE_NAME-utils.install
 ])
 
 AC_REQUIRE_AUX_FILE([tap-driver.sh])
@@ -157,20 +222,24 @@ AC_OUTPUT
 echo "
  ---{ $PACKAGE_NAME $VERSION }---
 
-    VERSION:              ${VERSION}
-    MAJOR.MINOR:          ${MAJOR}.${MINOR}
-    PATCH:                ${PATCH}
-    EXTRA:                ${EXTRA}
-    prefix:               ${prefix}
-    C compiler:           ${CC}
-    CFLAGS:               ${CFLAGS}
-    Linker:               ${LD}
-    LDFLAGS:              ${LDFLAGS}
-    LIBS:                 ${LIBS}
-    CHECK:                ${HAVE_CHECK}
-    SPHINX:               $SPHINX
-    GIT:                  $GIT
-    DOCKER:               $DOCKER
-    TESTSUITEURL:         $TESTSUITEURL
+    VERSION:               ${VERSION}
+    MAJOR.MINOR:           ${MAJOR}.${MINOR}
+    PATCH:                 ${PATCH}
+    EXTRA:                 ${EXTRA}
+    prefix:                ${prefix}
+    C compiler:            ${CC}
+    CFLAGS:                ${CFLAGS}
+    Linker:                ${LD}
+    LDFLAGS:               ${LDFLAGS}
+    LIBS:                  ${LIBS}
+    HAVE_CHECK:            ${HAVE_CHECK}
+    HAVE_COMPATIBLE_CHECK: ${HAVE_COMPATIBLE_CHECK}
+    HAVE_NETWORK:          ${HAVE_NETWORK}
+    SPHINX:                $SPHINX
+    GIT:                   $GIT
+    DOCKER:                $DOCKER
+    HAVE_DPKG:             $HAVE_DPKG
+    DPKG_ARCH:             $DPKG_ARCH
+    TESTSUITEURL:          $TESTSUITEURL
 
 "
diff --git a/debian/changelog.in b/debian/changelog.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b537f436
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/changelog.in
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+libfyaml (0.2) unstable; urgency=medium
+
+  * debian compatibility #1
+  * Add a distcheck command in the Dockerfile
+  * gh action badge
+  * run apt using sudo
+  * github actions ci
+  * Make distcheck target work
+  * Update README.md with fy-tool documentation
+  * Cleanup and update fy-tool usage banner
+  * Add argument to fy_emit_document_start of root node
+  * Merge pull request #1 from ohporter/typos
+  * README: fix typos
+  * Point to API in github pages
+
+ -- Pantelis Antoniou <pantelis.antoniou@konsulko.com>  Thu, 19 Sep 2019 17:04:27 +0300
+
+libfyaml (0.1) unstable; urgency=medium
+
+  * Initial release
+
+ -- Pantelis Antoniou <pantelis.antoniou@konsulko.com>  Mon, 16 Sep 2019 14:25:04 +0300
diff --git a/debian/compat b/debian/compat
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ec635144
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/compat
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+9
diff --git a/debian/control.in b/debian/control.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..92893e09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/control.in
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+Source: libfyaml
+Priority: optional
+Maintainer: Pantelis Antoniou <pantelis.antoniou@konsulko.com>
+Build-Depends: debhelper (>=9),autotools-dev,
+ dh-buildinfo (>= 0.9+nmu1~),
+ dh-autoreconf,pkg-config,libltdl-dev
+Standards-Version: 3.9.7
+Section: libs
+Homepage: https://github.com/pantoniou/libfyaml
+Vcs-Git: https://github.com/pantoniou/libfyaml.git
+
+Package: libfyaml-dev
+Section: libdevel
+Architecture: any
+Multi-Arch: same
+Depends: ${misc:Depends}, libfyaml-@DEBVERSION@ (= ${binary:Version})
+Description: Fully feature complete YAML parser and emitter.
+ Fully feature complete YAML parser and emitter, supporting the latest YAML
+ spec and passing the full YAML testsuite.
+ .
+ It is designed to be very efficient, avoiding copies of data, and has no
+ artificial limits like the 1024 character limit for implicit keys.
+ .
+ This package contains development headers and static libraries.
+
+Package: libfyaml-utils
+Section: devel
+Architecture: any
+Multi-Arch: same
+Depends: ${misc:Depends}, libfyaml-@DEBVERSION@ (= ${binary:Version})
+Description: Fully feature complete YAML parser and emitter.
+ Fully feature complete YAML parser and emitter, supporting the latest YAML
+ spec and passing the full YAML testsuite.
+ .
+ It is designed to be very efficient, avoiding copies of data, and has no
+ artificial limits like the 1024 character limit for implicit keys.
+ .
+ This package contains utilities manipulating YAML files.
+
+Package: libfyaml-@DEBVERSION@
+Architecture: any
+Multi-Arch: same
+Depends: ${shlibs:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}
+Description: Fully feature complete YAML parser and emitter.
+ Fully feature complete YAML parser and emitter, supporting the latest YAML
+ spec and passing the full YAML testsuite.
+ .
+ It is designed to be very efficient, avoiding copies of data, and has no
+ artificial limits like the 1024 character limit for implicit keys.
+
diff --git a/debian/copyright.in b/debian/copyright.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7ee501ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/copyright.in
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+Format: https://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/copyright-format/1.0/
+Upstream-Name: libfyaml
+Source: https://github.com/pantoniou/libfyaml
+
+Files: *
+Copyright: 2019 Pantelis Antoniou <pantelis.antoniou@konsulko.com>
+License: MIT
+
+Files: debian/*
+Copyright: 2019 Pantelis Antoniou <pantelis.antoniou@konsulko.com>
+License: MIT
+
+License: MIT
+ Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+ copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
+ to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
+ the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
+ and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
+ Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ .
+ The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+ in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ .
+ THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+ OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+ MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
+ IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY
+ CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, 
+ TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE 
+ SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
diff --git a/debian/libfyaml-dev.install.in b/debian/libfyaml-dev.install.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b0e6bc4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/libfyaml-dev.install.in
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+usr/include/*
+usr/lib/*/*.a
+usr/lib/*/*.so
+usr/lib/*/pkgconfig/*
diff --git a/debian/libfyaml-utils.install.in b/debian/libfyaml-utils.install.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1df36c61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/libfyaml-utils.install.in
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+usr/bin/*
diff --git a/debian/libfyaml.install.in b/debian/libfyaml.install.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3de3b10a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/libfyaml.install.in
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+usr/lib/*/*.so.*
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..16b05af9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/usr/bin/make -f
+# See debhelper(7) (uncomment to enable)
+# output every command that modifies files on the build system.
+#export DH_VERBOSE = 1
+
+
+# see FEATURE AREAS in dpkg-buildflags(1)
+#export DEB_BUILD_MAINT_OPTIONS = hardening=+all
+
+# see ENVIRONMENT in dpkg-buildflags(1)
+# package maintainers to append CFLAGS
+#export DEB_CFLAGS_MAINT_APPEND  = -Wall -pedantic
+# package maintainers to append LDFLAGS
+#export DEB_LDFLAGS_MAINT_APPEND = -Wl,--as-needed
+
+# debian builds do not like testsuites to download stuff
+%:
+	dh $@  --with autotools_dev
+
+
+# dh_make generated override targets
+override_dh_auto_configure:
+	dh_auto_configure -- --disable-network
+
diff --git a/debian/source/format b/debian/source/format
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..89ae9db8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/source/format
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+3.0 (native)
diff --git a/scripts/get-gpg-key-id-by-email.sh b/scripts/get-gpg-key-id-by-email.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..300b4791
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/get-gpg-key-id-by-email.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# either use the supplied email address, or the current git user's email
+if [ "x$1" != "x" ] ; then
+	email="$1"
+else
+	email=`git config user.email`
+fi
+last=""
+id=""
+gpg --list-secret-keys | \
+	while read line; do
+		if [[ $line =~ ^uid\ .* ]] ; then
+			temail=`echo $line | cut -d'<' -f2 | cut -d'>' -f1`
+			if [[ "$email" == "$temail" && $last =~ ^sec\ .* ]]; then
+				echo $last | cut -d/ -f 2 | cut -d' ' -f1
+			fi
+		fi
+		last="$line"
+	done
diff --git a/test/Makefile.am b/test/Makefile.am
index 5b482723..43463fd6 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/Makefile.am
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ TEST_LOG_DRIVER = env AM_TAP_AWK='$(AWK)' $(SHELL) $(top_srcdir)/build-aux/tap-d
 
 TESTS =
 
-if HAVE_CHECK
+if HAVE_COMPATIBLE_CHECK
 
 check_PROGRAMS = libfyaml-test
 libfyaml_test_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) -I$(top_srcdir)/src/valgrind/ \
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ TESTS += libfyaml.test
 
 endif
 
+if HAVE_NETWORK
 if HAVE_GIT
 
 TESTS += testsuite.test
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ distclean-local:
 	@rm -rf test-suite-data
 
 endif
+endif
 
 TESTS += testerrors.test