Linux Package Management
Dr. Michael L. Collard
www.sdml.info/collard
www.sdml.info/collard/linux
collard@cs.kent.edu
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Package Management Features
• Tools to install, update, remove, and manage the
installed software
• Install new and upgraded software across a
network
• Indicate what package a file is in, or the files a
package contains, e.g., where is /bin/ls
• Maintain a database of packages and their status
• Dependency checking
• Signature verification with GPG, PGP, MD5, etc.
• Tools to build packages
Major Linux Packaging Systems
• RPM - Red Hat Package Manager
– Used on Red Hat, SUSE, etc. systems
– package-version-release.architecture.rpm
– E.g., coreutils-6.10-18.fc9.i386.rpm
• Debian GNU/Linux Package Manager
– Used on Debian/Ubuntu, and many others
– package_version-revision_architecture.deb
– E.g., coreutils_6.10-3ubuntu2_i386.deb
RPM File Format
• Identification of the file as an RPM file
• Signature - for integrity and/or authenticity
• Header - Metadata including package name,
version, architecture, file list, etc.
• Archive - File archive typically cpio
compressed with gzip
• Source rpm: spec file with information on
how to build the package
RPM Tools
• rpm, rpmbuild – original CLI for
installing/managing and creating rpm packages
– Does not do dependency resolution
• up2date – Red Hat update agent, older graphical
package manager for Red Hat systems
• yum – Yellow dog Updater, Modified
– open-source CLI for RPM-compatible systems
– default installer for most Red Hat systems
• yast2 – Part of SUSE installer
Deb Tools
• dpkg – Original Debian CLI packaging tool
• dpkg-deb – Lower-level CLI packaging tool,
mostly used by dpkg
• apt-get – Most commonly used CLI packaging
tool for deb systems
• aptitude – Text-based interface to apt
• synaptic – GUI front-end
• Some of these tools converted to using RPM
RPM Commands
• rpm --install package_file
– Install new version, leave existing versions
• rpm –upgrade package_file
– Replace current version, remove existing version
– If not installed, installs new version
• rpm –freshen package_file
– Replace current version only if already installed
• rpm –erase package_file
– Removes the package from the system
yum
• Does dependency checking and a higher interface
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yum install packages
yum info
yum list
yum remove package
yum update
yum upgrade
apt-get
• Big effect on other package-management
tools
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apt-get update
apt-get install package
apt-get upgrade
apt-get remove package
apt-get dist-upgrade