my-docs/Linux/Basic Administration/07-rpm.md

📦 Managing Packages with rpm on RHEL/CentOS

The rpm command (RPM Package Manager) is the low-level package management tool used on Red Hat-based systems such as RHEL, CentOS, Fedora, and others. Unlike yum, rpm does not resolve dependencies automatically and is best used for advanced or manual package management.

Below are the core rpm commands categorized and explained.

---

📥 1. Installing Packages

rpm -i <file.rpm>

rpm --install <file.rpm>

Installs a new .rpm package file. This command will fail if the package's dependencies are not already installed.

rpm -i <file.rpm>

or

rpm --install <file.rpm>

💡 Tip: Use yum localinstall or dnf install instead for dependency resolution.

---

🔄 2. Upgrading Packages

rpm -U <file.rpm>

rpm --upgrade <file.rpm>

Upgrades an existing package if it is already installed. If the package is not already present, this command will install it.

rpm -U <file.rpm>

or

rpm --upgrade <file.rpm>

---

❌ 3. Removing Packages

rpm -e <package>

rpm --erase <package>

Removes a package from the system by name (not the filename). Note that this command also does not resolve dependencies, so it may break things if you're not careful.

rpm -e <package>

or

rpm --erase <package>

⚠️ Caution: Always check what depends on a package before removing it.

---

🔍 4. Querying Packages

rpm -q <package>

Query whether a package is installed, and show its version.

rpm -q <package>

---

rpm -qa

List all installed packages.

rpm -qa

---

rpm -qi <package>

Displays detailed information about a specific installed package.

rpm -qi <package>

---

rpm -ql <package>

Lists all files installed by a package.

rpm -ql <package>

---

rpm -qf <file>

Finds out which package owns a specific file.

rpm -qf /usr/bin/wget

---

rpm -qp <file.rpm>

Query a package file (without installing it) to see its metadata.

rpm -qp <file.rpm>

---

rpm -K <file.rpm>

Verifies the signature and integrity of an RPM package file.

rpm -K <file.rpm>

---

🛠️ 5. Verifying and Checking

rpm -V <package>

Verifies installed package files against their original metadata (modifications, corruption, etc.).

rpm -V <package>

---

rpm --test -i <file.rpm>

Simulates an install without actually installing the package — useful for testing.

rpm --test -i <file.rpm>

---

✅ Final Notes

• rpm is a powerful low-level tool, but not recommended for resolving dependencies.
• For automated dependency handling, prefer using yum or dnf.
• Use rpm when you need precise control over the package management process or are working with standalone .rpm files.