my-docs/Linux/Basic Administration/06-yum.md

🍽️ Managing Packages with yum on RHEL/CentOS

yum (Yellowdog Updater, Modified) is the traditional package manager for RPM-based Linux distributions such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and CentOS. Below is a breakdown of commonly used yum commands, categorized and explained in detail.

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🔄 1. Updating the System

yum update

Fetches the latest package metadata and installs available updates for all packages currently installed on the system.

yum update

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yum upgrade

Performs the same function as yum update. In older versions of yum, upgrade was used for more aggressive upgrades, but in recent versions, they are functionally equivalent.

yum upgrade

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📥 2. Installing and Reinstalling Packages

yum install <pkg-name>

Installs a new package along with any required dependencies.

yum install <pkg-name>

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yum reinstall <pkg-name>

Reinstalls an already installed package, which is useful if system files have been corrupted or modified.

yum reinstall <pkg-name>

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yum localinstall <file-dir>

Installs a .rpm package from a local file path while resolving dependencies using remote repositories.

yum localinstall <file-dir>

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❌ 3. Removing Packages

yum remove <pkg-name>

Uninstalls the specified package from the system, including any dependencies no longer required.

yum remove <pkg-name>

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🔍 4. Querying and Searching

yum list

Lists all available, installed, and updatable packages.

yum list

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yum info <pkg>

Displays detailed information about the specified package, including version, repository, summary, and description.

yum info <pkg>

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yum search

Searches for a keyword in package names and descriptions. Add the search term to complete the command.

yum search <keyword>

Example:

yum search python

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yum deplist <pkg>

Shows the list of dependencies for a given package.

yum deplist <pkg>

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🕓 5. Package History and Transactions

yum history

Displays a history of all yum transactions (installs, updates, removals), which can be reviewed or undone if needed.

yum history

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💾 6. Downloading Packages (Without Installing)

yum download <pkg>

Downloads an RPM package file without installing it. Useful for transferring or offline installations. Requires the yum-utils package.

yum download <pkg>

💡 Note: If you get an error, try installing yum-utils:

yum install yum-utils

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✅ Final Notes

• yum has been replaced by dnf in newer distributions (e.g., RHEL 8+), but still widely used in older systems.
• Always run yum update before installing new packages.
• Combine with yum history to review or undo changes when troubleshooting.