Understanding Software Installation and package management

Package management is the method of installing, updating, configuring, and removing software on Linux systems. It handles dependencies automatically and maintains system integrity.

A compressed archive containing:

• Compiled software/binaries

• Configuration files

• Documentation

• Metadata (dependencies, version, description)

• Installation scripts

Types of Packages:

• Binary packages: Pre-compiled, ready to install

• Source packages: Need compilation before installation

Package Managers:

• RPM (low-level)

• YUM (Yellowdog Updater Modified) - older

• DNF (Dandified YUM) - modern replacement for YUM

Common Commands:

# DNF/YUM Commands

sudo dnf install package_name # Install package

sudo dnf remove package_name # Remove package

sudo dnf update # Update all packages

sudo dnf update package_name # Update specific package

sudo dnf search keyword # Search for packages

sudo dnf info package_name # Show package details

sudo dnf list installed # List installed packages

sudo dnf list available # List available packages

sudo dnf clean all # Clean cache

# RPM Commands (low-level)

sudo rpm -ivh package.rpm # Install RPM package

sudo rpm -Uvh package.rpm # Update RPM package

sudo rpm -e package_name # Remove package

rpm -qa # Query all installed packages

rpm -qi package_name # Query package info

rpm -ql package_name # List files in package

rpm -qf /path/to/file # Find which package owns a file

Package Managers:

• DPKG (low-level)

• APT (Advanced Package Tool) - high-level

• APT-GET - traditional interface

• APTITUDE - alternative with text UI

Common Commands:

# APT Commands

sudo apt update # Update package index

sudo apt upgrade # Upgrade all packages

sudo apt install package_name # Install package

sudo apt remove package_name # Remove package (keep config)

sudo apt purge package_name # Remove package + config

sudo apt autoremove # Remove unused dependencies

sudo apt search keyword # Search packages

sudo apt show package_name # Show package details

apt list --installed # List installed packages

sudo apt clean # Clean cache

# DPKG Commands (low-level)

sudo dpkg -i package.deb # Install DEB package

sudo dpkg -r package_name # Remove package

sudo dpkg -P package_name # Purge package

dpkg -l # List installed packages

dpkg -L package_name # List files in package

dpkg -S /path/to/file # Find package owning file

sudo dpkg --configure -a # Fix broken installations

Zypper (openSUSE)

sudo zypper install package_name

sudo zypper remove package_name

sudo zypper update

sudo zypper search package_name

Pacman (Arch Linux)

sudo pacman -S package_name # Install

sudo pacman -R package_name # Remove

sudo pacman -Syu # Update system

sudo pacman -Ss keyword # Search

Snap (Canonical)

sudo snap install package_name

sudo snap remove package_name

sudo snap list

sudo snap find keyword

sudo snap refresh # Update all snaps

Features:

• Self-contained with dependencies

• Automatic updates

• Sandboxed for security

• Works across distributions

Flatpak

flatpak install package_name

flatpak uninstall package_name

flatpak list

flatpak search keyword

flatpak update

Features:

• Distribution-independent

• Sandboxed applications

• Decentralized repositories

AppImage

chmod +x application.AppImage

./application.AppImage

Features:

• Single executable file

• No installation needed

• Portable across distributions

Basic Process:

# 1. Install build tools

sudo apt install build-essential # Debian/Ubuntu

sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools" # RHEL/Fedora

# 2. Download source code

wget https://example.com/software.tar.gz

# 3. Extract

tar -xzvf software.tar.gz

cd software

# 4. Configure

./configure --prefix=/usr/local

# 5. Compile

make

# 6. Install

sudo make install

# 7. (Optional) Uninstall

sudo make uninstall

Adding Repositories (Ubuntu/Debian)

# Add PPA

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:repository_name

sudo apt update

# Add repository manually

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

# Add external repository

echo "deb http://repo.url distribution component" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/repo.list

Adding Repositories (RHEL/Fedora)

# Add repository

sudo dnf config-manager --add-repo repository_url

# Enable/disable repository

sudo dnf config-manager --enable repo_name

sudo dnf config-manager --disable repo_name

# List repositories

sudo dnf repolist

Understanding Dependencies

• Hard dependencies: Required for software to run

• Soft dependencies: Optional features

• Build dependencies: Needed only during compilation

Handling Broken Dependencies

Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt --fix-broken install

sudo dpkg --configure -a

sudo apt autoremove

RHEL/Fedora:

sudo dnf check

sudo dnf distro-sync

sudo dnf autoremove

1. Always update package index first

sudo apt update # or sudo dnf check-update

1. Regular system updates

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

1. Use official repositories when possible

2. Check package authenticity

Verify GPG signatures

Use HTTPS repositories

1. Clean up regularly

sudo apt autoremove && sudo apt clean

1. Backup before major updates

2. Read package descriptions before installing

• Keep systems updated regularly

• Only use trusted repositories

• Verify package signatures

• Use sudo appropriately

• Review installed packages periodically

• Remove unused packages

Lock File Issues

# APT

sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock

sudo rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock

# DNF

sudo rm /var/run/dnf.pid

Cache Issues

sudo apt clean && sudo apt update # Debian/Ubuntu

sudo dnf clean all && sudo dnf makecache # RHEL/Fedora

Broken Packages

sudo apt --fix-broken install

sudo apt autoremove

A compressed archive containing compiled software, configuration files, documentation, metadata (dependencies, version), and installation scripts.

1. RPM (low-level package manager)

2. YUM (legacy high-level manager)

3. DNF (modern high-level manager)

sudo apt update

• apt remove: Removes package but keeps configuration files

• apt purge: Removes package AND configuration files

sudo dpkg -i package.deb

sudo dnf install package_name

sudo apt search keyword or apt-cache search keyword

rpm -qa or dnf list installed

dpkg -S /path/to/file

Removes packages that were automatically installed as dependencies but are no longer needed.

1. Snap

2. Flatpak

3. AppImage

1. ./configure

2. make

3. sudo make install

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

dnf info package_name

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:repository_name followed by sudo apt update

DNF is the modern replacement for YUM with better performance, improved dependency resolution, and lower memory usage. DNF uses libsolv for dependency resolution.

sudo apt clean (removes all cached packages) or sudo apt autoclean (removes only outdated cached packages)

sudo apt --fix-broken install or sudo dpkg --configure -a

rpm -ql package_name

Automatically answers "yes" to all prompts, allowing non-interactive installation (e.g., sudo apt install -y package_name)

• /etc/apt/sources.list (main file)

• /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ (additional repository files)

• Enable: sudo dnf config-manager --enable repo_name

• Disable: sudo dnf config-manager --disable repo_name

• Debian/Ubuntu: apt list --upgradable

• RHEL/Fedora: dnf check-update

sudo snap install package_name

Other packages or libraries that a software package requires to function properly.

sudo dnf remove package_name (then optionally sudo dnf autoremove for orphaned dependencies)

rpm -V package_name or rpm -Va (verify all packages)

sudo apt-mark hold package_name

In DNF, update and upgrade are aliases and do the same thing - update all packages. (In older YUM, update kept obsolete packages while upgrade removed them)

/var/cache/apt/archives/

• Debian/Ubuntu: apt download package_name

• RHEL/Fedora: dnf download package_name

sudo apt reinstall package_name

dnf repolist or dnf repolist all (includes disabled repos)

To verify the authenticity and integrity of packages, ensuring they haven't been tampered with and come from trusted sources.

• Debian/Ubuntu: dpkg -l | grep package_name or apt list --installed | grep package_name

• RHEL/Fedora: rpm -qa | grep package_name or dnf list installed package_name