Master RPM and YUM: Naming Conventions, Core Commands, and Repository Setup

Overview

In Red Hat based distributions, the RPM Package Manager (originally Red Hat Package Manager) is used to package compiled applications, allowing easy install, upgrade, and removal; YUM is a front‑end tool for RPM.

RPM package naming and basic usage

1. RPM naming format – core and functional packages

Core packages: name-version-release.arch.rpm where version is major.minor.release, e.g., GeoIP-1.5.0-9.el7.x86_64.rpm.

Functional packages: name-function-version-release.arch.rpm, e.g., GeoIP-devel-1.5.0-9.el7.x86_64.rpm.

2. Basic rpm commands

rpm provides install, erase, upgrade, query, verify, and database maintenance.

General syntax: rpm [option] [package_name] (1) Install rpm -i, --install [option] package_name Common options: -v, -vv (verbose), -h (progress bar), --test, --nodeps, --replacepkgs.

(2) Erase rpm -e, --erase [option] package_name Common options: --allmatch, --nodeps, --test.

(3) Query rpm -q, --query [option] package_name Common options: -a, --all (list all installed), -f (find owning package), -l, --list, -i, --info, -c, --configfiles, -d, --docfiles, -R, --require, --provides, --scripts.

(4) Verify rpm -V, --verify [option] package_name Option -a checks package integrity; you can also import the maintainer’s GPG key and verify with rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-pgp/RPM-GPG-KEY-CentOS-6 and rpm -k package_name.

(5) Upgrade rpm -U, --upgrade [option] package_name or rpm -F, --freshen [option] package_name Options: -U (upgrade or install), -F (freshen), --force.

(6) RPM database management

The RPM database resides in /var/lib/rpm. Use --initdb to initialize and --rebuilddb to rebuild.

YUM usage

YUM (Yellowdog Updater Modified) is the front‑end for RPM. It reads configuration files to locate repositories and install packages.

1. YUM configuration files /etc/yum.conf – global settings; /etc/yum.repos.d/ – repository definitions.

2. Defining a repository

Example entry:

[base]
name=CentOS-$releasever – Base – 163.com
baseurl=http://mirrors.163.com/centos/$releasever/os/$basearch/
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=http://mirror.centos.org/centos/RPM-GPG-KEY-CentOS-6
enabled=1

Mounting a CD as a local repo: mount -t iso9660 /dev/cdroom /media/cdroom Creating a custom repo file:

[my_yum_repo]
name=local repo
base=/media/Packages
gpgcheck=0
enabled=1

3. YUM commands

General syntax: yum [option] <command> [package] Common options: -y (assume yes), --noplugins, --nogpgcheck, --disablerepo=repo_name, --enablerepo=repo_name.

Common commands: install, update, remove, list, info, clean, makecache, search, reinstall, repolist, groupinstall, groupinfo.