RPM is a powerful software manager for Linux. Earlier it was meant only for Redhat but now it is used in all the Distro which uses rpm for managing their software.

//There are actually two types of Distro. One is RPM based and other is Debian based. Distro which uses .rpm software is called rpm based linux example: Redhat, fedora, centos etc  and  distro which uses .deb software is called debian based linux example: Ubuntu, Debian, Knoppix etc. This is simillar to Windows system. In windows .exe is used whereas in linux .rpm and .deb is used.//

RPM can install, remove, query and validate the software in the system. There are some good graphical programs which install rpm software but first i will tell you about command line method.

Querying the System

How to look which all software are installed in the system. Here is the command for it:

rpm -qa | more

Let me explain you this. Here rpm  tells the system that you are going to run rpm program. -q tells the sytem about Query operation. a in -qa is for listing all the software. |more is not the feature of rpm but is linux command which tells the system to list the output one page at a time.

How to get info for the single software. Here is the command for it:

rpm -qi vlc

Here i option require the specific package name. So specific package name is given, i.e vlc.

Installing Software in the System

rpm -ivh vlc.rpm

Here vlc.rpm is not the full package name, it is just an example. i is for install, v is for verbose message in case installation fails and h option show the progress mark with hash.

If  you want to update package the use U instead  of i i.e rpm -uvh vlc.rpm.

Removing Software

    rpm -e vlc

e option is used for erasing. But sometimes this will not work due to some dependency. vlc many be dependent on some othe package. so in this case -nodeps option is used. and the command is:

    rpm -e –nodeps vlc

Sometimes packages are not removed properly. For example, if you try to install software and the rpm says that it is alreay installed, and then when you try to remove it then rpm says it is not installed. In this case -force will help to remove this problem. Here is the command for it:

rpm -ivh –force vlc.rpm

Regarding Graphical installer of RPM

People who are working on Linux generally don’t use graphical installer. For beginners i think they can have feel of it but i wont recommend this.

There is a software called GnoRPM. To start GnoRPM type gnorpm in the command line.

If you have any query related to package manager then just post your query here. There are some other good command line way to install software from internet without worrying about dependency, which will be posted as new topic. Just keep following us.