Examples of rpm command usage

For example

rpm file: MySQL-client-3.23.57-1.i386.rpm
    MySQL-client – Package Name
    3.23.57 – Version
    1 – Release
    i386 – Architecture

1. Installing a RPM package Using rpm -ivh

# rpm -ivh MySQL-client-3.23.57-1.i386.rpm
Preparing...                ########################################### [100%]
   1:MySQL-client           ########################################### [100%]

rpm command and options

    -i : install a package
    -v : verbose
    -h : print hash marks as the package archive is unpacked.

2. Query all the RPM Packages using rpm -qa

# rpm -qa
cdrecord-2.01-10.7.el5
bluez-libs-3.7-1.1
setarch-2.0-1.1
.
.

    -q query operation
    -a queries all installed packages

3. Query a Particular RPM Package using rpm -q

# rpm -q MySQL-client
MySQL-client-3.23.57-1

4. Query RPM Packages in a various format using rpm –queryformat

Rpm command provides an option –queryformat, which allows you to give the header tag names, to list the packages. Enclose the header tag with in {}.

# rpm -qa --queryformat '%{name-%{version}-%{release} %{size}\n'
cdrecord-2.01-10.7 12324
bluez-libs-3.7-1.1 5634
setarch-2.0-1.1 235563
.
.

5. Which RPM package does a file belong to? – Use rpm -qf

# rpm -qf /usr/bin/mysqlaccess
MySQL-client-3.23.57-1

    -f : file name

6. Locate documentation of a package that owns file using rpm -qdf

# rpm -qdf /usr/bin/mysqlaccess
/usr/share/man/man1/mysql.1.gz
/usr/share/man/man1/mysqlaccess.1.gz
/usr/share/man/man1/mysqladmin.1.gz
/usr/share/man/man1/mysqldump.1.gz
/usr/share/man/man1/mysqlshow.1.gz

    -d : refers documentation.

7. Information about Installed RPM Package using rpm -qi

(a) query installed package

# rpm -qi MySQL-client
Name        : MySQL-client                 Relocations: (not relocatable)
Version     : 3.23.57                           Vendor: MySQL AB
Release     : 1                             Build Date: Mon 09 Jun 2003 11:08:28 PM CEST
Install Date: Mon 06 Feb 2010 03:19:16 AM PST               Build Host: build.mysql.com
Group       : Applications/Databases        Source RPM: MySQL-3.23.57-1.src.rpm
Size        : 5305109                          License: GPL / LGPL
Signature   : (none)
Packager    : Lenz Grimmer
URL         : http://www.mysql.com/
Summary     : MySQL - Client
Description : This package contains the standard MySQL clients.

(b) query package file before install

# rpm -qip MySQL-client-3.23.57-1.i386.rpm
Name        : MySQL-client                 Relocations: (not relocatable)
Version     : 3.23.57                           Vendor: MySQL AB
Release     : 1                             Build Date: Mon 09 Jun 2003 11:08:28 PM CEST
Install Date: (not installed)               Build Host: build.mysql.com
Group       : Applications/Databases        Source RPM: MySQL-3.23.57-1.src.rpm
Size        : 5305109                          License: GPL / LGPL
Signature   : (none)
Packager    : Lenz Grimmer
URL         : http://www.mysql.com/
Summary     : MySQL - Client
Description : This package contains the standard MySQL clients.

    -i : view information about an rpm
    -p : specify a package name

8. List all the Files in a Package using rpm -qlp

$ rpm -qlp ovpc-2.1.10.rpm
/usr/bin/mysqlaccess
/usr/bin/mysqldata
/usr/bin/mysqlperm
.
.
/usr/bin/mysqladmin

    q : query the rpm file
    l : list the files in the package
    p : specify the package name

9. List the Dependency Packages using rpm -qRP

# rpm -qRp MySQL-client-3.23.57-1.i386.rpm
/bin/sh
/usr/bin/perl

10. Find out the state of files in a package using rpm -qsp

# rpm -qsp MySQL-client-3.23.57-1.i386.rpm
normal        /usr/bin/msql2mysql
normal        /usr/bin/mysql
normal        /usr/bin/mysql_find_rows
normal        /usr/bin/mysqlaccess
normal        /usr/bin/mysqladmin
normal        /usr/bin/mysqlbinlog
normal        /usr/bin/mysqlcheck
normal        /usr/bin/mysqldump
normal        /usr/bin/mysqlimport
normal        /usr/bin/mysqlshow
normal        /usr/share/man/man1/mysql.1.gz
normal        /usr/share/man/man1/mysqlaccess.1.gz
normal        /usr/share/man/man1/mysqladmin.1.gz
normal        /usr/share/man/man1/mysqldump.1.gz
normal        /usr/share/man/man1/mysqlshow.1.gz

11. Verify a Particular RPM Package using rpm -Vp

# rpm -Vp MySQL-client-3.23.57-1.i386.rpm
S.5....T c        /usr/bin/msql2mysql
S.5....T c        /usr/bin/mysql
S.5....T c        /usr/bin/mysql_find_rows
S.5....T c        /usr/bin/mysqlaccess

The character in the above output denotes the following:

    S file Size differs
    M Mode differs (includes permissions and file type)
    5 MD5 sum differs
    D Device major/minor number mismatch
    L readlink(2) path mismatch
    U User ownership differs
    G Group ownership differs
    T mTime differs

12. Verify a Package Owning file using rpm -Vf

# rpm -Vf /usr/bin/mysqlaccess
S.5....T c /usr/bin/mysql

13. Upgrading a RPM Package using rpm -Uvh

# rpm -Uvh MySQL-client-3.23.57-1.i386.rpm
Preparing...             ########################################### [100%]
1:MySQL-client          ###########################################

14. Uninstalling a RPM Package using rpm -e

# rpm -ev MySQL-client

15. Verifying all the RPM Packages using rpm -Va

# rpm -Va
S.5....T c /etc/issue
S.5....T c /etc/issue.net
S.5....T c /var/service/imap/ssl/seed
S.5....T c /home/httpd/html/horde/ingo/config/backends.php
.
.
S.5....T c /home/httpd/html/horde/ingo/config/prefs.php
S.5....T c /etc/printcap