Package Groups

package group

  • Group of packages that serve a common purpose.
  • Can query, install, and delete as a single unit rather than dealing with packages individually.
  • Two types of package groups: environment groups and package groups.

environment groups available in RHEL 9:

  • server, server with GUI, minimal install, workstation, virtualization host, and custom operating system.
  • Listed on the software selection window during RHEL 9 installation.

Package groups include:

  • container management, smart card support, security tools, system tools, network servers, etc.

Individual packages, package groups, and modules:

Individual Package Management

List, install, query, and remove packages.

Listing Available and Installed Packages

  • dnf lists available packages as well as installed packages.

Lab: list all packages available for installation from all enabled repos,

sudo dnf repoquery

Lab: list of packages that are available only from a specific repo:

sudo dnf repoquery --repo "BaseOS"

For example, to find whether the BaseOS repo includes the zsh package.

sudo dnf repoquery --repo BaseOS | grep zsh

Lab: list all installed packages on the system:

sudo dnf list installed

Three columns: - package name - package version - repo it was installed from. - @anaconda means the package was installed at the time of RHEL installation.

List all installed packages and all packages available for installation from all enabled repositories:

sudo dnf list

  • @ sign identifies the package as installed.

List all packages available from all enabled repositories that should be able to update:

sudo dnf list updates

List whether a package (bc, for instance) is installed or available for installation from any enabled repository:

sudo dnf list bc

List all installed packages whose names begin with the string “gnome” followed by any number of characters:

sudo dnf list installed ^gnome*

List recently added packages:

suod dnf list recent

Refer to the repoquery and list subsections of the dnf command manual pages for more options and examples.

Installing and Updating Packages

Installing a package:

  • creates the necessary directory structure
  • installs the required files
  • runs any post-installation steps.
  • If already installed, dnf command updates it to the latest available version.

Attempt to install a package called ypbind, proceed to update if it detects the presence of an older version:

sudo dnf install ypbind

Install or update a package called dcraw located locally at /mnt/AppStream/Packages/

sudo dnf localinstall /mnt/AppStream/Packages/dcraw*

Update an installed package (autofs, for example) to the latest available version. Dnf will fail if the specified package is not already installed:

sudo dnf update autofs

Update all installed packages to the latest available versions:

sudo dnf -y update

Refer to the install and update subsections of the dnf command manual pages for more options and examples.

Exhibiting Package Information

Show:

  • name
  • architecture it is built for
  • version
  • release
  • size
  • whether it is installed or available for installation
  • repo name it was installed or is available from
  • short and long descriptions
  • license
  • so on

dnf info subcommand

View information about a package called autofs:

dnf info autofs

  • Determines whether the specified package is installed or not.

Refer to the info subsection of the dnf command manual pages.

Removing Packages

Removing a package:

  • uninstalls it and removes all associated files and directory structure.
  • erases any dependencies as part of the deletion process.

Remove a package called ypbind:

sudo dnf remove ypbind

Output

  • Resolved dependencies
  • List of the packages that it would remove.
  • Disk space that their removal would free up.
  • After confirmation, it erased the identified packages and verified their removal.
  • List of the removed packages

Refer to the remove subsection of the dnf command manual pages for more options and examples available for removing packages.

Lab: Manipulate Individual Packages

Perform management operations on a package called cifs-utils. Determine if this package is already installed and if it is available for installation. Display its information before installing it. Install the package and exhibit its information. Erase the package along with its dependencies and confirm the removal.

  1. Check whether the cifs-utils package is already installed:

dnf list installed | grep cifs-utils

  1. Determine if the cifs-utils package is available for installation: dnf repoquery cifs-utils

  2. Display detailed information about the package: dnf info cifs-utils

  3. Install the package: dnf install -y cifs-utils

  4. Display the package information again: dnf info cifs-utils

  5. Remove the package: dnf remove -y cifs-utils

  6. Confirm the removal: dnf list installed | grep cif

Determining Provider and Searching Package Metadata

  • You can determine what package a specific file belongs to or which package comprises a certain string.

Search for packages that contain a specific file such as /etc/passwd/, use the provides or the whatprovides subcommand with dnf: dnf provides /etc/passwd

  • indicates file is part of a package called setup, installed during RHEL installation

  • second instance, setup package is part of the BaseOS repository.

  • can also use a wildcard character for filename expansion.

List all packages that contain filenames beginning with “system-config” followed by any number of characters: dnf whatprovides /usr/bin system-config*

To search for all the packages that match the specified string in their name or summary: dnf search system-config

Package Group Management

  • group subcommand
  • list, install, query, and remove groups of packages.

Listing Available and Installed Package Groups

group list subcommand:

  • list the package groups available for installation from either or both repos
  • list the package groups that are already installed on the system.

List all available and installed package groups from all repositories: dnf group list

output:

  • two categories of package groups: an
    • environment group
    • group. An

environment group

  • larger collection of RHEL packages that provides all necessary software to build the operating system foundation for a desired purpose.

group

  • small bunch of RHEL packages that serve a common purpose.
  • saves time on the deployment of individual and dependent packages.
  • output shows installed and available package groups.

Display the number of installed and available package groups: sudo dnf group summary

List all installed and available package groups including those that are hidden: sudo dnf group list hidden

Try group list with --installed and --available options to narrow down the output list.

sudo dnf group list --installed
sudo dnf group list --available

List all packages that a specific package group such as Base contains: sudo dnf group info Base

-v option with the group info subcommand for more information.

Review group list and group info subsections of the dnf man pages.

Installing and Updating Package Groups

  • creates the necessary directory structure for all the packages included in the group and all dependent packages
  • installs the required files
  • runs any post-installation steps.
  • attempts to update all the packages included in the group to the latest available versions.

Inss the prestall a package group called Emacs. Update if it detects an older version. sudo dnf -y groupinstall emacs

Update the smart card support package group to the latest version: sudo dnf -y groupinstall emacs

Refer to the group install and group update subsections of the dnf command manual pages for more details.

Removing Package Groups

  • Uninstalls all the included packages and deletes all associated files and directory structure.
  • erases any dependencies

Erase the smart card support package group that was installed:

sudo dnf -y groupremove 'smart card support'

Refer to the remove subsection of the dnf command manual pages for more details.

Lab: Manipulate Package Groups

Perform management operations on a package group called system tools. Determine if this group is already installed and if it is available for installation. List the packages it contains and install it. Remove the group along with its dependencies and confirm the removal.

  1. Check whether the system tools package group is already installed: dnf group list installed

  2. Determine if the system tools group is available for installation: dnf group list available

The group name is exhibited at the bottom of the list under the available groups.

  1. Display the list of packages this group contains: dnf group info 'system tools'
  • All of the packages will be installed as part of the group installation.

  1. Install the group: sudo dnf group install 'system tools'

  2. Remove the group: sudo dnf group remove 'system tools' -y

  3. Confirm the removal: dnf group list installed