Provided by: rpm_4.20.0+dfsg-3_amd64 
NAME
rpm - RPM Package Manager
SYNOPSIS
QUERYING AND VERIFYING PACKAGES:
rpm {-q|--query} [select-options] [query-options]
rpm --querytags
rpm {-V|--verify} [select-options] [verify-options]
INSTALLING, UPGRADING, AND REMOVING PACKAGES:
rpm {-i|--install} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
rpm {-U|--upgrade} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
rpm {-F|--freshen} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
rpm {--reinstall} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
rpm {-e|--erase} [--allmatches] [--justdb] [--nodb] [--nodeps] [--noscripts]
[--notriggers] [--test] PACKAGE_NAME ...
MISCELLANEOUS:
rpm --showrc
rpm --restore [select-options]
select-options
[PACKAGE_NAME] [-a,--all [SELECTOR]] [-f,--file FILE] [--path PATH] [-g,--group GROUP]
[-p,--package PACKAGE_FILE] [--hdrid SHA1] [--pkgid MD5] [--tid TID] [--querybynumber
HDRNUM] [--triggeredby PACKAGE_NAME] [--whatprovides CAPABILITY] [--whatrequires
CAPABILITY] [--whatrecommends CAPABILITY] [--whatsuggests CAPABILITY] [--whatsupplements
CAPABILITY] [--whatenhances CAPABILITY] [--whatobsoletes CAPABILITY] [--whatconflicts
CAPABILITY]
query-options
General: [--changelog] [--changes] [--dupes] [-i,--info] [--last] [--qf,--queryformat
QUERYFMT] [--xml] [--json]
Dependencies: [--conflicts] [--enhances] [--obsoletes] [--provides] [--recommends]
[-R,--requires] [--suggests] [--supplements]
Files: [-c,--configfiles] [-d,--docfiles] [--dump] [--fileclass] [--filecolor]
[--fileprovide][--filerequire] [--filecaps] [--filesbypkg] [-l,--list] [-s,--state]
[--noartifact] [--noghost] [--noconfig]
Scripts and triggers: [--filetriggers] [--scripts] [--triggers,--triggerscripts]
verify-options
[--nodeps] [--nofiles] [--noscripts] [--nodigest] [--nosignature] [--nolinkto]
[--nofiledigest] [--nosize] [--nouser] [--nogroup] [--nomtime] [--nomode] [--nordev]
[--nocaps]
install-options
[--allfiles] [--badreloc] [--excludepath OLDPATH] [--excludedocs] [--force] [-h,--hash]
[--ignoresize] [--ignorearch] [--ignoreos] [--includedocs] [--justdb] [–nodb] [--nodeps]
[--nodigest] [--noplugins] [--nocaps] [--noorder] [--noverify] [--nosignature]
[--noscripts] [--notriggers] [--oldpackage] [--percent] [--prefix NEWPATH] [--relocate
OLDPATH=NEWPATH] [--replacefiles] [--replacepkgs] [--test]
DESCRIPTION
rpm is a powerful Package Manager, which can be used to build, install, query, verify,
update, and erase individual software packages. A package consists of an archive of files
and meta-data used to install and erase the archive files. The meta-data includes helper
scripts, file attributes, and descriptive information about the package. Packages come in
two varieties: binary packages, used to encapsulate software to be installed, and source
packages, containing the source code and recipe necessary to produce binary packages.
One of the following basic modes must be selected: Query, Verify,
Install/Upgrade/Freshen/Reinstall, Uninstall, Set Owners/Groups, Show Querytags, and Show
Configuration.
GENERAL OPTIONS
These options can be used in all the different modes.
-?, --help
Print a longer usage message than normal.
--version
Print a single line containing the version number of rpm being used.
--quiet
Print as little as possible - normally only error messages will be displayed.
-v, --verbose
Print verbose information - normally routine progress messages will be displayed.
-vv Print lots of ugly debugging information.
--rcfile FILELIST
Replace the default list of configuration files to be read with FILELIST. See
rpmrc Configuration for details.
--load FILE
Load an individual macro file.
--macros FILELIST
Replace the list of macro files to be loaded with FILELIST. See Macro
Configuration for details.
--pipe CMD
Pipes the output of rpm to the command CMD.
--dbpath DIRECTORY
Use the database in DIRECTORY rather than the default path /var/lib/rpm
--root DIRECTORY
Use the file system tree rooted at DIRECTORY for all operations. Note that this
means the database within DIRECTORY will be used for dependency checks and any
scriptlet(s) (e.g. %post if installing, or %prep if building, a package) will be
run after a chroot(2) to DIRECTORY.
Note that rpm assumes the environment inside the root is set up by the caller, such
as any mounts needed for the operation inside the root directory.
-D, --define='MACRO EXPR'
Defines MACRO with value EXPR.
--undefine='MACRO'
Undefines MACRO.
-E, --eval='EXPR'
Prints macro expansion of EXPR.
More - less often needed - options can be found on the rpm-misc(8) man page.
INSTALL AND UPGRADE OPTIONS
In these options, PACKAGE_FILE can be either rpm binary file or ASCII package manifest
(see PACKAGE SELECTION OPTIONS), and may be specified as an ftp or http URL, in which case
the package will be downloaded before being installed. See FTP/HTTP OPTIONS for
information on rpm's ftp and http client support.
The general form of an rpm install command is
rpm {-i|--install} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
This installs a new package.
The general form of an rpm upgrade command is
rpm {-U|--upgrade} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
This upgrades or installs the package currently installed to a newer version. This is the
same as install, except all other version(s) of the package are removed after the new
package is installed.
rpm {-F|--freshen} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
This will upgrade packages, but only ones for which an earlier version is installed.
The general form of an rpm reinstall command is
rpm {--reinstall} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
This reinstalls a previously installed package.
--allfiles
Installs or upgrades all the missingok files in the package, regardless if they
exist.
--badreloc
Used with --relocate, permit relocations on all file paths, not just those
OLDPATH's included in the binary package relocation hint(s).
--excludepath OLDPATH
Don't install files whose name begins with OLDPATH.
--excludeartifacts
Don't install any files which are marked as artifacts, such as build-id links.
--excludedocs
Don't install any files which are marked as documentation (which includes man pages
and texinfo documents).
--force
Same as using --replacepkgs, --replacefiles, and --oldpackage.
-h, --hash
Print 50 hash marks as the package archive is unpacked. Use with -v|--verbose for
a nicer display.
--ignoresize
Don't check mount file systems for sufficient disk space before installing this
package.
--ignorearch
Allow installation or upgrading even if the architectures of the binary package and
host don't match.
--ignoreos
Allow installation or upgrading even if the operating systems of the binary package
and host don't match.
--includedocs
Install documentation files. This is the default behavior.
--justdb
Update only the database, not the filesystem.
--nodb Update only the filesystem, not the database.
--nodigest
Don't verify package or header digests when reading.
--nomanifest
Don't process non-package files as manifests.
--nosignature
Don't verify package or header signatures when reading.
--nodeps
Don't do a dependency check before installing or upgrading a package.
--nocaps
Don't set file capabilities.
--noorder
Don't reorder the packages for an install. The list of packages would normally be
reordered to satisfy dependencies.
--noverify
Don't perform verify package files prior to installation.
--noplugins
Do not load and execute plugins.
--noscripts, --nopre, --nopost, --nopreun, --nopostun, --nopretrans, --noposttrans,
--nopreuntrans, --nopostuntrans
Don't execute the scriptlet of the same name. The --noscripts option is equivalent
to
--nopre --nopost --nopreun --nopostun --nopretrans --noposttrans --nopreuntrans
--nopostuntrans
and turns off the execution of the corresponding %pre, %post, %preun, %postun %pretrans,
%posttrans, %preuntrans and %postuntrans scriptlet(s).
--notriggers, --notriggerin, --notriggerun, --notriggerprein, --notriggerpostun
Don't execute any trigger scriptlet of the named type. The --notriggers option is
equivalent to
--notriggerprein --notriggerin --notriggerun --notriggerpostun
and turns off execution of the corresponding %triggerprein, %triggerin, %triggerun, and
%triggerpostun scriptlet(s).
--nosysusers
Don’t create sysusers from packages
--oldpackage
Allow an upgrade to replace a newer package with an older one.
--percent
Print percentages as files are unpacked from the package archive. This is intended
to make rpm easy to run from other tools.
--prefix NEWPATH
For relocatable binary packages, translate all file paths that start with the
installation prefix in the package relocation hint(s) to NEWPATH.
--relocate OLDPATH=NEWPATH
For relocatable binary packages, translate all file paths that start with OLDPATH
in the package relocation hint(s) to NEWPATH. This option can be used repeatedly
if several OLDPATH's in the package are to be relocated.
--replacefiles
Install the packages even if they replace files from other, already installed,
packages.
--replacepkgs
Install the packages even if some of them are already installed on this system.
--test Do not install the package, simply check for and report potential conflicts.
ERASE OPTIONS
The general form of an rpm erase command is
rpm {-e|--erase} [--allmatches] [--justdb] [--nodeps] [--noscripts] [--notriggers]
[--test] PACKAGE_NAME ...
The following options may also be used:
--allmatches
Remove all versions of the package which match PACKAGE_NAME. Normally an error is
issued if PACKAGE_NAME matches multiple packages.
--justdb
Update only the database, not the filesystem.
--nodeps
Don't check dependencies before uninstalling the packages.
--noscripts, --nopreun, --nopostun
Don't execute the scriptlet of the same name. The --noscripts option during
package erase is equivalent to
--nopreun --nopostun
and turns off the execution of the corresponding %preun, and %postun scriptlet(s).
--notriggers, --notriggerun, --notriggerpostun
Don't execute any trigger scriptlet of the named type. The --notriggers option is
equivalent to
--notriggerun --notriggerpostun
and turns off execution of the corresponding %triggerun, and %triggerpostun scriptlet(s).
--test Don't really uninstall anything, just go through the motions. Useful in
conjunction with the -vv option for debugging.
QUERY OPTIONS
The general form of an rpm query command is
rpm {-q|--query} [select-options] [query-options]
You may specify the format that package information should be printed in. To do this, you
use the
--qf|--queryformat QUERYFMT
option, followed by the QUERYFMT format string. Query formats are modified versions of
the standard printf(3) formatting. The format is made up of static strings (which may
include standard C character escapes for newlines, tabs, and other special characters (not
including \0)) and printf(3) type formatters. As rpm already knows the type to print, the
type specifier must be omitted however, and replaced by the name of the header tag to be
printed, enclosed by {} characters. Tag names are case insensitive, and the leading
RPMTAG_ portion of the tag name may be omitted as well.
Alternate output formats may be requested by following the tag with :typetag. Currently,
the following types are supported:
:armor Wrap a public key in ASCII armor.
:arraysize
Display number of elements in array tags.
:base64
Encode binary data using base64.
:date Use strftime(3) "%c" format.
:day Use strftime(3) "%a %b %d %Y" format.
:depflags
Format dependency comparison operator.
:deptype
Format dependency type.
:expand
Perform macro expansion.
:fflags
Format file flags.
:fstate
Format file state.
:fstatus
Format file verify status.
:hex Format in hexadecimal.
:octal Format in octal.
:humaniec
Human readable number (in IEC 80000). The suffix K = 1024, M = 1048576, ...
:humansi
Human readable number (in SI). The suffix K = 1000, M = 1000000, ...
:json Wrap data in JSON.
:perms Format file permissions.
:pgpsig
Display signature fingerprint and time.
:shescape
Escape single quotes for use in a script.
:string
Display string format. (default)
:tagname
Display tag name.
:tagnum
Display tag number.
:triggertype
Display trigger suffix.
:vflags
File verification flags.
:xml Wrap data in simple xml markup.
For example, to print only the names of the packages queried, you could use %{NAME} as the
format string. To print the packages name and distribution information in two columns,
you could use %-30{NAME}%{DISTRIBUTION}. rpm will print a list of all of the tags it
knows about when it is invoked with the --querytags argument.
There are three subsets of options for querying: package selection, file selection and
information selection.
PACKAGE SELECTION OPTIONS:
PACKAGE_NAME
Query installed package named PACKAGE_NAME. To specify the package more precisely
the package name may be followed by the version or version and release both
separated by a dash or an architecture name separated by a dot. See the output of
rpm -qa or rpm -qp PACKAGE_FILE as an example.
-a, --all [SELECTOR]
Query all installed packages.
An optional SELECTOR in the form of tag=pattern can be provided to narrow the selection,
for example name="b*" to query packages whose name starts with "b".
--dupes
List duplicated packages.
-f, --file FILE
Query package owning installed FILE.
--filecaps
List file names with POSIX1.e capabilities.
--fileclass
List file names with their classes (libmagic classification).
--filecolor
List file names with their colors (0 for noarch, 1 for 32bit, 2 for 64 bit).
--fileprovide
List file names with their provides.
--filerequire
List file names with their requires.
-g, --group GROUP
Query packages with the group of GROUP.
--hdrid SHA1
Query package that contains a given header identifier, i.e. the SHA1 digest of the
immutable header region.
-p, --package PACKAGE_FILE
Query an (uninstalled) package PACKAGE_FILE. The PACKAGE_FILE may be specified as
an ftp or http style URL, in which case the package header will be downloaded and
queried. See FTP/HTTP OPTIONS for information on rpm's ftp and http client
support. The PACKAGE_FILE argument(s), if not a binary package, will be
interpreted as an ASCII package manifest unless --nomanifest option is used. In
manifests, comments are permitted, starting with a '#', and each line of a package
manifest file may include white space separated glob expressions, including URL's,
that will be expanded to paths that are substituted in place of the package
manifest as additional PACKAGE_FILE arguments to the query.
--path PATH
Query package(s) owning PATH, whether the file is installed or not. Multiple
packages may own a PATH, but the file is only owned by the package installed last.
--pkgid MD5
Query package that contains a given package identifier, i.e. the MD5 digest of the
combined header and payload contents.
--querybynumber HDRNUM
Query the HDRNUMth database entry directly; this is useful only for debugging.
--specfile SPECFILE
Parse and query SPECFILE as if it were a package. Although not all the information
(e.g. file lists) is available, this type of query permits rpm to be used to
extract information from spec files without having to write a specfile parser.
--tid TID
Query package(s) that have a given TID transaction identifier. A unix time stamp
is currently used as a transaction identifier. All package(s) installed or erased
within a single transaction have a common identifier.
--triggeredby PACKAGE_NAME
Query packages that are triggered by package(s) PACKAGE_NAME.
--whatobsoletes CAPABILITY
Query all packages that obsolete CAPABILITY for proper functioning.
--whatprovides CAPABILITY
Query all packages that provide the CAPABILITY capability.
--whatrequires CAPABILITY
Query all packages that require CAPABILITY for proper functioning.
--whatconflicts CAPABILITY
Query all packages that conflict with CAPABILITY.
--whatrecommends CAPABILITY
Query all packages that recommend CAPABILITY.
--whatsuggests CAPABILITY
Query all packages that suggest CAPABILITY.
--whatsupplements CAPABILITY
Query all packages that supplement CAPABILITY.
--whatenhances CAPABILITY
Query all packages that enhance CAPABILITY.
PACKAGE QUERY OPTIONS:
--changelog
Display change information for the package.
--changes
Display change information for the package with full time stamps.
--conflicts
List capabilities this package conflicts with.
--dump Dump file information as follows (implies -l):
path size mtime digest mode owner group isconfig isdoc rdev symlink
--enhances
List capabilities enhanced by package(s)
--filesbypkg
List all the files in each selected package.
--filetriggers
List filetrigger scriptlets from package(s).
-i, --info
Display package information, including name, version, and description. This uses
the --queryformat if one was specified.
--last Orders the package listing by install time such that the latest packages are at the
top.
-l, --list
List files in package.
--obsoletes
List packages this package obsoletes.
--provides
List capabilities this package provides.
--recommends
List capabilities recommended by package(s)
-R, --requires
List capabilities on which this package depends.
--suggests
List capabilities suggested by package(s)
--supplements
List capabilities supplemented by package(s)
--scripts
List the package specific scriptlet(s) that are used as part of the installation
and uninstallation processes.
-s, --state
Display the states of files in the package (implies -l). The state of each file is
one of normal, not installed, or replaced.
--triggers, --triggerscripts
Display the trigger scripts, if any, which are contained in the package. --xml
Format package headers as XML.
FILE SELECTION OPTIONS:
-A, --artifactfiles
Only include artifact files (implies -l).
-c, --configfiles
Only include configuration files (implies -l).
-d, --docfiles
Only include documentation files (implies -l).
-L, --licensefiles
Only include license files (implies -l).
--noartifact
Exclude artifact files.
--noconfig
Exclude config files.
--noghost
Exclude ghost files.
VERIFY OPTIONS
The general form of an rpm verify command is
rpm {-V|--verify} [select-options] [verify-options]
Verifying a package compares information about the installed files in the package with
information about the files taken from the package metadata stored in the rpm database.
Among other things, verifying compares the size, digest, permissions, type, owner and
group of each file. Any discrepancies are displayed. Files that were not installed from
the package, for example, documentation files excluded on installation using the
"--excludedocs" option, will be silently ignored.
The package and file selection options are the same as for package querying (including
package manifest files as arguments). Other options unique to verify mode are:
--nodeps
Don't verify dependencies of packages.
--nodigest
Don't verify package or header digests when reading.
--nofiles
Don't verify any attributes of package files.
--noscripts
Don't execute the %verifyscript scriptlet (if any).
--nosignature
Don't verify package or header signatures when reading.
--nolinkto
--nofiledigest (formerly --nomd5)
--nosize
--nomtime
--nomode
--nordev
Don't verify the corresponding file attribute.
--nouser
--nogroup
Don't verify file user/group ownership. Note that only local passwd(5) and
group(5) databases are consulted.
--nocaps
Don't verify file capabilities.
The format of the output is a string of 9 characters, a possible attribute marker:
a %artifact a build side-effect file (such as buildid links)
c %config configuration file.
d %doc documentation file.
g %ghost file (i.e. the file contents are not included in the package payload).
l %license license file.
m %missingok file missing is not a verify failure.
r %readme readme file.
from the package header, followed by the file name. Each of the 9 characters denotes the
result of a comparison of attribute(s) of the file to the value of those attribute(s)
recorded in the database. A single "." (period) means the test passed, while a single "?"
(question mark) indicates the test could not be performed (e.g. file permissions prevent
reading). Otherwise, the (mnemonically emBoldened) character denotes failure of the
corresponding --verify test:
S file Size differs
M Mode differs (includes permissions and file type)
5 digest (formerly 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
P caPabilities differ
MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS
rpm --showrc
shows the values rpm will use for all of the options are currently set in rpmrc and
macros configuration file(s).
rpm --setperms | --setugids | --setcaps PACKAGE_NAME
obsolete aliases for --restore
rpm --restore [select-options]
The option restores file metadata such as timestamp, owner, group, permissions and
capabilities of files in packages.
FTP/HTTP OPTIONS
rpm can act as an FTP and/or HTTP client so that packages can be queried or installed from
the internet. Package files for install, upgrade, and query operations may be specified
as an ftp or http style URL:
http://HOST[:PORT]/path/to/package.rpm
ftp://[USER:PASSWORD]@HOST[:PORT]/path/to/package.rpm
If both the user and password are omitted, anonymous ftp is used.
rpm allows the following options to be used with ftp URLs:
rpm allows the following options to be used with
http and ftp URLs:
--httpproxy HOST
The host HOST will be used as a proxy server for all http and ftp transfers. This
option may also be specified by configuring the macro %_httpproxy.
--httpport PORT
The TCP PORT number to use for the http connection on the proxy http server instead
of the default port. This option may also be specified by configuring the macro
%_httpport.
LEGACY ISSUES
Executing rpmbuild
The build modes of rpm are now resident in the /usr/bin/rpmbuild executable. Install the
package containing rpmbuild (usually rpm-build) and see rpmbuild(8) for documentation of
all the rpm build modes.
FILES
rpmrc Configuration
Each file in the colon separated rpmrc path is read sequentially by rpm for configuration
information. Only the first file in the list must exist, and tildes will be expanded to
the value of $HOME. The default rpmrc path is as follows:
/usr/lib/rpm/rpmrc:
/usr/lib/rpm/<vendor>/rpmrc:
/etc/rpmrc:
~/.config/rpm/rpmrc
If XDG_CONFIG_HOME environment variable is set, it replaces ~/.config in the path.
In older rpm versions the path of per-user rpmrc was ~/.rpmrc. This is still processed if
it exists and the new configuration directory does not exist.
Macro Configuration
Each file or glob(7) pattern in the colon-separated macro path is read sequentially by rpm
for macro definitions. Tildes will be expanded to the value of the environment variable
HOME. The default macro path is as follows:
/usr/lib/rpm/macros:
/usr/lib/rpm/macros.d/macros.*:
/usr/lib/rpm/platform/%{_target}/macros:
/usr/lib/rpm/fileattrs/*.attr:
/usr/lib/rpm/<vendor>/macros:
/etc/rpm/macros.*:
/etc/rpm/macros:
/etc/rpm/%{_target}/macros:
~/.config/rpm/macros
If XDG_CONFIG_HOME environment variable is set, it replaces ~/.config in the path.
In older versions of rpm, the path of per-user macros was ~/.rpmmacros. This is still
processed if it exists and the new configuration directory does not exist.
Database
/var/lib/rpm/
Temporary
/var/tmp/rpm*
SEE ALSO
rpm-misc(8), popt(3), rpm2cpio(8), rpmbuild(8), rpmdb(8), rpmkeys(8), rpmsign(8),
rpmspec(8)
rpm --help - as rpm supports customizing the options via popt aliases it's impossible to
guarantee that what's described in the manual matches what's available.
http://www.rpm.org/ <URL:http://www.rpm.org/>
AUTHORS
Marc Ewing <marc@redhat.com>
Jeff Johnson <jbj@redhat.com>
Erik Troan <ewt@redhat.com>
09 June 2002 RPM(8)